Sloth Encounters Pays $250 For Illegally Having Venomous Lizards

HAUPPAUGE, NY — Sloth Encounters owner Larry Wallach has been ordered a $250 fine after pleading guilty to illegally possessing and transporting three Nile monitors, venomous reptiles that grow up to 7 feet.

"I paid it, no problem," Wallach told Patch.

He admitted that the Nile monitors "should never have been offered to me by the distributor."

However, John Di Leonardo, director of Humane Long Island, said the minimal fee won't deter Wallach.

"He's going to make thousands of dollars this weekend, so what is $250 less?" Di Leonardo told Patch.

The animal rights advocate said it's up to lawmakers to create stricter laws "and our judges need to take this much more seriously."

For those unfamiliar with Nile monitors, Di Leonardo explained that the reptiles are "in the same category as tigers and lions, according to New York State."

Wallach, though, said they are not so rare, as it's "funny, walk into other stores and they sell them."

This is not the first legal setback for Wallach's Sloth Encounters.

Earlier this month, a judge found his petting zoo in violation of the Islip town code. Wallach was found guilty of civil contempt of court.

As Patch reported, he was ordered to temporarily close or pay $250 per day, as per a March decision by the Suffolk County Supreme Court. However, Wallach agreed to shut down "until my permit comes," he said. "But, off premises, we are going fast and furious."

His Sloth Encounters website, though, was changed to indicate "We are NOW OFFICIALLY! open every SATURDAY and SUNDAY!! New weekly schedule to FOLLOW!"

"But not to WORRY! because we are still doing our HOME VISITS!!! and GROUP GATHERINGS!!" the website added.

Di Leonardo is trying to shine a light on Wallach's activities. Those who search "LarryWallach.com" are bought to the Humane Long Island page.

Wallach opened Sloth Encounters in June 2022 with visitors charged $50 to interact with sloths in a room made to resemble the rain forest.

"He's already planning to violate more laws this weekend, Di Leonardo said. "Animal abusers just have no fear of the law. They continue to operate in defiance of the law."