Sloth Encounters Of Hauppauge Hit With Code Violations: Reports

HAUPPAUGE, NY — Sloth Encounters, a sloth-petting store in Hauppauge, was issued multiple violations, including change of use without a permit, lack of fire extinguishers, lack of carbon monoxide detectors and electrical hazards, by the Town of Islip, Newsday reported.

Larry Wallach, the animal specialist of Sloth Encounters, said the business is "absolutely 100 percent safe," News 12 reported. He said the violations have been corrected.

Sloth Encounters charges $50 per half-an-hour for those 12 and older to hold, feed and pet sloths, or $25 per 30 minutes for children ages 5 to 11. Ages 4 and under are free for those accompanied by a paying adult.

John Di Leonardo, president of Humane Long Island, an animal advocacy group, called for Sloth Encounters to be shut down. Sloths are sensitive, solitary, and nocturnal wild animals native to Costa Rica, he said.

"Kind people should steer clear of Sloth Encounters and urge Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter and the Islip Town Board to enforce their ban on wild animals and shut down this cruel and dangerous attraction immediately," Di Leonardo told Patch.

Wallach told News 12 that the business is operating legally and safely.

Di Leonardo created a petition to get Sloth Encounters shut down, which has collected nearly 70 signatures since being posted on Tuesday morning.