Wildlife Sanctuary Hit with Legal Battle

A legal storm looms over the Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary, a privately owned and operated wildlife attraction in the Town of Farmington near West Bend, as zoo staff and neighbors clash over its operating permits, future plans, and allegations of regulatory violations.
In February of 2025, a group of residents created the “We Love Farmington” group and filed a civil lawsuit seeking to void a conditional use permit (CUP) granted to Shalom, approved by the town board in January. The amendments allowed the sanctuary to expand its footprint and further its event hosting capabilities.
The citizen group taking action against Shalom lives within miles of the sanctuary, and argues that the expansion was conducted without proper permitting, noting concerns about noise, light pollution, and impacts on the quality of life for surrounding residents. The group states that the Town of Farmington did not provide adequate public notice for comment on the CUP.
Shalom owners, David and Lana Fechter, have pushed back against the claims, filing a counterclaim accusing the We Love Farmington group of harassment through “meritless complaints.” They feel the group is using the accusations in an attempt to get the sanctuary shut down.
“The plaintiffs want the court to order that the Zoo has been violating various laws and ordinances for decades,” said the Fechters in a social media post made on Sept. 29. “We find these allegations ridiculous given that we have never been cited by the Town of Farmington, the County, or the State for any ordinance violations.”
While much is still up in the air with the legal battle ahead, it is clear that community members on both sides have their eyes on the situation.
Look out for future updates as this story develops.