Fife Animal Park co-owner avoids jail for severe neglect of animals

The co-owner of Fife Animal Park who submitted various animals to severe neglect at the former zoo has avoided jail.

Peter Lockhart, of Newton of Falkland, was instead fined £2,000 by Sheriff Tom Hughes at Dundee Sheriff Court and banned from keeping animals for five years.

Lockhart, 50, had previously admitted failing to protect the welfare of the animals at the former touristattraction.

Fife Animal Park closed to the public in February. The 10-acre park had housed 76 species including a zebra, Shetland ponies, meerkats, raccoons and owls.

Lockhart admitted failing to provide a suitable, clean and ventilated environment for the animals at the park, near Cupar.

He also pleaded guilty to not providing the animals with a suitable diet, or adequate treatment for conditions that they were suffering from, or protecting them from injury, suffering or disease.

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