A Moscow petting zoo advertised cuddly parrots. Prosecutors found more than 100 of them dead in a freezer.
More than 100 dead birds were found in a freezer at a Moscow lounge, the city prosecutor’s office said. The business — a parrot petting zoo called Popugaynya — is in Moscow’s Taganka neighborhood, the Moscow news agency Moskva said.
A Moscow petting zoo named Popugaynya advertised cuddly parrots for visitors to pet. However, more than 100 of the birds were found dead in a freezer at the lounge in the Taganka neighborhood, according to the city prosecutor’s office. The interdistrict environmental prosecutor’s office investigated after complaints were made. The examination revealed that the birds had suffered injuries that were "incompatible with survival."
The petting zoo housed a total of over 200 birds. Prosecutors discovered numerous violations of animal welfare laws, veterinary regulations, and licensing requirements. Charges have been filed for animal cruelty, alongside administrative offenses. The fate of the remaining birds was not specified in the statement. The lounge has attributed the presence of dead birds to "staff negligence."
The head of the zoo, Alexey Gorbach, explained that when old birds brought in by visitors die, their remains are placed in a freezer. However, it appears that the remains were not being regularly collected due to administrative failings.
Written by urgent.news from Meduza (English)'s reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
