For Immediate Release:
January 10, 2019
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
Miami – Below, please find a statement from PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Law Enforcement Brittany Peet in response to yesterday’s incident at Miami’s Jungle Island, where a volunteer was taken to the hospital after an orangutan bit her:
No reputable animal-care facility would allow a volunteer anywhere near the teeth of a wild animal who is strong enough to bite a finger clean off. Jungle Island in Miami has a history of endangering the public, including an incident in which a tiger scaled a 12-foot barrier, escaped, and ran amok for an hour, causing a panic that injured several visitors, including a 15-month-old baby. This isn’t the first time that Jungle Island has sent someone to the hospital, and PETA warns that as long as this facility still forces lemurs, sloths, and other wild animals to interact with the public, it likely won’t be the last.
PETA’s motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment,” and more information can be found at PETA.org.
