PETA’s Tip Pays Off: Judge Orders Pet Trade Breeder to Surrender 800 Chinchillas

A federal judge has ordered Ohio chinchilla breeder James Ritterspach to start handing over the more than 800 chinchillas he hid from government inspectors for years—animals whose existence came to light only because of a tip from PETA.

Every chinchilla on his property must be examined by a veterinarian by September 11. The order came after federal attorneys told the court that Ritterspach had ignored an earlier order to clean up his operation and that inspectors had found nine more alleged violations at the property.

A September 1 inspection report describes eight chinchillas denied veterinary care, including one whose eyes were swollen shut with pus-like discharge; at least 121 animals still wearing the metal collars the court had ordered removed; chinchillas living in cages almost entirely covered in feces or soaked bedding; and hundreds of animals Ritterspach still hasn’t fully accounted for. His license to sell animals was suspended on August 14.

The DOJ’s case against Ritterspach began on August 20, when it filed a 39-page complaint in U.S. District Court in Toledo against the Hancock County resident and his business, R & R Chinchilla, Inc. The complaint alleges that he kept roughly 800 chinchillas off the books for years by housing them in an undisclosed building, which they only learned of from PETA.

The animals were bred to be shipped off for experimentation and sold as “pets.”

PETA’s Complaint Exposed Hidden Chinchillas

On July 30, PETA alerted federal officials after obtaining a law enforcement report showing that Ritterspach had told local authorities last year that he possessed around 1,200 chinchillas. At the time, federal inspection reports reflected fewer than 400 animals at the facility, raising serious questions about the whereabouts of hundreds of others.

After receiving PETA’s complaint, federal officials questioned Ritterspach. According to the DOJ, he admitted that a second building on his property housed additional chinchillas. Inspectors subsequently found 1,147 chinchillas on site.

The DOJ’s complaint alleges that Ritterspach conceded that the additional animals had been kept in the uninspected building for years and that someone had told him the structure “would never pass inspection.”

Severe Illness, Filthy Conditions

USDA officials cited the facility for 24 alleged violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act in early August (after years of citing it for dozens more alleged violations). Inspection reports described chinchillas suffering from a range of serious conditions, including a metal collar that cut into the neck, eyes swollen shut with discharge, overgrown teeth, an injured ear, and severely matted fur. In total, inspectors documented veterinary concerns involving at least 33 animals.

These findings underscore why meaningful oversight matters. Chinchillas are sensitive, social individuals who exist for their own reasons, not test subjects or commodities to be sold as “pets.”

Federal Court Steps In

In a promising development, a federal court has issued a temporary restraining order against Ritterspach and R & R Chinchilla. The government’s actions suggest it may be seeking to revoke Ritterspach’s license. He has been ordered to account for all 1,147 chinchillas, obtain veterinary evaluations for each one, and produce records. We hope this is the first step toward liberating every animal from Ritterspach’s custody.

A hearing in the case is scheduled for September 4 in Toledo.

PETA is grateful to the DOJ for acting swiftly to address the situation and for pursuing legal remedies aimed at protecting the animals involved.

Ritterspach Is Also Under Criminal Investigation

Thanks to another PETA tip, Ritterspach is also under an ongoing criminal investigation for potential violations of Ohio’s anti-cruelty laws.

PETA obtained a detective’s report from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, which assisted in the execution of a search warrant at R & R Chinchilla last December. The Sheriff’s Office acted 11 days after PETA alerted it to the feds’ persistent findings of neglect at the operation and asked local law enforcement to charge Ritterspach under state law. According to a local official, a criminal investigation remains ongoing.

PETA Will Keep Fighting for These Animals

PETA is calling on the DOJ to ensure that every chinchilla is removed from Ritterspach’s custody and placed somewhere safe. We stand ready to assist.

What You Can Do

If you’re considering sharing your home with a chinchilla or any other animal, adopt, don’t shop. Buying animals fuels an industry that reduces living, feeling beings to inventory, while countless homeless animals need safe, permanent homes.