FARMINGTON, Utah (ABC 4 News) - A local group of animal rights activists are calling for a boycott of Lagoon, protesting the living conditions for the nearly 80 animals in the park.
Their message is simple: "Stop Imprisoning Animals."
The group has spent the last three days protesting outside the park.
Jordan Kasteler has organized the group, "Lagoon is not an animal sanctuary - it's a privatized zoo."
They are also online collecting signatures. So far they have collected nearly 1500 on two websites complaining about the animal's living conditions.
Besides being frustrated with what they see, the group says they have evidence to back it up.
Kasteler said, "Dozens of documents showing inadequate care."
Documents were obtained by the group from the USDA listing several violations. While Lagoon admits they have had violations, they say the last one was in 2006 for a paper work problem.
Lagoon's spokesman Dick Andrew tells ABC4 their animal exhibits are "absolutely in compliance with the rules and regulation set by the USDA."
He goes onto say the park has three veterinaries who check each animal monthly. Six additional people are also on staff 365 days a year working with the animals. Andrew said, that's better care than most humans get.
The group says violations aside, the amusement park isn't a place for animals.
Kasteler said, "Regardless of how the animals are treated at lagoon, they just don't belong there in the first place."
The group says they won't stop until the animals are moved.
