Wild Animals Suffering in Moca Zoo, Dominican Republic

There is a zoo in a small town called Moca, located northwest of Santo Domingo on the Island of the Dominican Republic (Hispaniola, shared with Haiti). This zoo was built 32 years ago above an open septic pool. The animals are sick and continue dying with no appropriate veterinary care whatsoever. The area is contaminated with feces in the water and very little is being done about it. Animals are not always treated kindly in third world countries, especially small overlooked animal facilities such as Moca Zoo.

The biodiversity sub ministries have big issues with these squalorous conditions, yet SODOPRECA has raised this issue to the authorities to no avail. The problem in the Dominican Republic, as in many third world countries, is that they are very politically corrupt and don’t want or care to do anything, even though they are in violation of the National Legislation and international treaty DR-CAFTA.

There is no budget for food or medical care at the Moca Zoo. It is so bad that the residents of this small town, out of desperation and compassion, are trying to gather food for the animals – often inappropriate – just to keep them alive. Sometimes the lions are given rotten meat or dead or dying horses, cows and donkeys.

Based on information obtained from reliable sources, we believe the real motivation for keeping this hellhole running is that the zoo’s owners are breeding and selling endangered turtle species. The only way they can continue to breed and sell these turtles is to have “Zoo Status”.

This suffering needs to stop now. We have started the proceedings with lawyers, but connections, public awareness, and other forms of help are always welcomed and desperately needed. Please click on our link below to see how you can help the Zoo Animals of Moca and spread the word.

https://www.facebook.com/sodopreca/timeline