One of the four giraffes at the Natural Bridge Zoo has been moved to a sanctuary out of state but now the Virginia Court of Appeals has put transfer of the other three on hold, the latest development in a nearly yearlong legal saga involving the roadside attraction in Rockbridge County.
The fate of the other three giraffes, which had been scheduled to be moved soon, now rests in more court hearings over the coming weeks.
In December, state authorities raided the zoo and seized its animals as part of an animal neglect and abuse case. However, because giraffes are difficult to move, the four animals remained at the zoo.
In March, a Rockbridge County jury upheld the seizure of 71 of the 100 animals, including the four giraffes, and, on Wednesday, a Rockbridge County judge gave the go-ahead for the state to move the animals.
On Thursday, the giraffe named Jeffrey was transported to an undisclosed animal sanctuary in South Carolina. However, the zoo’s former owners, Karl and Debbie Mogensen, appealed, and on Friday, the Virginia Court of Appeals issued an order to block the transfer of the remaining three animals “until further order.”
The court gave the state until Oct. 15 to reply.
The case of the giraffes is complicated by the fact that two of them are now pregnant.
Due to the long gestation period of giraffes, it’s unclear whether it happened before or after the raid. Little Girl and Valentine continue to carry viable pregnancies, and much of Wednesday’s hearing focused on whether it was safe to move the two mothers-to-be. The other giraffe that hasn’t been moved is a male named Wrinkles.
Court documents said the giraffe calves are due in the first quarter of 2025.
The Mogensens’ attorneys argued to keep the giraffes on-site, noting that the county has registered no complaints about the animals’ care since they were seized late last year and citing the risks associated with moving a pregnant giraffe. They proposed a solution in which Natural Bridge Zoo’s new owners — JIG Ventures, a group led by Karl Mogensen’s daughter, Gretchen Mogensen — would continue caring for the giraffes until they gave birth and experts deemed it safe to move both the mothers and babies. They also raised concerns over ownership of the giraffe fetuses.
Circuit Court Judge Christopher Russell ultimately ruled it was up to the new owners — the state — to decide what was best for the giraffes.
In a statement, the zoo’s attorney Erin Hannigan objected to the way Jeffrey was treated during Thursday’s transport.
“Our clients were horrified at the treatment of the male giraffe during the transport yesterday, particularly the video showing the representatives of the Virginia Attorney General’s Office slamming a gate into Jeffrey in an attempt to capture him. (If you have not seen that video, you should watch it on social media). We are glad that the Court of Appeals’ orders may prevent a similar fate from befalling the female giraffes.”
In a statement, the attorney general’s office said: “Sounds like the owners are treating the rescuers the same way they treated the giraffes. We are confident in our case and look forward to giving Wrinkles a safe home.”
