Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary legal battle; zoo seeks case dismissal
Shalom Wildlife Zoo seeks case dismissal
A wildlife sanctuary in Washington County is defending itself in court, as Shalom Wildlife Zoo hoped a judge would throw out a case against it Wednesday, April 22.
TOWN OF FARMINGTON, Wis. - A wildlife sanctuary in Washington County is defending itself in court, as Shalom Wildlife Zoo hoped a judge would throw out a case against it Wednesday, April 22.
At Shalom Wildlife Zoo in the Town of Farmington, visitors can see lions, tigers, bears and even water buffalo.
But for the past 14 months, the zoo has been at the center of a lawsuit.
Permit fight continues in court
What we know:
Here’s the fight:
Shalom had been operating under what’s known as a conditional use permit — which allows land use not automatically permitted under standard zoning.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android
In January 2025, the Town of Farmington approved an updated permit for the zoo, opening the door for expansion, including space for special events and weddings.
In early 2025, a group of neighbors called "We Love Farmington" sued the town over that permit, later adding the zoo to the lawsuit. The suit argued the town’s zoning code did not allow zoos on land with that zoning designation.
But in December, the town amended its zoning code.
Now, both the zoo and the town are asking a Washington County judge to throw out the lawsuit.
Toll of the case
What they're saying:
"It’s very trying, obviously," said zoo co-owner David Fechter. "But, we have a lot of support from the community and so that’s just been keeping us going."
"The argument is: the town amended its zoning code last December now to allow zoological activities, so the conditional use permits that Shalom had been operating under, are now irrelevant, and they should be allowed to operate their business without any interference," said Matthew Fernholz, Shalom’s attorney. "Last December, the town amended the zoning code to say these are now permitted uses and are allowed. We argued to the court that, essentially, the plaintiffs’ claim is moot."
SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News
The other side:
Attorneys for the group challenging the zoo did not respond to requests for comment, but in court argued against dismissing the case. They have also said the lawsuit is not intended to shut the zoo down.
Ruling timeline remains unclear
Dig deeper:
The judge did not say when a written ruling would be issued on whether the case will be dismissed.
Shalom has also filed a counterclaim against those suing them, seeking damages. They allege their opponents have harassed them and want them closed.
Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary legal battle; permit to expand challenged
A Washington County wildlife sanctuary is mixed up in a legal battle, one challenging its permit to expand.
The Source: Information in this post was provided by Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary and previous FOX6 reporting.