Troubled Water: Austin Aquarium Accused Of Federal Safety Violations

Austin, Texas has many attractions for one to see in the city. But one attraction is gaining attention for reasons that might be worrying to some in the city. The Austin Aquarium could be facing legal repercussions from the United States government.

What Is The Violation That The Austin Aquarium Is Facing?

As reported by KXAN, Austin Aquarium LLC is alleged to have infracted what is known as 9 C.F.R. § 2.131(c)(1). As stated by the code:

"During public exhibition, any animal must be handled so there is minimal risk of harm to the animal and to the public, with sufficient distance and/or barriers between the animal and the general viewing public so as to assure the safety of animals and the public."

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Per the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or the USDA, the Austin Aquarium hasn't met that standard. Previous incidents at the aquarium have been reported, for instance, it was reported a lemur attacked a woman in 2023.

What Happens If The Austin Aquarium Is Found To Have Committed The Infraction?

At the time of writing, the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has alerted the aquarium of the situation due to, per KXAN, "violations of the regulations can have serious and costly impacts that are detrimental to the public interest.”

The USDA has stated that the warning isn't considered to be the aquarium being found guilty. But, at the time of writing, it isn't known how the aquarium will respond to the accusation.

As this a developing story, we will have more information when it becomes available.