Grand Jury Indicts Petting Zoo Owner On Animal Cruelty Charges

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ — The owner of a Lafayette petting zoo was indicted by a Sussex County grand jury on Jan. 23 on four counts of animal cruelty after several animals were found dead, sick and injured on the farm last summer, according to news reports.

The defendant, Dennis Sugar, 47, is the owner of Sugar Sweet Farms, which moved last year from its Lafayette location to Andover Township.

He was set to be arraigned before Judge Louis S. Sceusi last week, but the hearing was postponed when he told the judge he intended to hire a new attorney, according to reports.

Sugar has said he intends to plead not guilty, ABC New York reports.

According to the New Jersey Herald, detectives responding to an animal cruelty complaint at the Sugar Sweet Farms location in Lafayette last August found 30 dead pigs, 14 malnourished pigs, a dead goat, dead piglets and goats with fractured legs and/or parasites.

Sugar Sweet Farms' website indicates the zoo is home to alpacas, donkeys, a cow, goats, pigs, piglets, bunnies, guinea pigs and more. Among its offerings are parties, events and goat yoga.

According to the site, the farm sells honey, bee pollen, eggs, animal feed, hay, miniature piglets and a variety of poultry and meat. "...None of our petting farm friends are ever sold for slaughter," the site states.

>>> Read more via New Jersey Herald.