Xinyang Xin County indoor zoo animal neglect incident
| Xin County indoor zoo animal neglect incident | |
|---|---|
|
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| Key Details | |
| Location | Xin County, Xinyang |
| Species Involved | Multiple Species, including alpaca, cats, ducks, hamsters, parrots, pigs, rabbits |
| Type of Abuse | Neglect |
| Timeline | |
| Date of Incident | January, 2025 |
| Date Discovered | January 21, 2025 |
| Date Closed | — |
| Status & Outcome | |
| Case Status | Believed to be closed |
| Perpetrator | Gao Wen Chao |
| Aftermath | The indoor zoo is possibly no longer in operation, though some comments to the indoor zoo's Douyin account's videos showed conflicting information. |
| Indoor zoo owner | |
|---|---|
|
| |
| Name | Gao Wen Chao (高文超) |
| Age | — |
| Occupation | Indoor Zoo Owner |
| Known Identifiers | — |
| Status | — |
| Involvement | Was/Is the owner of the indoor zoo that showed signs of animal neglect; threatened to sue (likely people who undermined his business). |
| Punitive Measure | According to Baidu Map, the indoor zoo is no longer in operation. |
In late January and early February 2025, a controversy arose regarding the care of animals at 小象动悟公园, an indoor petting zoo located in 居然之家城市广场, Xin County, Xinyang City, Henan Province, China. The incident sparked an official response and widespread public debate during the Lunar New Year holiday. The store owner denied the allegations, but the zoo is now believed to be closed.
Background
According to a promotional video posted on Douyin by @醉美新县(id:TangTang861868) on January 18, 2024, "新县居然之家小象动悟园" was scheduled to open on January 20 and feature "over 100 animal species of land, sea, and air". It was located at 居然之家城市广场 and was operated as a franchise under the company 郑州市宠社商贸有限公司, which reportedly manages over 200 such locations across China.
Incident
The controversy began on January 31, 2025, when a local resident, identified as Ms. Liu (刘女士), posted a video online. She had previously visited on January 21 and noticed that the store was dark and locked with two cats inside. When she called a staff member at that time, she was reportedly told, "I don't want to take care of (the cats) anymore."
Returning on January 31, Ms. Liu found the storefront still tightly locked. [cite_start]Inside, she saw animal feces on the floor, a deceased pet pig, and an alpaca chewing on a plastic bag, among other animals such as rabbits. Suspecting that the staff had left for the Lunar New Year holiday without arranging for proper animal care, she published the video condemning the store's actions.[1] On January 31, she found additional animals, including rabbits, alpacas, and pigs, with one pig dead and an alpaca chewing on a plastic bag. Ms. Liu stated that after the video was posted, relevant staff contacted her and said that law enforcement officers had visited the site, handled the dead animal, and had a conversation with the store owner, urging improvements in animal care and hygiene.
Public and Official Response
After Ms. Liu's video went viral, the store's manager claimed he had only left for two days during the holiday and that the animals were regularly fed. He also reported significant online harassment and threats to the continuation of the business. Local community officials (居委会) stated that, despite the store being closed for the holiday, staff visited every morning and afternoon to feed the animals. They attributed the pig's death to cold weather.
Officials also reported that staff were cleaning and disinfecting the premises daily, and that law enforcement officers found the store's licenses and paperwork to be in order, with no protected animals present. After the incident, the company 郑州市宠社商贸有限公司 sent staff to the location and confirmed that daily cleaning and animal care were ongoing.
As of February 11, mapping services such as Gaode Maps listed the 小象动悟公园 as "suspected closed." Staff at the 居然之家城市广场 customer service center stated that the store was being cleaned but could not confirm whether the store had resumed business.
Additional Reporting from @正在新闻 on Douyin
On February 7, a Douyin account, @正在新闻(id:52990572879), posted the following update:
> "On February 3rd, in Xinyang, Henan, a citizen reported via video that pets at 小象动悟公园 in Xin County—including cats, piglets, ducks, and parrots—were stranded and allegedly abandoned after the store closed. On February 7th, the pet store owner, Mr. Gao, responded that the online rumors were false. He stated that he had only returned home for a day and a half during the New Year, the photos and videos circulating online were taken on the first day of the lunar year, and that the animals were all healthy. He also mentioned that he had friends help with feeding, and that relevant government departments had intervened. The case is currently under official review."
Aftermath
Following the incident, local authorities and community organizations coordinated with the franchise and store staff to clean the premises and ensure animal welfare. The franchise company 郑州市宠社商贸有限公司 confirmed that, since early February, their staff had been dispatched to the location to ensure daily animal feeding and cleaning.
Additional information
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The latest video of the indoor zoo's Douyin account was uploaded on June 8, 2024. -
The indoor zoo owner's Douyin account -
The indoor zoo owner's arguments with possibly Ms. Liu -
Additional arguments between the two -
Likely Ms. Liu's follow-up response regarding the matter -
Comment from a Douyin user in February, 2025 -
Information on zhipin.com related to the indoor zoo -
Information on Baidu map related to the indoor zoo
References
- ↑ (2025-02-12). "网友谴责河南新县一萌宠园过年期间无人看管 居委会：每天都投喂". Retrieved 2025-07-22from https://news.cctv.com/2025/02/12/ARTIT6tAEMUckpBx1gLnKrv2250212.shtml