Recent reports and USDA records have brought to light a disturbing situation at DeYoung Family Zoo in Wallace, Michigan, as dozens of animals have gone missing from the roadside zoo in a little over a year. These disappearances, coupled with questionable animal transfer practices, are raising serious concerns about animal welfare and regulatory oversight at the facility.
Records obtained from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development (MDARD) reveal that a staggering 50 animals vanished from DeYoung Zoo within a 14-month period. A comparison of the zoo’s USDA animal inventory between September 2020 and November 2021 paints a stark picture of these losses.
The inventory discrepancies show a wide range of species unaccounted for, including:
- 2 Tigers
- 2 Rabbits
- 2 Cows
- 1 Fox
- 2 Lions
- 1 Brown Bear
- 1 Black Spider Monkey
- 12 Sheep
- 4 North American River Otters
- 4 White-tailed Deer
- 2 Virginia Opossums
- 2 Japanese Macaques
- 1 Groundhog
- 2 Sulawesi Crested Macaques
- 1 Prevost’s Squirrel
- 1 Mountain Coati
- 5 New Guinea Singing Dogs
Carrie Cramer, owner of DeYoung Family Zoo Michigan, is pictured blocking a vehicle, an incident that occurred when questioned about missing animals.
While MDARD tracks exotic animals entering and leaving Michigan, intrastate transfers go undocumented. However, MDARD records have shed some light on the fate of a few animals. Two snow macaques were reportedly sold to a zoo in Minnesota. More concerningly, documents also indicate that several animals arrived at DeYoung Zoo between February and October 2021 – including a snow leopard, two zebras, and two red foxes – that are also not listed on the USDA inventory, suggesting they too are missing.
Adding to the complexity, Certificates of Veterinary Inspection from MDARD provide a timeline of animal transactions involving DeYoung Zoo:
- October 2020: DeYoung Zoo acquired a bat-eared fox from Weickert’s Wildlife in Minnesota.
- October 2020: Three timber wolves were sold to Menominee Park Zoo in Wisconsin.
- October & November 2020: DeYoung Zoo “adopted” two wolves from Menominee Park Zoo.
- February 2021: A snow leopard arrived from Weickert’s Wildlife.
- March 2021: Two zebras were purchased from Animal Entertainments in Wisconsin, a company linked to multiple animal parks and suppliers.
- April 2021: A dingo arrived from Capital of Texas Zoo for “exhibition.”
- May 2021: A black bear cub was sold to Bear Country USA in South Dakota.
- May 2021: Multiple young animals, including red foxes, a coyote, and a wolf, were acquired from Weickert’s Wildlife.
- May 2021: A kangaroo was sold to Dream Catchers Exotics LLC in Wisconsin.
- June 2021: A dingo was sold to Trowbridge Creek Zoo in Minnesota.
- June 2021: Two snow macaques were sold to Trowbridge Creek Zoo.
- July 2021: Another snow macaque was sold to Trowbridge Creek Zoo.
- July 2021: A kangaroo arrived from Midwest Monkeys and Exotics, with a questionable origin address.
- August 2021: A mountain lion cub arrived from Weickert’s Wildlife.
- August 2021: A provost squirrel was sold to Trowbridge Creek Zoo.
- September 2021: Two Southern tamanduas were sold to “Electric Bug LLC” (likely The Eclectic Bug LLC) in Idaho, but a USDA inspection found no tamanduas there.
- September 2021: A black spider monkey was sold to a private individual in Indiana.
- September 2021: A kangaroo was sold to Debbie Doolittle’s Animal Experience in Washington, potentially the same kangaroo acquired in July, raising further questions. Debbie Doolittle’s had a history of Animal Welfare Act violations.
These records also reveal a pattern of DeYoung Zoo separating very young, nursing animals from their mothers for sale, including primates, a bear, and a kangaroo.
Further complicating matters, DeYoung Zoo acquired 31 animals from the now-closed Special Memories Zoo in Wisconsin in early 2020. By September 2020, 12 of these animals were already missing from DeYoung Zoo. These initial missing animals included wolves, a black leopard, tigers, snow macaques, lemurs, and baboons. USDA records now indicate that the two lions acquired from Special Memories Zoo are also among the recently disappeared. The missing lions, tigers, and black leopard are endangered species, making their potential interstate sale without proper documentation a violation of the Endangered Species Act.
In July 2021, when a Roadside Zoo News representative visited Deyoung Family Zoo Michigan to inquire about the missing Special Memories Zoo animals, owner Carrie Cramer reacted defensively. She refused to answer questions, became agitated, called the sheriff, and physically confronted the representative, jumping on their vehicle.
Carrie Cramer, owner of DeYoung Family Zoo, is seen jumping onto a vehicle during an encounter with a journalist investigating the missing animals.
While Cramer requested trespassing charges, the sheriff’s department declined to press charges after reviewing video evidence of her actions.
To date, Roadside Zoo News has found no records explaining the whereabouts of the 50 animals missing from DeYoung Family Zoo in the past 14 months, nor the 12 animals previously missing from the Special Memories Zoo transfer. This lack of transparency suggests several possibilities, none of them reassuring: undocumented intrastate sales, illegal interstate sales, or, tragically, the deaths of these animals.
The situation at DeYoung Family Zoo Michigan highlights the need for greater scrutiny and accountability for roadside zoos, particularly regarding animal tracking and welfare. The significant number of missing animals demands a thorough investigation to ensure the safety and well-being of the remaining animals at DeYoung Family Zoo and to prevent similar incidents at other facilities.
Supporting Documents:
- [DeYoung Zoo 2020 USDA inspection report](Link to report – if available, otherwise remove)
- [DeYoung Zoo 2021 USDA inspection report](Link to report – if available, otherwise remove)
- DeYoung Zoo’s animal transport records from Jan. 2019-Nov. 2021
