Controversial Borth zoo given more time to pay £75,000 tax bill
A controversial Welsh zoo has been given extra time by the taxman to fined £75,000 - after it warned it might have to put down its animals.The married couple who lived their dream of buying Borth Wild Animal Kingdom in West Wales are running out of money to feed more than 300 animals.A court heard how the zoo owes HM Revenue and Customs £75,000 - and could have been forced to close if it was forced to pay up.But the zoo has been given a 42-day chance to find extra cash to pay its HMRC bills.
The zoo hit the after an Eurasian lynx was killed after it escaped and for breaching council licensing conditions.Owners Tracy and Dean Tweedy fear their money is running out to care for their stock - and are feared "as a last resort, euthanising the animals that we care for".The zoo is investigating whether it is entitled to £85,000 research and development grant during lockdown from HMRC to cover their debt.Barrister Maxim Cardew, for HMRC, told Judge Sebastian Prentis at the High Court in London that the zoo's debt remained "unchanged" from three previous hearings.
He asked for a 42-day adjournment to give the zoo another chance to pay the tax.
The court heard £75,000 was owed but the company was investigating whether it was entitled to research and development tax relief.The judge granted an adjournment until 26 August "for settlement".The zoo has a series of "category one" animals - including two lions, three lynx, two wolfdogs, two capuchin monkeys, two patas monkeys, a grivet monkey, and a python.
Ceredigion council issued a ban on it keeping category one animals in November 2017, but the decision was reversed in July 2018 following an appeal.Council chiefs have "lost confidence" in the ability of the zoo to operate safely following the deaths of two lynx and other animals.After the money runs out, the couple would "have to start looking at rehoming or, as a last resort, euthanising the animals that we care for".
Problems for the zoo began in late 2017 when Lilleth the Eurasian lynx escaped and was shot dead by a marksman after being found at a nearby caravan site.A second lynx, Nilly, also died in what was described as a "handling error".A report revealed one in five of the zoo's animals died in just one year. It was discovered that monkeys, crocodiles and a leopard also died from its animal stock during 2018.Owner Tracy and Dean bought the zoo for £625,000 in 2016 to start a dream new life with their family - but it has turned into a nightmare.Tracey said: “It would be tragic if Mid Wales lost its only zoo. We work with so many local organisations on animal education and wildlife conservation that we see ourselves as a vital asset for the community.”