A federal court has issued a consent decree preventing the Mt. Hope Auction Company in Millersburg, Ohio, from conducting business or exhibiting animals without a license. The company's renewal of its class B dealer license from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) was denied after failing two relicensing inspections and not scheduling a third inspection. A USDA license is necessary for obtaining and selling animals regulated under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).
Since 2022, Mt. Hope Auction underwent 11 inspections by the USDA, all revealing multiple violations of AWA regulations and standards. Under the consent decree, Mt. Hope agrees not to deal in or exhibit AWA-regulated animals without a license and will allow USDA access to ensure compliance.
In September, a civil complaint accused Mt. Hope Auction of placing animals in serious danger during their Mid-Ohio Alternative Animal and Bird Sales held three times annually. These auctions involved thousands of animals, including over 200 domestic and exotic species such as sheep, rabbits, parrots, bobcats, red kangaroos, giraffes, Egyptian fruit bats, sloths, and endangered species like ring-tailed lemurs.
If Mt. Hope obtains a new USDA license within three years, it will be subject to a two-year probationary period with strict compliance requirements regarding veterinary care and animal handling standards outlined by the AWA.
Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim commented on the situation: “In recent years, Mt. Hope Auction has auctioned off more than 5,000 animals annually... It is important for auction houses dealing in regulated animals to abide by the Animal Welfare Act.” Deputy Administrator Sarah Helming added that "USDA is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of animals protected under the Animal Welfare Act."
U.S. Attorney Rebecca Lutzko stated: “Despite numerous opportunities to correct their business practices... we will hold accountable businesses that seek to profit from treating animals inhumanely.”
The complaint highlighted several issues at Mt. Hope's auctions: inadequate veterinary care leading to repeated violations; unsafe enclosures; insufficient food and water; unsupervised public contact with potentially dangerous animals; accepting unlicensed sellers' animals; among others.
Following these findings, a temporary restraining order was placed against Mt. Hope on September 13th mandating compliance with several AWA requirements for their September sale which was subsequently canceled.
The case was investigated by USDA with prosecution led by Senior Trial Attorney Devon Flanagan along with Trial Attorneys Kamela Caschette and Taylor Mayhall from Environment and Natural Resources Division’s Wildlife and Marine Resources Section supported by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Andrachik and Elizabeth Deucher for Northern District of Ohio.
To report animal welfare violations visit https://www.aphis.usda.gov/awa/regulatory-enforcement/complaint