Zion companies plead not guilty

Zion Wildlife Garden's big cat handler Dalu Mncube. Photo / Supplied

The companies that run Whangarei's Zion Wildlife Gardens, where a big cat handler was mauled to death, have pleaded not guilty to two charges brought under the Health and Safety in Employment Act.

Dalu Mncube was attacked by a Bengal tiger while cleaning its cage last May.

The Department of Labour had previously laid two charges against Zion Wildlife Services for "failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of employees while at work".

Two charges were also laid against Zion Wildlife Gardens for "failing to take all practicable steps to ensure that no hazard" in a workplace harms people working as employees of a contractor.

Department of Labour counsel Karena England withdrew one of the charges against each company when the matter was called in Whangarei District Court today.

Lawyer for the companies Brett Harris pleaded not guilty to the two remaining charges and the case was adjourned until July.

- NZPA