PETA, an Animal rights advocate, has flexed some legal muscle in Montana for animals they discovered to be distressed. According to a phone interview with PETA, PETA has requested that the U.S. Department of Agriculture terminate the business entity that goes by the name of “Animals of Montana, Inc. that is owned and operated by Troy Hyde, who currently has a license 81-C-0055. PETA, claims that Troy Hyde has violated both State and Federal animal welfare laws and regulations.
According to law, the USDA “may terminate a license if the licensee “Has been found to have violated Andy Federal, or State, or local laws or regulations pertaining to the transportation, ownership, neglect, or welfare of animals.” C.F.R. 2.12,2.11(a)(7).
To preface some background information, Troy Hyde owns Animals of Montana, Inc. Hyde possesses a USDA AWA exhibitor’s license, limited to a Montana Wild Animal Menagerie permit and a Montana Fur Farm permit.
But that is where the nice picture ends for Troy Hyde. Looking back into the history of Troy Hyde, the Wyoming News has discovered that on July 31, 2018, the Montana FWP Director upheld a revocation of Animals of Montana’s roadside Menagerie permit based on FWp’s evidence of 22 separate animal welfare violations, including violating the terms of his permit by taking a wold off-site to be photographed without the proper approval from FWP. This illegal conduct of Troy Hyde; led to a jury trial that found Troy Hyde guilty of violating the state’s Roadside Menagerie statute.
Hyde placed members of the public in danger by failing to control a Tiger during a photo shoot. Hyde directed members of the public to use a weed whacker to “Annoy the Tiger into moving.”
Hyde also failed to put padlocks on dangerous animals’ cages, including a bear, coyote, bobcat, Siberian Lynx, Black Leopard, Arctic Wolf, Gray Wolf, and other cage enclosures.
Hyde failed to provide the wolves with drinking water, and according to the FWP, the wolves were either out of the water, frozen, or the pans were dirty and filled with fecal matter. Hyde had been keeping the wolves in “unsanitary” and “overcrowded” cages, and Troy Hyde failed to handle the wolves in a humane manner.
Then on July 24, 2017, USDA issued a warning for failing to keep housing structurally sound, resulting in the permanent escape of a fisher.
On July 6, 2016, USDA. Cited Hyde for knowingly obtaining animals from an unlicensed source.
These animals were three (3) skunks.
January 5, 2016, Hyde was cited for the fisher escape, which was never found and recovered.
September 10, 2015, Hyde was operating a roadside menagerie without a permit. Hyde took a wolf into a location not authorized for indemnification in Virginia City, Montana.
November 4, 2012, Hyde was in violation of Occupational Safety and Health Act. Hyde failed to report a work-related fatality when a bear attacked an employee.
On June 6th, 2005, and On March 10, 2009, a Termination of Hyde’s license for violating ESA and the Lacey Act and for giving false statements.
Then on May 2000, Hyde violated the Endangered Species Act. This time Hyde negotiated with Nancy Kraft to purchase a Siberian Tiger, Keeno and arranged to transport Keen0 from Minnesota to Montana. While Hyde was permitted to own a Siberian Tiger, Kraft had no permit or license to engage in interstate commercial activity with these or any other endangered species.
In totality, the Wyoming News reporter has discovered that since Troy Hyde was re-licensed in 2011, he still amassed (29) violations of state and federal laws pertaining to animal transportation, ownership, neglect, or welfare. Not to mention that Hyde tried to cover up that an employee was fatally wounded by a captive bear.
