CHIPLEY, Fla. — Time has run out for a wolf sanctuary in Chipley.
Seacrest Wolf Preserve is weeks away from shutting down.
The preserve is a popular destination with tourists and school kids who get to interact with the wolves.
The non-profit group that runs it lost a court battle over liability insurance.
The sanctuary now has just 20 days to relocate its animals.
Court documents show the eviction centers around lease requirements for liability and business interruption insurance.
Landowner Leon Decook argued the preserve failed to secure the $1 million dollar liability policy outlined in the agreement, along with a $500,000 business interruption coverage for the 62-acre property.
The court agreed.
In the court documents, Seacrest Wolf Preserve defended its actions referencing another preserve operation in Central Florida which said it was never required to carry liability insurance.
That other preserve also claimed a $1 million dollar policy was not available for injuries caused by wolves.
In a Facebook post, the organization said, “We lost. The landowner has won, and we have until March 15th to vacate the property these animals have called home for years. Without a miracle, this is the end.”
Neither the preserve nor the landowners responded to our emails or our phone calls for comments.
The Preserve’s current focus is on securing placement for as many animals as possible before the March 15th deadline.