SeaQuest 'Learning Lessons,' Making Changes After License Suspension
LITTLETON, Colo. (CBS4) - An interactive animal exhibition in Littleton that had its license suspended earlier this year invited cameras to see their facility on Thursday to encourage the public to visit their facility that staff say is meeting state requirements.
"If an aquarium and a petting zoo had a baby, that would be SeaQuest," said Elsa MacDonald, the vice president of marketing. "We can provide a more interactive experience for the guests."
Earlier this year, Colorado Parks and Wildlife suspended the license for the business citing numerous violations that demonstrated conditions were not meeting state standards. CPW issued a two-year suspension, prohibiting the company from housing species regulated by the state of Colorado. SeaQuest showcases hundreds of species, only a few fell under CPW policy. But MacDonald says they have moved all of those animals away from their Littleton location.
"There have been a lot of learning lessons with this facility," she said. "We react always very promptly to make sure we are in line with every rule or regulation that we need to be abiding by."
SeaQuest is not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums like traditional venues caring for animals, including the Denver Zoo. MacDonald says they are exploring accreditation with another organization, the Zoological Association of America. The company plans to first receive that recognition for a facility in Texas next year before moving on to other locations, including Littleton.
The business says it takes good care of the animals, MacDonald explained they have good nutrition and health care that may be better than some humans receive. The company also tries to build roots around all of their locations with annual food and toy drives leading up to the holidays.
"We love the animals, every single employee that works here loves the animals," she said. "We are really a part of the community and we really do give back a lot."