This is not the first time the farm has had trespassers, said the farm's owner. "This is happening throughout the country. People trample all over farmland and don't care," he said.
A group of rowdy teenagers went bonkers when they allegedly broke into a New Jersey petting zoo after hours, mistreated some of the animals, and even put lipstick on a miniature pony, cops said.
The incident happened at about 10 p.m. on Saturday at Abma's Farms located in Wyckoff, New Jersey, a farm 30 miles east of New York City. According to a release sent out by the Wyckoff Police Department, Jimmy Abma, one of the farm's owners and his family, heard a ruckus coming from the barnyard petting zoo and what they soon discovered was quite troubling.
The teens "opened gates and rode our miniature donkeys, who should not be supporting that much weight," the family said. One person took a Snapchat of another person riding our mini donkey and applied to the Abma's Farm geo-filter, said the family in a Facebook post.
One of the ponies had lipstick applied to its mouth as well.
A Snapchat photo showed someone who appeared to be a teenage girl with long platinum blonde hair, wearing a black crop top and ripped jeans, riding a miniature donkey, according to police.
The farmer said he saw at least six alleged trespassers on his property and started yelling, according to CBS News.
Abma said the farm has been in his family for four generations and is home to four families that live on the property. He described it as "a working farm." Over the decades, it has become a popular Bergen County destination for its petting zoo, with up to 60 animals and a farmer's market.
"This was no ordinary break-in," the family said on Facebook.
Abma said the animals were terrified and "skittish and were jumping around."
"Couple of the animals, you couldn't even get close to," Abma told CBS New York. "A couple of our animals got loose from gates left open."
Abma later said that all the animals have been accounted for. "The safety of OUR animals have been compromised, and that IS, NOT, OKAY. Our animals are now shaken compared to their normal relaxed nature," the family said.
The family closed the zoo Monday so a veterinarian could examine all the animals, including rabbits, sheep, pigs, goats, and at least one miniature pony.
According to Abma, this is not the first time that the zoo has had break-ins. Trespassers, he said, violate his property daily, that is why he is taking this latest incident more seriously. "This is not just happening at our petting zoo," he told CBS News. "This is happening throughout the country. People trample all over farmland and don't care."
In the meantime, Abma wanted these kids to know that he is not going going to rest until the pay for what they did.
"Unfortunately, for them, we have pictures and names, and we will follow through to make sure everyone is held accountable," Abma told the Daily Voice. "These kids have to deal with what they did."
No arrests have been made in the incident.
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