USDA Files Complaint Against Charlestown Wildlife Sanctuary

CHARLESTOWN, Ind. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture has filed a formal complaint against a wildlife sanctuary in Clark County that has been under investigation for months.

The News and Tribune reports that the complaint filed last week by Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service administrator Kevin Shea lists more than 20 allegations in which Wildlife in Need owner Tim Stark violated the Animal Welfare Act.

The allegations include repeated failures to provide adequate veterinary care to animals and to handle animals carefully, as well as physical abuse. The complaint also says investigation's inspectors were repeatedly interfered with and verbally abused.

According to the complaint, Wildlife in Need most recently housed 124 animals, including 25 primates and 97 wild or exotic mammals.

The newspaper couldn't reach Stark for comment Thursday.