OHIO — A federal court has entered a consent decree to prevent the Mt. Hope Auction Company, based in Millersburg, Ohio, from conducting business or exhibiting animals without a license.

The company, which previously held a class B dealer license from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), had its license renewal denied due to multiple violations during inspections.

The USDA found that Mt. Hope failed two relicensing inspections and did not schedule a third and final inspection.

A USDA license is required to deal in and sell animals regulated by the Animal Welfare Act (AWA).

Since 2022, the USDA conducted 11 inspections of Mt. Hope, all of which revealed numerous violations of AWA regulations.

Under the consent decree, Mt. Hope Auction has agreed not to deal in or exhibit AWA-regulated animals without a valid license and to grant the USDA access to ensure compliance.

If the company applies for and obtains a new USDA license within the next three years, it will be subject to a two-year probationary period.

A civil complaint filed in September alleged that Mt. Hope Auction placed animals in serious danger and violated the AWA during its three-day Mid-Ohio Alternative Animal and Bird Sales, which occurred three times a year.

The auctions featured thousands of animals, including over 200 species such as sheep, rabbits, parrots, bobcats, kangaroos, giraffes, fruit bats, and sloths, as well as endangered species like ring-tailed lemurs.

“If Mt. Hope Auction were to obtain a new USDA license, it would be under a probationary period and must comply with AWA standards, including providing adequate veterinary care, handling animals carefully, and ensuring that facilities and enclosures meet required standards,” a USDA official said. Violations during the probationary period could lead to the permanent revocation of the company’s AWA license.

Assistant Attorney General Todd Kim of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division said, “In recent years, Mt. Hope Auction has auctioned off more than 5,000 animals annually, which underscores the widespread effect of their violations. The company’s ‘business as usual’ approach — risking injury, illness, and harm to the animals at its auctions — will not continue.”

Investigations found numerous animal welfare violations, including a lack of veterinary care, improper animal enclosures, and unsanitary conditions.

One of the most concerning incidents involved a calf unable to stand, which had been in a severely abnormal position for over a day. Other animals, including antelopes, cattle, and birds, showed signs of severe neglect.

Inspectors also reported inadequate food and water for some animals, such as rabbits that had been deprived of sustenance.

The auction also allowed the public to touch potentially dangerous animals, including coyotes, foxes, and bison, without proper barriers or supervision.

Mt. Hope accepted animals from sellers who were not licensed by the USDA, violating the AWA.

The USDA, alongside the Justice Department, has vowed to continue enforcing animal welfare regulations to prevent such violations in the future.

For more information on reporting animal welfare violations, visit USDA’s website.