Bee City Zoo

1066 Holly Ridge Ln, Cottageville, SC 29435 USDA license 56-C-0233

On 11/25/2023 this complaint was allegedly filed with USDA but we have seen no action by the agency.  It often takes more than six years of such complaints before any action is taken…if ever.

Dear Sir or Madame,

Today November 5th (2023) I went to visit a zoo called Bee city out in Cottageville South Carolina. I was there a year ago and within a year I felt terrible for the animals. They were in cages which they were last year as well but, this time it was 73° today and they had no water in their dishes and there was no food either everything looked not kept.

Throughout the walk of the park my daughter and I saw tortoises she  thought the tortoises were fake until they moved and then she got so sad she started to cry because there was no food vegetables or water for them he was just eating a dried up leaf and dust.

The Tigers are in a cage which have no sunlight no trees there is just a pool bucket and a ball one was laying down growling the other one just kept pacing and nervous when I came to the Tiger area there was another couple there they told me not to stand close the tiger just finished spraying somebody!

There was also a snow leopard he lays there in a small dark enclosure with nothing to play with.

I was quite taken back that when we left the park the girl who checked us in asked me how I liked it and I said to be honest I was quite disturbed when I came last year it didn’t look the way it did today and she told me unfortunately 10 people just recently left the job and they only had four people and one is doing the outdoors they are very short handed. That was no excuse not to have water. She said the food was behind cages like an area that the animal can go back to but I don’t know if that’s so cause I didn’t see.

I just know, big cats need space big cats need enrichments to keep them occupied so they don’t get stir crazy other animals need water as well.

Also They  had three foxes I felt terrible for them!!!! They had nothing to dig on only cement on the bottom of the cage and one shelf they could sit on and there was an albino raccoon that was the saddest of ALL, nothing absolutely nothing it made me totally disgusted!!! I was really upset.

However, they ended up getting 2 giraffes and made a very large area after the owner who I spoke to Last November said, he was going to enlarge the tiger area because I didn’t like it a year ago and said something but instead of him doing that, he went and got 2 giraffes for his zoo and last year he shared with me all the animals were rescue animals and then I found out from the girl today that these two giraffes were purchased from a breeder in Ohio I’m bringing this to your attention because I’m totally disgusted and I’m hoping something to be done to help these animals they should not have to live under these conditions. There are plenty of sanctuaries out there for these tigers and for the snow leopard.  I myself am familiar with a few that I follow, these big cats should be placed in a place like those NOT in a cage with bars If they can’t live their natural life in the wild find a better place!

Thank you, Name With Held Pending Investigation

Cat Census

2 Tigers

1 Snow Leopard

4 Caracals

2014-05-Bee-City-Zoo-USDA-Citation

2014-06-Bee-City-Zoo-USDA-Citation

2016-Bee-City-Zoo-USDA-Citation

2017-Bee-City-Zoo-USDA-Citation

2021-Bee-City-Zoo-USDA-Citation

2023-01-Bee-City-Zoo-USDA-Citation

2023-09-Bee-City-Zoo-USDA-Citation

2014-A-Bee City Zoo-39141011038801_Complete

2014-B-Bee City Zoo-74140907519830_Complete

2016-Bee City Zoo-73161241340356_Complete

2017-Bee City Zoo-2016082568452368_Complete

2021-Bee City Zoo-PST_Inspection_Report_BEE CITY LLC

Poor Reviews of Bee City Zoo

A visitor reported that there were, “2 tigers pacing in a small cage” there. Their website shows servals, tigers and snow leopards on their home page. They offer “encounters with their animal ambassadors” it says in the description.  Their page shows 2 photos of petting of servals and they describe themselves as an “interactive zoo”.

2022 – I visited Bee City in Cottageville, SC.  I didn’t expect them to have a (very obese tiger and) snow leopard.  The snow leopard was concerning in particular as it was easily 98 degrees out, and while she was in a shaded enclosure with privacy areas, there was no way for an animal like that to really cool down, and she was panting.  Not sure how else to help except to do this.

We suggested they complain to USDA here:

animalcare@aphis.usda.gov

or online here: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/ourfocus/animalwelfare/complaint-form