Meghan Mogensen, former director of the Reston Zoo at 1228 Hunter Mill Road in Reston, Va. will serve 30 days in jail for animal cruelty in the drowning death of a parma wallaby last January according to the Virginia State Attorney General's Office on Friday. Mogensen will also be banned from making any decisions concerning the care of animals in the future if she works at a zoo or sanctuary.
In September, a Fairfax County jury found Mogensen guilty of drowning an injured wallaby in a bucket of water as well as possessing ketamine, a controlled substance of which Mogensen had no permit or training to administer.
Mogensen, 27 was in charge of the zoo animals when a wallaby named Parmesan suffered an eye injury. A bandage was applied to his eye, but the condition continued to worsen, and an employee allegedly told Mogensen that Parmesan needed further medical attention.
Ashley Rood, a former employee of the zoo testified in court that Parmesan might have lost his eye, but the injury was not life threatening. According to Rood's testimony, when she returned from an errand she was sent to do, she discovered the drenched dead body of the wallaby in a nearby dumpster. Mogensen's defended her actions and stated she humanely euthanized Parmesan with the approved anesthetic.
A necropsy confirmed Parmesan died from being drowned.
After the September trial, Mogensen appealed, and according to the Washington Post, in the plea deal the possession of controlled substance without a license conviction was dropped.
Rest in peace Parmesan. Some justice was served for your untimely death.
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