USDA investigation, PETA letter prompts investigation into Huntington exotic pet breeder

HUNTINGTON, Ind. (WPTA) – The Huntington County Prosecutor’s Office is investigating an exotic pet breeder after PETA contacted the office about a recent investigation by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

A Feb. 10 report by the USDA states hedgehogs at Willow’s Prickle breeding facility in Huntington, operated by Raegan Graft, were being kept in waste-filled conditions.

The report says a routine USDA inspection of the licensed facility found hedgehogs were being kept in enclosures with exercise wheels that were covered in waste. The report says a facility representative said the wheels had not been cleaned since “possibly October”.

The inspection found a “large accumulation of feces in the litter boxes” with waste in all other areas of the enclosures and “nowhere for the hedgehogs to completely escape coming into contact with the feces”, the USDA report states.

A PETA representative says the group then contacted the Huntington County Prosecuting Attorney to seek a criminal investigation.

The nonprofit group notes that hedgehogs are solitary, nocturnal animals that “naturally shun human contact”.

A PETA spokesperson says the group sent a letter to Huntington County Prosecuting Attorney Jeremy Nix urging him to investigate and file appropriate criminal charges against those responsible.

21Alive News contacted Nix on Friday, who says he received the letter and the matter is under investigation at this time.

We also reached out to representatives with Willow’s Prickle but have not heard back at the time of this report.

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