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USDA FACILITY REPORT

Spirit Of The Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

Spearfish, South Dakota 57783 - 500 Tinton Road

F
8 Inspections
28 Total Violations
1 Critical
4 Repeat Violations
Older record: the last USDA inspection on file for this facility was Oct 4, 2016, about 10 years ago. USDA inspects licensed facilities every 1-3 years, and some licenses lapse. Confirm the breeder is still active before you rely on this record.
License: 46-C-0053 Type: Class C (exhibitor) Last Inspected: Oct 4, 2016 Address: 500 Tinton Road USDA records through: Oct 1, 2026

Animals on Record

  • Dog Adult98
  • Sheep Including All Domestic Breeds87
  • Tiger81
  • Cat Adult81
  • Domestic Dog63
  • European Rabbit62
  • Domestic Pig61
  • Puma52
  • Domestic Cat52
Show all 33 species
  • Llama52
  • North American Black Bear51
  • Lion31
  • Syrian Brown Bear29
  • Leopard27
  • Wolf/Dog Hybrid23
  • Domestic Goat22
  • Chinchilla17
  • Bobcat16
  • American Bison14
  • Domestic Pig11
  • Coyote11
  • Raccoon8
  • Cattle7
  • Canadian Lynx7
  • Serval6
  • Chinchilla (Domesticated)6
  • Striped Skunk5
  • North American Porcupine5
  • Domestic Guinea Pig4
  • Bactrian Camel4
  • Grizzly Bear4
  • Gray Wolf3
  • American Red Squirrel2

Inspection History

A history of USDA inspections for this facility. The complete inspection details are included with report access.

Detailed report viewInspection details included with report access.
Detailed report viewInspection details included with report access.
Detailed report viewInspection details included with report access.

+ 5 more inspections · 28 violations in the full report

What's in This Report

8
USDA Inspections on Record
Latest: Oct 4, 2016 · records through Oct 1, 2026
28
Violations Documented
1 Critical · 9 Direct · 18 Non-Critical

Preview: most recent violation

Oct 4, 2016
2.131(b)(1) Critical
HANDLING OF ANIMALS.
On October 3, 2016, at approximately 11:30pm, USDA was notified by the director of the sanctuary that Boomer, a
male tiger, was loose from his enclosure. The licensee stated that he had forgotten to close the guillotine ...

The full report opens the complete inspector narrative for this and every other violation (28 narratives, 28 citations).

The full report includes:

Complete inspection timeline with dates
Every violation code and description
Inspector narratives, what they saw
Severity ratings for each violation
Repeat offense flags
Links to original USDA reports

How to Read This Report

This page shows the complete USDA inspection history for Spirit Of The Hills Wildlife Sanctuary. The grade at the top is calculated by BreederCheck based on the total number of violations, their severity, whether any are repeat offenses, and how recently they occurred. It is not an official USDA grade, the USDA does not assign letter grades to facilities.

Each inspection in the timeline represents an actual visit by a USDA APHIS inspector. Inspections can be routine (scheduled), focused (in response to a complaint), or follow-up (to verify that previously cited violations have been corrected). The badges next to each inspection date indicate how many violations were found during that visit and their severity levels.

In the violation details section, you can read the specific regulatory codes that were cited and, when available, the inspector's narrative describing exactly what was observed. Pay particular attention to violations marked as "Repeat", these indicate problems that the breeder was previously warned about but failed to correct. Critical violations involving immediate threats to animal health or safety are the most serious and should weigh heavily in your decision-making.

If you are considering purchasing an animal from this facility, we recommend using this data as a starting point, not an endpoint. Visit the breeder in person, ask to see the animals' living conditions, request veterinary health records, and compare this facility's record to other breeders in the same state.

Frequently asked questions about Spirit Of The Hills Wildlife Sanctuary

Is Spirit Of The Hills Wildlife Sanctuary a USDA-licensed breeder?

Spirit Of The Hills Wildlife Sanctuary holds USDA license number 46-C-0053 (C), which means the facility is registered under the federal Animal Welfare Act and is subject to periodic USDA APHIS inspections.

Does Spirit Of The Hills Wildlife Sanctuary have any USDA violations on record?

Yes. USDA inspectors have documented 28 violations at this facility (1 critical, 9 direct, 18 non-critical). Critical and repeat violations matter most because they involve direct risks to animal health or problems the breeder was warned about before. Each cited code and the inspector narrative are in the full report above.

When was Spirit Of The Hills Wildlife Sanctuary last inspected by the USDA?

The most recent inspection on record for Spirit Of The Hills Wildlife Sanctuary was on Oct 4, 2016, and the facility has 8 inspections documented in total. The USDA typically inspects licensed breeders every one to three years.

Where is Spirit Of The Hills Wildlife Sanctuary located?

Spirit Of The Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Spearfish, South Dakota. You can browse other USDA-licensed breeders in South Dakota to compare inspection records before you decide.

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