SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) – A lawsuit has been filed by a family alleging that a free-roaming peacock attacked a toddler last April at Hogle Zoo.
The lawsuit, which was filed on March 7, also alleges that the peacock attacked three other children over a 2-day period.
The family of a 2-year-old filed the lawsuit which claims the toddler was attacked on April 30, 2021, and claim that another child was attacked later that same day. According to the claims, two other children were attacked two days prior.
The mother pulled the 2-year-old out of her stroller to walk with her siblings when the peacock flew in front of her and scratched the toddler’s face, allegedly. The child then fell down. The family had just finished exiting the monkey exhibit, court records state.
The family says staff at the zoo allegedly told them the peacock attacked another kid later that day, and two more the day before. One of the four children required medical care.
The family says because the zoo didn’t “subdue or sequester the dangerous bird,” it is liable for the alleged attacks.
Due to the alleged incident, peafowl is no longer free-roaming in Hogle Zoo.
In a statement to ABC4 Hogle Zoo said,
“We are aware of the incident involving one of our free-roaming peacocks and a young guest on April 30, 2021, and have received notice of the lawsuit that was recently filed. The safety of our guests, staff, and animals in our care is paramount. Shortly after the incident involving the young guest, Utah’s Hogle Zoo Animal Care Team and Safety Staff swiftly responded and proceeded to successfully capture and relocate all free-roaming peafowl. Currently, there is no free-roaming peafowl on zoo grounds. In order to protect the integrity of the process, the Zoo will address allegations of the complaint through the legal process.”
