Otter show at Boise-area fair that closed violated law on animal welfare, feds confirm

Federal officials have cited two animal exhibitors for violating a federal law on animal welfare when their otter show performed at the Western Idaho Fair , according to an inspection report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services.

Gregg and Karen Woody, who operated the Otter Adventure show in the Boise area with five Asian small-clawed otters, did not have an exhibitor license that's required to show wild animals, as required under the Animal Welfare Act. The Idaho Statesman reported on the potential violation last month, and fair officials closed down the show hours after the story's publication.

The report said an inspector observed the show on Aug. 21 at 4:30 p.m., which drew a crowd of about 100 people.

The report noted that failing to have a license prevents the agency from assessing the well-being and care of the animals. The inspector wrote that continuing the exhibit without a license is "a serious violation of the Animal Welfare Act."

The Woodys, who are based in Illinois, had already been cited twice for operating at fairs in Iowa without the required license before they performed at the Garden City fairgrounds. After the second inspection, the Woodys told officials they did not have a license from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and would continue to exhibit animals without one, according to the inspection report.

The Woodys did not respond to a request for comment Friday morning.

All three violations are considered non-critical, meaning they don't directly impact the health or safety of the animals. It's unclear what, if any, action USDA might take over the repeat violations. An spokesperson for the agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.

Western Idaho Fair officials initially told the Statesman they were only concerned with the Idaho Department of Agriculture's import approval, not the USDA licensing, before shutting Otter Adventure down later that day.

The Animal Welfare Act states that violations can result in the loss of a license, fines or criminal charges. The USDA considers the severity of violations, demeanor of the licensee and violation history of the facility when deciding how to enforce regulations, according to Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services , a division of the agency.

The Woodys have violations spanning more than a decade, inspection reports showed. Those include critical compliance violations earlier this year related to miniature cows and a dingo, as well as past reports of inappropriate exhibits, improper veterinary care and malnourishment.