Jeremy Scott Hargett has been convicted, adjudicated guilty, and sentenced, for a violation of Fish and Game Rules, the General Regulations Governing Possession of
Captive Wildlife. He was found guilty following a one-day trial in Glades County.
In December 2021, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) was doing an announced bi-annual inspection at Wild @ Heart, a wildlife facility, in Glades County. During the inspection, the FWC Officer found that the tiger enclosures, which house three tigers, had not been properly cleaned, as there was an abundance of feces.
Under the administrative code of the FWC, the cages and enclosures must be cleaned at least once daily to remove feces and food waste.
The defendant was given a criminal citation and a notice to appear in court. The charge is a second-degree misdemeanor. The Honorable Judge Jack E. Lundy sentenced the defendant, ordering him to pay a $500 fine.
The defendant has another case pending involving the animal enclosures.
The facility is in the process of closing the location.
Assistant State Attorney Evan Chaput prosecuted the case.
Samantha Syoen – Communications Director, State Attorney’s Office