Screenshot from Conservators Center website
RALEIGH, North Carolina — North Carolina labor officials have cited an animal sanctuary for safety violations after a lion fatally mauled a 22-year old intern last December.
The state Occupational Safety and Health Division issued a citation for three “serious” violations to the Conservator’s Center.
Because Alexandra Black was an unpaid intern, the division could not issue a direct citation for her death. Officials issued a citation Thursday after determining that other employees were exposed to hazards.
In an investigation following Black’s death, the division found that the center had ineffective procedures to secure dangerous animals and did not do adequate inspections and maintenance on animal enclosures. The division also found that the center had an inadequate emergency response plan in the event of an animal escape.
The center faces penalties of $3,000.