Two baby giraffes found safe after vanishing from a Virginia zoo a year ago

Key Points:

• Two baby giraffes that went missing from Virginia's Natural Bridge Zoo last year amid an animal abuse investigation have been found safe and are now receiving medical and behavioral care at a specialized facility.
• The Office of the Attorney General of Virginia located the giraffes but has not disclosed details about their recovery due to the ongoing criminal investigation.
• The zoo faced scrutiny after state officials seized about 100 animals and discovered 28 dead animals living in poor conditions; the zoo failed to report the births of the two missing giraffe calves despite a court order.
• Four co-owners of the zoo face 55 misdemeanor animal cruelty charges, with additional forgery charges filed against Deborah and Gretchen Mogensen and the zoo’s veterinarian, Ashley Spencer.
• The co-owner Gretchen Mogensen served a 100-day jail sentence for refusing to comply with court orders related to the missing giraffes, and the case involved public appeals including a $50,000 reward offered by actress Alicia Silverstone.