Federal Court Orders Roadside Zoo to Pay PETA Nearly $1.3 Million Dollars in Attorneys’ Fees and Costs Connected with Endangered Species Act Lawsuit

Following a federal court ruling in favor of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on all counts in its Endangered Species Act (ESA) lawsuit against Tri-State Zoological Park (“Tri-State”) in connection with the Maryland roadside zoo’s substandard treatment of tigers, lions, and lemurs, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland entered an order requiring Tri-State to reimburse PETA $1,284,049.11 for attorneys’ fees and litigation costs. In granting PETA’s motion pursuant to the ESA’s fee-shifting provision, the court found PETA’s fees to be reasonable, stating that “the nature and complexity of the case is commensurate with the time and effort spent over the course of this protracted litigation.”