Holtsville Ecology Site will relocate more than 100 wild and exotic animals as Brookhaven reshapes its 2026 budget.
Holtsville’s government-run animal park on Long Island is set to shut down after local officials voted to cut its funding, following years of growing concerns over animal welfare at the site.
According to a press release from the Town of Brookhaven, the Holtsville Ecology Site and Animal Preserve — often referred to as the Holtsville Zoo — was among the major reductions in the town’s newly approved $367 million budget for 2026.
The plan calls for “a gradual closure” of the facility, which is overseen by the Town of Brookhaven Highway Department and currently houses a range of wild and exotic animals — including bears, foxes, big cats and birds. Most of the animals have been rescued from unsafe situations or donated because they cannot survive on their own in the wild.
“Rescued birds and mammals currently housed at the facility will be transferred to an approved and accredited sanctuary,” the release states, “ensuring continued care and ethical treatment.”
The Holtsville Zoo is home to roughly 100 animals, a substantial number for neighboring sanctuaries and zoos to absorb.
“The decision wasn’t made on a whim,” Brookhaven town supervisor Dan Panico said in a statement. “We are going to look to partner with as many local entities as possible, like the Suffolk County Farm, where applicable.”
Panico added that the town must focus on “core functions,” especially as the cost of living rises. “The 70s were a different time, and the idea of bringing animals to an uncapped landfill to run a sanctuary in the Highway Department may have been feasible then. It is no longer.”
Before the closure was announced, the free-to-visit zoo had come under fire over multiple allegations of neglect, including reports that a mountain lion drowned and ducks suffered lead poisoning at the preserve.
In response to mounting complaints, particularly from the animal-rights organization Humane Long Island, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation launched an investigation into whether the center failed to provide adequate veterinary care.
Brookhaven’s director of communications, Drew Scott, has rejected the accusations.
“We categorically state none of the animals at the Holtsville Ecology Site were abused or mistreated as claimed by some media reports and by former disgruntled employees,” Scott said. “We were subjected to exhausting investigations by the NY State DEC, Suffolk County District Attorney, and the SPCA.”
John Di Leonardo, executive director of Humane Long Island, called the closure a “long-overdue decision.”
“We urge the Town to honor this progress by ensuring that every animal is placed with reputable, accredited sanctuaries equipped to provide lifelong, specialized care,” Di Leonardo said in a statement. “Handled responsibly, this moment can serve as a model of compassion and meaningful progress for communities across Long Island.”
The relocation of the animals is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2026.
