Zoo director charged with animal cruelty in wallaby death

Reston - For months authorities have been investigating the death of a wallaby at the Reston Zoo in Fairfax County, Va. Authorities have now charged the facility's director in connection with the animal's death.

According to Fairfax County Police, the director was arrested on Fri., June 22 after a five-month-long investigation, which is still ongoing. The case started back in January when Animal Control was alerted to an alleged suspicious incident surrounding the death of a wallaby that occurred at the Reston Zoo. On Feb. 16 authorities obtained a warrant to search the facility. The Silver Spring Patch reported an employee told police he'd put the sick wallaby in a crate, but later saw the crate, empty, near a water spigot with a five-gallon bucket of water. He told police he'd then found the dead wet body of a wallaby in a bag in the trash dumpster. The director, Meghan Mogensen, of Maryland, told authorities she'd "humanely euthanized" the wallaby with an injection of Beuthanasia-D, reported NBC News. However, the Reston Zoo was allegedly not authorized through any permits or training to use the euthanasia drugs involved. Mogensen, 26, was charged with cruelty to an animal and improper possession of a controlled substance. Police said in a statement, "Animal Control Officers are working jointly with the USDA, VDACS and other entities that insure proper protocols involving humane animal euthanasia, treatment and practices are used. " Fairfax County Police are asking anyone with additional information in connection with this case to contact Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477, e-mail at www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text “TIP187” along with a message to CRIMES/274637. Anyone with information can also call Fairfax County Police at 703-691-2131.