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Penn’s Cave and Wildlife Park in Centre Hall, PA, has been fined $24,000 for the death of 39 white-tailed deer between May 2018 and Nov. 2020.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture citation indicates that on May 6, 2018, three Penn’s Cave employees carried out a “herd reduction” of 11 white-tailed deer by gunshot.
Documents indicate the roadside zoo’s Program of Veterinary Care specifies an overdose of anesthesia as the method of euthanasia for white-tailed deer.
“The attending veterinarian was not consulted about culling or euthanizing the white-tailed deer using a method other than the one specified in the Program of Veterinary Care,” according to the citation.
At an Oct. 2020 USDA inspection, a review of Penn’s Cave keeper logs indicated that 10 white-tailed deer had unexplainably died between June 19, 2020 and July 31, 2020, the citation indicates.
Documents say that although three of the deer appeared ill prior to their deaths, Penn’s Cave failed to have the veterinarian examine the deer for diagnosis or treatment. Penn’s Cave also failed to notify the veterinarian about the number and possible causes of the deaths.
After reviewing additional records, the inspector found that out of the 21 fawns born at Penn’s Cave in 2020, 18 of them had died.
Penn’s Cave was ordered to pay $24,000 for the violations.
Penn's Cave and Wildlife Park citation and USDA notification of penalty: