Supreme Court Justice Joseph A. Santorelli has granted Islip a Preliminary Injunction against Sloth Encounters and its landlord 777 Chris’s Way, LCC ordering the defendants to “immediately cease any operations that are a violation of the Town of Islip Code.” It has also denied Sloth Encounters’ motion to dismiss. 

The Suffolk County Supreme Court previously granted Islip a Temporary Restraining Order enjoining Sloth Encounters from operating unlawfully while the court considered this preliminary injunction, however, Wallach has not only continued to illegally exhibit sloths in Islip in violation of this court order but has hauled them on the road and expanded his illicit business to begin selling to the public as pets baby red kangaroos, porcupines, bearcats, capybaras, and other animals who are also illegal in the township. 

Humane Long Island’s executive director, anthrozoologist John Di Leonardo, says “With this new Supreme Court decision, Sloth Encounters and its owner Larry Wallach are now on notice and cannot hide behind a motion to dismiss. Humane Long Island is urging Islip to enforce this preliminary injunction and ensure that Sloth Encounters is shut down. Islip sadly made no effort to enforce its prior temporary restraining order from the Supreme Court despite being presented with a mountain of ongoing violations as Wallach’s dangerous and illegal business has rapidly expanded in violation of local laws.” 

You can help sloths, kangaroos, and other animals by contacting the below authorities:

  • Contact Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter at (631) 224-5500 and supervisorsoffice@islipny.gov and urge her to take Sloth Encounters back to court for contempt. 
  • Email federal authorities at animalcare@usda.gov and urge them to revoke Wallach’s license for failing to abide by local laws. 
  • Email Suffolk County Legislative clerk Frank.Tassone@suffolkcountyny.gov and urge the legislature to pass Intro 1777 to restrict traveling exotic animal acts, both to protect public safety and animal welfare.