Zoo Blames Escaped Kangaroo on the A.L.F.

After the third escape of animals, the Animal Liberation Front provides an easy scapegoat for the owners of a roadside zoo

When a kangaroo escaped from Paul Bunyan’s Animal Land in November, the animal was found hopping down Highway 2 in rural Minnesota.

Two weeks ago, it happened again: two 100-pound African lion cubs escaped their cages, and were found wandering in Bemidj. It was the second animal escape at the zoo in six months, and the third since 2007.

Lion cubs and kangaroos are non-native species, unlikely to survive in North America. As such, they would not be released into the wild by the Animal Liberation Front, whose only concern is for the animals’ well-being – not just their freedom.

This detail did not stop the owner of Paul Bunyan’s Animal Land from blaming the escapes not on her own ineptitude as a zookeeper, but on the Animal Liberation Front. In a statement on the escaped animals, owner Caara Holstrom said:

“The lion escape was a result of criminal activities which include tampering with the caging holding the cubs. Their escape was not a result of negligence on the part of Animal Land in any way shape or form. At animal land’s request, a criminal investigation has been opened with multiple law enforcement agencies…”

She believes animal rights activist has been loosening screws on the pens and releasing the animals.

It seems Caara did not do her research on the A.L.F. before making the claim: activists concerned with saving animals would not release lions and kangaroos into the Minnesota wilderness.

To cover for an animal abuser’s negligence, the A.L.F. makes an easy scapegoat. Another example occurred in 2001, when cows escaped from a farm in South Dakota. The farmer immediately pointed the finger at the A.L.F.

While police and the FBI might best look at Paul Bunyan’s Animal Land itself, the owner’s claim diverts their attention to “ecoterrorists”, and the Animal Liberation Front. And what better scapegoat? The A.L.F. is clandestine by nature, and unable to publicly speak for themselves. When placing blame on the A.L.F., animal abusers have entered into a one-sided debate in which the accused can’t respond.

With ex-prisoners setting up friends for fraudulent mink farm raid plots to get off probation early, and animal researchers pointing fingers at animal rights activists for a Santa Cruz home-arson when no evidence of an animal liberation motive existed (and pointing the blame to drive through tough anti-animal rights activism laws), we may see false blame on the A.L.F. become an emerging trend for those who wish to avert blame themselves.

– Peter Young

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