Agreed. There is some federal legislation and authority over animal welfare, but it is seen in the US as a state issue, and every state has its own laws. That being said, I would be surprised if any of the 50 lack a roadside collection or two. In some states, you don't even need a license to own dangerous animals like tigers or bears.
I've been going through the photos that I posted from my 2015 visit to Tiger Safari and I'm still shocked 5 years later. This coati exhibit is appalling, and the fencing on some of the big cat enclosures is downright scary! It's not just the god-awful roadside southern zoos in the U.S. that are atrocious, but as I would find out on later road trips the northern zoos (including many in Michigan and Wisconsin) are even worse!
