Families and other visitors made serious animal welfare complaints about two unnamed New South Wales zoos, alleging poor enclosure conditions, underfed animals, possible neglect and unsafe hygiene. The NSW Department of Primary Industries closed several complaints, prompting Animal Justice Party MP Emma Hurst to question whether the regulator’s complaints process is adequate and to call for independent oversight.

Documents seen by the Daily Mail indicate complaints were closed between 2023 and 2025, including one finalised three days after it was made using an inspection conducted three weeks earlier. Allegations included koalas being removed from trees for paid photographs, rats and faeces near animal food, and a child reportedly bitten by a rat; inspectors said later visits found no signs of distress, injury or stereotypic behaviour, while noting staffing and feeding arrangements may have affected visitors’ observations.