LAYTON, Utah — An interactive aquarium in Layton was fined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act after it found that several guests were bitten by animals.
According to the citation, SeaQuest had several incidents between 2019 and 2021 involving otters, a South American coati, and a kinkajou that led to the attraction being fined $4,500 for the transgressions in Layton:
- August 26, 2019 - Guest bitten by an otter while feeding the animal
- December 27, 2019 - During a public interaction, guest and employee bitten by a South American Coati
- September 28, 2021 - Guest bitten by a kinkajou causing a puncture wound to the tip of the finger
- November 13, 2021 - Guest bitten by an Asian Small Clawed otter
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals issued a statement in its complaint to the FTC about SeaQuest, arguing that wild animals don’t want to interact with humans, and subjecting them to a barrage of unnatural, direct-contact encounters is not only stressful for them but also dangerous for everyone involved.
The complaint also outlined instances where animals at other SeaQuest locations around the country bit or scratched customers during interactions with them.
FOX 13 News has reached out to SeaQuest for comment on the fines but the attraction has yet to respond.
