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The Town of Brookhaven on Monday, Dec. 23, requested that the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office conduct an independent investigation into alleged neglect at the Holtsville Ecology Site & Animal Preserve.
It followed claims by at least eight former employees that animals at the facility endured years of mistreatment. The Holtsville site is operated by the Town of Brookhaven under its Highway Department, which has faced criticism for its management of the animal preserve.
“We’ve chosen the district attorney because we want this investigation to be independent and to show how serious we take these allegations,” Brookhaven Supervisor Dan Panico told reporters. “There will be zero tolerance for any animal neglect in this town.”
The probe comes after the recent death of Honey, a black bear that spent years housed at the facility. Advocates from Humane Long Island and former employees allege that Honey endured severe neglect including untreated injuries, broken and rotted teeth, and chronic health conditions.
“Succumbing to such psychological neglect that she paced and swayed — symptoms of brain damage according to neuroscientists specializing in large mammals in captivity — while Holtsville staff dismissed these behaviors as ‘dancing’ to the public and consulted with a dog and cat vet over the phone,” Humane Long Island said.
"To say Honey deserved better is an understatement. Even as an icon of the 'preserve' she was severely neglected — her pain went ignored, she was harassed by her caretakers, and she exhibited the stereotypic behaviors of a miserable captive animal with no enrichment in their life,” Cayleigh Kunnmann, a former assistant at the facility, told Humane Long Island.
In the weeks leading up to the bear’s death, the animal advocacy group urged the Town of Brookhaven to let Honey see a proper veterinarian and send her to an accredited animal sanctuary, but the town refused.
"Honey the black bear died alone, neglected, and in pain, without having a single day of peace,” Kathleen Conelly, another former employee told Humane Long Island. “Brookhaven must send the other animals to sanctuary now before it is too late.”
During a protest held at the site’s annual tree lighting ceremony, John Di Leonardo, executive director of Humane Long Island, demanded immediate action to relocate the remaining animals to reputable sanctuaries.
“It’s too late for Honey, but it’s not too late to save more than 100 animals who continue to suffer taxpayer-funded neglect,” said Di Leonardo. He added that he had secured placements for every animal at accredited sanctuaries and urged the town to act swiftly.
“All that is needed is for the Highway Department to admit they should stick to fixing potholes instead of confining animals."
No timeline for the investigation was given.
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