I remember visiting this zoo about a decade ago. Seems like little has changed. Back then it was outdated and definitely seemed to be dangerous. Specifically the crappy built carnivore exhibits and relatively low fences for big cats. I know in the years after my visit the zoo got a variety of USDA complaints for the things I observed.
@TinoPup Great job reporting on this place. The photos almost perfectly matched what I remember about this place. Seems like almost 0 investment in place since I last visited, and just a few small changes in the collection.
It's amazing that this zoo has large carnivores and a variety of warm-weather mammals (ocelot, wallabies, African crested porcupines, etc.) in a leafy, forested, chilly part of Pennsylvania with only very basic shelters for the animals. Aren't there regular inspections of these poor zoos? Claws N Paws reminds me of some of the zoological junk that I've seen in Wisconsin, California, Texas, Arkansas and several other states.
@snowleopard I visited twice when I was younger. My parents brought me and along with a visit to the Southern Nevada Zoological Park (far worse than Claws N Paws), taught us to better choose what zoos we actually visited. This area is a pretty big summer vacation spot from the large cities on the east coast, with a lot of lake houses and cabins for rent. It also is a pretty cold place during winter as you stated, with a few ski resorts nearby. So that probably explains the crowd and the continued existence of this trashy place. I remember back when I first visited thinking how even though some of these species are cold tolerant, they were not even provided with sufficient heated space to get out of the cold.
The zoo has been regularly inspected and cited many times (I'll list some below), but the USDA is extremely weak and almost never can close zoos or push for major changes. Pennsylvania is also a state with fairly weak animal regulations as I know it. The citations listed below come largely from an animal rights organization's Freedom of Information Act requests. I don't normally use them as a source, but the citations are legit. These are the only ones I could find, as more recent citations are not public.
Gaps in the lion and tiger exhibit fence
Cages falling apart for New Guinea Singing Dogs, Porcupine, among others
Coyote's escape from there exhibit
Unvaccinated tiger cub, that then goes missing (Cub likely from Wildlife World in Arizona)
I was rather appalled by the lack of housing for almost all of the animals, as well. The porcupines at least seem to have an indoor area, but I doubt there's any heating. The place is closed in the winter.
