Neverland Animals Safe, Officials Say

Animals are not being mistreated at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch, federal officials have concluded.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture sent an inspector to the 2,600-acre ranch in Central California last month in response to a complaint from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. PETA based its complaint on European media and tabloid reports that animals are being kept in substandard conditions.

"I'm unaware of any violations of the Animal Welfare Act at Neverland," Darby Holladay, a spokesman with the USDA in Washington, D.C., told the Santa Barbara News-Press for its Wednesday edition.

Brian Oxman, a lawyer for Jackson, welcomed the USDA's determination.

"That's very nice and we appreciate it," he told the newspaper.

Lisa Wathne, PETA's captive exotic animals specialist, said the group did not try to confirm the tabloid reports before making its complaint.

"Because Neverland is not open to the public, it's very difficult to get information about the place. But when we hear accusations like that, and many accusations, we have to take note," she said, the News-Press reported.

Jackson's ranch has been home to elephants, giraffes, snakes, orangutans, tigers and a crocodile.

Wathne said PETA plans to file a similar complaint with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service because African elephants and orangutans are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Jackson, 47, has been living in the Persian Gulf nation of Bahrain since shortly after being