TOWN OF FARMINGTON — Some Washington County community members are making stickers and yard signs to support Shalom Wildlife Zoo as they're embroiled in a lawsuit in the Town of Farmington.
Local businesses like Kruepke Printing made yard signs for people who want to help raise money for legal fees for Shalom Zoo.
The zoo owners recently took to social media, sharing they've filed a counter suit against neighbors who are suing them, challenging a town ordinance that would allow the zoo to expand.
"My first thought was, what can we do to help?" Mandy Lake said. "It's more than just saving a zoo, it's saving something that means so much to so many people."
Lake brought the sign idea to Kruepke Printing where over 500 signs supporting the zoo have already been sold.
"It's pretty amazing, it really is. I thought this was going to be a one-and-done, and it's not," Sheila Kruepke said. "We've never experienced anything that was a problem, so it's just a little confusing."
Kruepke co-owns the printing shop, grew up next to the zoo and said her family never experienced any issues living next to the zoo.
Carrie Donald's aunt and uncle own the zoo and she helped distribute stickers and signs from the printing shop. She said the lawsuit threatens more than an expansion of her family's business — it threatens the zoo's entire existence.
"If you don't have a permit, you don't have a zoo," she said. "So, it's not just about the building. If it were the building, they could maybe agree on it, but they're trying to pull the whole permit."
Lawyers for the neighbors said the suit is not about shutting the zoo down but preventing expansion approved by town laws, something zoo supporters said is what they're raising money to fight legally.
The printing company is out of stock, but more will be available for people to order at Shalom Zoo on Friday, Oct. 17.
TMJ4 News reached out to the attorneys of the neighbors who filed a lawsuit and they did not immediately respond. The following quote was emailed to Washington County reporter Marcus Aarsvold when the lawsuit became publicized:
We have no desire to interfere with the long-standing operations of the Shalom Wildlife Zoo. The legal filing is not about shutting down the Zoo, but rather about protecting our family’s safety and privacy and ensuring that local ordinances are applied fairly for all residents, particularly around the expansion of the zoo and the addition of a new event space / wedding venue on a residential property. We will allow the legal process to address these issues and refrain from engaging in disputes through social media or any further public commentary.
"This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy."
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