LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The State of Indiana filed a plan outlining details of how and when animals will be removed from a Charlestown exotic animal facility.
Thursday, a judge approved the state’s motion to remove animals from Wildlife in Need by Indianapolis Zoological Society.
The organization was granted full access for several days to safely remove the more than 200 animals from the Wildlife In Need property.
The ruling states:
1. The Court appoints Indianapolis Zoological Society (“Receiver”) as receiver of all animals identified in the State’s Inspection Report and in Wildlife in Need’s subsequent weekly reports, excluding lions, tigers, and lion-tiger hybrids, and authorizes Receiver as follows:
a. Transport and take possession of the Animals;
b. Provide veterinary care it believes in its professional discretion to be appropriate;
c. Feed and otherwise care for;
d. Arrange for temporary placement at other facilities that it knows to be qualified to provide quality care;
e. Assume all other appropriate, necessary, and usual powers as determined by the Court to carry out duties and exercise rights to effect the purposes of this receivership.
f. Receiver may hire, contract with, enter into MOUs with, employ or retain any person, other personnel, or entities whom the Receiver deems qualified to assist Receiver in the performance of their duties of providing placement and care for the animals in dispute pending a final judgment.
g. Receiver may petition the Court for compensation at the conclusion of their services at an appropriate rate, subject to filing an application for compensation that details their services and to be reimbursed for customary, actual expenses incurred in connection with this receivership; this does not prevent the Receiver from seeking compensation at any point during the provision of its services from other sources, including the State.
The document also orders Tim Stark not to be within one mile of the property while the animals are being removed.
Stark’s was stripped of his USDA license in June after agency officials said he violated the Animal Welfare Act more than 100 times. Many of the animals were left without adequate care, no food and water, according to court documents.
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