Oyster Bay cites Larry Wallach, the exotic animal exhibitor, for animals in car

Oyster Bay Town authorities on Wednesday issued a citation to well-known animal exhibitor Larry Wallach, accusing him of illegally possessing “dangerous animals” outside a Locust Valley coffee shop, officials and advocates said.

John Di Leonardo, executive director of Humane Long Island, said a witness alerted him and other advocates that Wallach had two sloths, a cockatoo and a kangaroo inside his car parked outside Karmic Grind, a Birch Hill Road coffee shop.

Gary Rogers, president of the Nassau County SPCA, said Wallach was going to get coffee at Karmic Grind when a witness called about the animals in his vehicle.

 A video posted on Facebook by Humane Long Island shows a man sitting in a car, and the car surrounded by police. The man has what appears to be a kangaroo in a bag on his lap.   

“Wild animals belong in the wild,” Di Leonardo said in an interview. “They certainly don’t belong in a car.”

Wallach was issued an appearance ticket for possessing nonpermitted species under the law, Oyster Bay spokesman Brian Nevin said in an email. He later said in a text that he had heard there were two sloths and a kangaroo in the car. Both creatures are considered "dangerous animals" under town code.

Wallach did not respond to a phone call, text and email requesting comment.

The Nassau County Police Department also responded to the scene, according to an agency spokeswoman.

A judge can levy a fine for the ticket after due process, Nevin said. Oyster Bay code indicates it is illegal to have sloths and kangaroos in the town.

Wallach opened his business, Sloth Encounters, in 2022 and charged $50 per hour to hold, feed and pet sloths. He has been accused of mistreating his exotic animals, including a tiger cub he allegedly shocked with a cattle prod.

The Town of Islip previously issued Wallach appearance tickets over building violations, and the town ticketed his business in August 2022 for possession of wild animals. Previously, Hempstead Town officials issued summonses to Wallach for harboring a malnourished wallaby and a ball python, Newsday has reported.

In March 2024, a state Supreme Court justice shut down Sloth Encounters. At the time, Wallach's attorney indicated the company would return.

Sloth Encounters now has a running website and an active social media presence.

Wallach had his federal exhibitor license canceled in June 2024, according to a USDA database.

Rogers said advocates are concerned for the well-being of the animals, adding, “exotic animals are really not pets.”

Di Leonardo said the state should increase restrictions for keeping exotic animals as pets.

Legislation recently introduced by State Sen. Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood) would expand the definition of a wild animal to include sloths, anteaters, zebras and others, which would widen the sale and possession ban on those animals.

By Joseph Ostapiuk

joseph.ostapiuk@newsday.com@OstapiukJ