Locked Away for Profit: Rescuing Hundreds of Wild Animals in Ashtabula

In December 2024, the sudden death of a fur farmer in Ashtabula County, Ohio, escalated an already dire animal welfare crisis and exposed a grim reality — over 400 wild animals were trapped in inhumane conditions at a fur and urine farm. A cruel industry hidden in plain sight. The farm, which operated with no government oversight, bred and confined foxes, coyotes, wolf-dog hybrids, opossums, skunks and  a wild boar for their fur and bodily waste – with a permit from ODNR but without oversight authority as Ohio’s laws did not provide for that.   

The Ashtabula County Sheriff and Dog Wardens were called to the property and found the case was more than local officials could handle, so they called in The Humane Society of the United States, who led the emergency rescue mission after authorities discovered the animals struggling to survive. Ashtabula Dog Wardens fed the animals until HSUS arrived.  Rescuers stated the terror and pain of the animals was palpable.  

Many wild animals were suffering from severe malnutrition, dehydration, and untreated injuries. Some of the animals were missing limbs, tails, toes and ears due to wire flooring and steel-jaw leghold traps.  Some of the animals had already succumbed to the brutal environment. Over a hundred animals had to be euthanized.  Among the most disturbing revelations was the fate of the coyotes, who were caged for the sole purpose of urine farming. Trapped inside small, wire-bottomed enclosures, they spent their entire lives standing over funnels that collected their waste—later processed and sold as a scent-masking product and even referred to as humane wildlife repellents for hunters and gardeners.

Some county officials were aware of the situation for as long as eight years.  Regulation of the operation fell across local, state, and federal enforcement and slipped through the cracks.  The fur farmer was fined in 2011 by USDA and ordered to stop breeding and selling exotic animals as pets, but he continued to engage in these horrific practices without further enforcement by USDA.

Thanks to the coordinated efforts of national and local organizations, the surviving animals were given a second chance. Walking Wild in Central Ohio took in three of the most traumatized coyotes—two who were bonded and one elderly female. These resilient animals, once locked away and exploited for profit, now have space to heal, run, and live without fear. The Ohio Wildlife Center and The Ohio Wildlife Rehabilitators Association assisted with temporary and permanent placement of coyotes, foxes, and skunks. West Wildlife Rehab in Southwest Ohio, who also took in several animals, stated “The profound suffering of the animals was almost too much to bear.  Though the animals are all traumatized and timid, none have been aggressive” according to the Guardian.

This rescue serves as a stark reminder of the cruel and largely unregulated nature of fur and urine farming in the U.S. With no federal or state laws governing the welfare of these animals, facilities like the one in Ohio continue to operate unchecked until tragedy forces intervention. The survivors of this rescue are the lucky ones, but many more remain trapped in a system built on suffering. Join OAA in our advocacy to change how wildlife is treated in Ohio – sign up for Ohio Wildlife Reform at info@ohioanimaladvocates.org.