Mass Deaths at Sloth World Prompt PETA Cruelty Complaint to Florida Law Enforcement

For Immediate Release:
April 30, 2026

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Orlando, Fla. –

Following the reported deaths of 52 sloths—21 of whom died in an unheated warehouse linked to the now-defunct “Sloth World Orlando”—PETA submitted a complaint this morning to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement calling for a cruelty investigation into company co-owners Peter Bandre and Benjamin Agresta. Since those earlier 21 deaths, 31 additional sloths have reportedly died under their care since 2024 from various causes, including vitamin deficiencies and gastrointestinal issues.

According to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission inspection records obtained by PETA, the 21 sloths died within 5 days of their arrival from Guyana in December 2024 to Bandre’s and Agresta’s warehouse, which reportedly lacked heat, electricity, and running water. The site was not authorized to house animals, prompting a safety inspector to issue a “stop work” order last week, essentially shuttering the outfit ahead of its planned spring opening.

sloth looks out while hanging onto tree branch in a national park in Costa Rica — In nature, sloths spend over 90 percent of their lives in trees. Credit: iStock.com/Wirestock

In nature, sloths spend over 90 percent of their lives in trees. Credit: iStock.com/Wirestock

“These sloths were snatched from their rainforest homes and endured a terrifying journey thousands of miles away before being left to die in a barren warehouse equipped to store cars, not living beings,” says PETA Foundation Associate General Counsel of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Jonathan Morris. “Wild animals are not props for roadside attractions, and PETA is calling on the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to hold Bandre and Agresta accountable for their actions and ensure that they never own animals again.”

Sloths are nocturnal animals who sleep up to 20 hours a day and spend the majority of their time alone, but those used in encounters are subjected to the stress of irregular sleep, mishandling, loud noises, and crowds of strangers—which can be distressing and even leave them prone to illness and injury.

PETA encourages everyone to take action against cruel animal encounters and to never interact with wild animals or visit roadside zoos.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—points out that when it comes to the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst, a sloth is a dog is a boy. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.