Dâmbovița illegal zoo investigation leads to criminal complaint

The National Environmental Guard has issued fines totaling 220,000 lei and filed a criminal complaint against the International Wildlife Foundation (IWF) following inspections of an unauthorized wildlife rehabilitation center in Dâmbovița, Romania.

Authorities discovered that the facility was operating an illegal zoo without the required environmental permits. Inspectors reported unsanitary conditions and severe neglect, including a male lion kept without minimum legal standards and a female baboon held on a leash without adequate food or water.

During a September 2025 inspection, officials found the carcass of a tiger cub hidden in a freezer. Another tiger cub had been moved to a clinic without notifying authorities. The foundation was also found to be holding several protected species without proper documentation or CITES certificates, including four lions, a male tiger cub, and two brown bears.