A Virginia zoo owner is sitting in jail for refusing to reveal the whereabouts of two baby giraffes that she now claims never existed at all.
Story Highlights
- Gretchen Mogensen serves 100-day jail sentence for contempt after hiding baby giraffe locations
- State seized 100+ animals from Natural Bridge Zoo in 2023 due to poor conditions
- Two female giraffes gave birth after seizure, but calves disappeared before transport
- Mogensen now files federal lawsuit claiming the missing calves “don’t exist”
- Family operated zoo as breeding operation, selling 14 giraffe calves over previous decade
The Vanishing Act That Led to Jail Time
Gretchen Mogensen chose jail over compliance when Circuit Judge Christopher Russell demanded she reveal where two baby giraffes disappeared to after their births at Natural Bridge Zoo. The contempt ruling came after Virginia’s Attorney General seized four adult giraffes in December 2023, but left them at the zoo due to transport difficulties. When inspectors returned in April 2025, they discovered afterbirth evidence proving two females had given birth, but the calves were nowhere to be found.
The Mogensen family has operated the roadside zoo since 1972, running what state records reveal was partly a breeding operation. Over the decade before the 2023 raid, they sold at least 14 giraffe calves ranging from just two weeks to two months old. This history makes their current denial particularly puzzling, especially given the substantial value of young giraffes in the exotic animal trade.
From Seizure to Federal Lawsuit
Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares’ Animal Law Unit raided the zoo citing filthy conditions, overgrown hooves, and inadequate animal enrichment. The state legally owns the giraffes through Rockbridge County, but the massive logistical challenges of moving 18-foot-tall animals meant they remained on-site. This arrangement backfired when the pregnant females gave birth during the custody limbo period.
The transport difficulties proved deadly when Valentine, one of the adult giraffes, died en route to a Georgia safari park in May 2025. The Mogensens blame transport stress, while the AG’s office points to medications the zoo administered. This tragedy adds weight to their claims that moving the babies would be dangerous, though it doesn’t explain why they won’t reveal the calves’ current location.
The Contempt Gambit and Its Consequences
Rather than comply with court orders, Mogensen chose martyrdom. Judge Russell gave her until October 29 to produce the calves or face 100 days in Rockbridge Regional Jail. When the Virginia Court of Appeals denied her stay request, she surrendered as scheduled. The $50,000 reward offered by PETA and actress Alicia Silverstone has generated national attention but yielded no information about the missing animals.
Now halfway through her sentence, Mogensen filed a federal lawsuit in December claiming the calves are “non-existent” and alleging a targeted campaign by state authorities. This dramatic shift from hiding animals to denying their existence raises serious questions about what really happened to creatures that inspectors confirmed were born through physical evidence at the scene.
The Bigger Picture Beyond Missing Giraffes
This case represents more than just missing animals—it’s a collision between property rights and animal welfare enforcement. The Mogensens frame their resistance as standing against government overreach, while the state emphasizes the sanctity of court orders and jury decisions. A multi-jurisdictional grand jury continues investigating potential criminal charges, meaning Mogensen’s jail time might be just the beginning of her legal troubles.
The surviving adult giraffes now live at a Georgia safari park, but the fate of their offspring remains a mystery that has captivated animal rights activists and legal observers alike. Whether those calves are hidden somewhere safe or never existed as Mogensen now claims, her willingness to serve jail time rather than provide answers suggests this bizarre saga is far from over.
Sources:
WSET – Natural Bridge Zoo owner jailed over missing baby giraffes
Newser – Zoo Owner Jailed Over Missing Giraffes Says They Don’t Exist
