Community steps up to help Shalom Wildlife – ‘The Little Zoo that Could’

October 4, 2025 – West Bend, WI – A fire has been lit in the little Town of Farmington and claws are out as the community is coming to the rescue. Thousands of people have chimed in and spoken out in favor of Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary which is being threatened by legal action from a handful of neighbors.

Aside from statements issued in writing and documented meeting minutes from the Town of Farmington, the parties involved are lawyered up and awaiting their next court date. But the community has apparently already taken sides and they’re fighting for the ‘Little Zoo that could.’

Ashley Berenger, a mom of three from Kewaskum, WI, is putting her baking habit to good use and hopes you join in.  She said she’s buckling down this weekend.

I’m reaching out with a special request to help support a beloved local business—Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary LLC in West Bend, WI. They’re currently facing serious legal challenges, and I’m organizing a cookie fundraiser where 100% of proceeds will go directly to their legal fund.

I’ve written a short post to share with the community and would be so grateful if you’d consider posting it in the group to help spread the word. Here’s the message:

Would You Buy a Cookie to Help Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary?

Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary LLC provides peace and harmony for beautiful wild animals in West Bend, WI. Right now, they’re facing serious legal challenges—and I’m stepping in the sweetest way I know how.

I’m donating custom-decorated cookies, and 100% of the proceeds will go directly to support their legal fund.

Each cookie is handmade with love and inspired by the sanctuary’s mission. If you’d be interested in ordering, here’s the pricing:

✨ $4 per cookie
✨ $20 for 6 cookies
✨ $35 for 12 cookies

Every dollar goes to Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary. If you’d consider ordering, drop a comment, send a message, or give this post a 👍—I’ll follow up with order details soon!

Let’s turn cookies into community support.
#WeSupportShalom #WeStandWithShalom
#CookiesForACause #SweetSolidarity #LocalLove

 Click HERE to place an order.

The article below was published earlier detailing this issue at hand.

October 2, 2025 – Town of Farmington, WI – One of the hottest topics in Washington County history is in the spotlight again this week as the owner of Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary pens a note of “Thanks” to the community for its support.

David Fechter’s note is below.

The Shalom Zoo Legal Defense posting. Reading the data and comments was a real shock to us. We have been over whelmed by your outpouring support and love. The love you shared in the last two days was a million times stronger than the hate we had to endure in the last year. Thank you from the bottom of our heart!

When reading the comments many of the Shalom haters resurfaced. They always do this when they feel they can spread their lies while hiding in their alternative reality. Now we know who they are.

The 3600+ comments is a record for Shalom. When so many people, each with their own thoughts, start to discuss their ideas and feelings, the “cream of thought” will always comes to the surface.

It became clear to our supports that what is happening much bigger. The first thing on their list is. They do not want white tigers being bred or born.

I arrived tonight by Ginger just in the nick of time. Mom was finishing their baths and telling them how much she loved them, how important they were, and how much she needed them. I loved every second watching them. I thanked God.

While watching this most beautiful family, I was thinking about all that had happened in our life the last two days. Memories stirred in my mind.
Memories like the school children who emailed us to say they were having a fund raiser for Shalom.

The printer/sign maker who is making signs to put out in the community. The many media outlets that came. The people who just came to give us a hug. All the sensitive ladies who called and were crying. Yes I cried with them too. And then the sweet soft spoken mother with the autistic child that was worried that there wasn’t going to be anymore videos.

Watching Ginger and her babies and thinking about those loving human interactions I had, a jolt to my brain stopped it for a second. Time to focus.

As my mind cleared, it first started with Ginger and her babies. What will happen to them. Then came, what about Charlotte, King, Sugar & Spice, Jona, Charlie, Lumpy, Snowflake and all the others. Where will they go if we lose. Will they stay together.

It is sad to read that so many people are misled/deceived into believing that white tigers are the product of deliberate and unethical inbreeding in captivity when it actually is a naturally occurring wonder of nature. Something can never be if it never was. It’s like believing the big bang theory, everything came from nothing. That is a Godless thought by humans who believe they are god. Anyone with an ounce of wisdom can look at nature and see that theory does not make sense. Only the Creator who is God could have made nature. We are mere humans here to do Gods work and that is when we find inner peace.

Will they get their wish. To make sure that there will never be a white tiger again. That wish is something that only someone who is evil would do.

What would they do to Ginger and Tigerlee.
Gods loves nature and God always wins.

Dear Shalom Family, please “Like” and “Share”. United We Stand.

If you would like to donate to our Legal Defense Fund you can do so by mail: 1901 Shalom Drive, West Bend, Wisconsin 53090 or Credit Card over the phone 262-338-1310 ext 402 or by PayPal
click here https://www.paypal.com/donate/…

Thank you and God bless you.

Below are previous articles on the topic.

September 30, 2025 – Town of Farmington, Wi – UPDATE  – The chairman with the Town of Farmington has issued a statement regarding litigation involving a challenge to action taken in January 2025.

According to Town Chair Doug Neumann, a group is challenging an amendment to a conditional use permit that was approved by the Town Board in January 2025.

Below is a statement issued by Neumann.

Judy, my statement regarding the zoo.

“Sorry, I can not comment on specifics regarding active litigation. However, the zoo has been in operation for over 30 years without incident or town zoning violation concerns.

“Under town ordinance requirements,  the zoo currently operates under a conditional use permit issued by the town and is also heavily regulated by several county, state, and federal departments. The January 2025 amended conditional use permit that includes an expansion of the zoo property also includes event activities is being challenged by a small group of individuals.   

“The town board has a very specific role when considering condtion use permits.  As long as town zoning ordinances and/ or requirements are met, the permitting must considered. When considering these permits, it must be reviewed based on factual information and not opinions or speculation. We have an important responsibility to consider the best interest for the town residents and tax payers, while also complying with state statute requirements regarding conditional use permits.

“Historically, the zoo has been in operation for several decades  without incidents or concerns from the town. It continues to be enjoyed by visitors around the country.  They have always complied with all our request and should be considered a tourism asset to our town and county as a whole.  I firmly believe all parties involved are hoping this situation is resolved in the near future.”

Below are details from a previous article.

The permit involved expansion of property tied to Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary.

A legal challenge has also been filed against David Fechter, the owner of Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary.

Click HERE for details on a suit by We Love Farmington vs. the Town of Farmington.

Click HERE for a second suit brought by the group We Love Farmington vs. Shalom Wildlife Sanctuary.

David Fechter was contacted this morning. He declined comment but said his statement could be posted below.

Dear Supporters of Shalom Wildlife Zoo,

Today we have to take a break from writing about animals and wildlife activity at the Zoo to update you on something less pleasant and very serious.

About a month ago we posted that Shalom Zoo is under attack by a group of Shalom haters who are doing everything in their power to shut us down. By now some of you may even be aware that Shalom has been named as a defendant in a lawsuit filed by two of our neighbors. The persons suing us is, Andrew Willetts and Leann Beehler, who have created an organization called “We Love Farmington.” Andrew Willetts is married to Jeneva Willetts, who is a renowned author who goes by the name Jeneva Rose. Leann Beehler is married to Bruce Beehler, who was formerly the veterinarian at the Milwaukee County Zoo.

Their lawsuit seeks a court order invalidating our conditional use permit (CUP) which was granted to us back in 1995 by the Town of Farmington, Washington County. In 2024 the Farmington Town Board again updated and approved our CUP. Then in late 2024 Shalom increased our footprint again with the purchase of addition property. After 4 public meetings, in January 2025 the Town Board again approved Shalom Zoos CUP.

The January 2025 updated CUP allows us to expand Shalom Zoos operations to hold special events, such as weddings and corporate gatherings. We have been doing these events for the last 30 years, but now it will be in a much-upgraded facility on the new property. The area will also provide a space where school children can get out of the elements to enjoy their picnic lunches when visiting.

We very much would like to share this beautiful and wonderful new addition with you our loyal supporters and visitors. Their lawsuit threatens our ability to do that. Even more concerning, this lawsuit seeks to essentially end Shalom Wildlife Zoo as we know it.

The plaintiffs want the court to order that the Zoo has been violating various laws and ordinances for decades. 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.

To our surprise, after reviewing the documentation we have received in discovery in this case and through Open Records requests, it is clear that there is a concerted effort to shut down the Shalom Zoo and our operations.

Since the Beehlers moved into our area around 2021, Shalom has been subjected to numerous complaints made with state and local government and agencies, including the Town of Farmington, the DNR, and even the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.

Leann Beehler has been aided in her efforts by RJ Khan, the president of the Forest at Farmington a homeowners association which is located behind the Zoo, and also Andrew Willetts, who moved in across the lake from us last year.

Shalom Zoo was in operation a decade before there was a Forest at Farmington homeowners association and many decades before there were people named Bruce & Leann Beehler and Andrew & Jeneva Rose Willetts living in the Town of Farmington.

Today, we filed a counterclaim and complaint against “We Love Farmington,” Leann Beehler, Andrew Willetts, and RJ Khan.

In it, you will see all the baseless complaints made against us the past few years. It is a clear attempt to harass our Zoo operations to shut Shalom down and force us to spend money to defend ourselves.

This is where we need your help. Because the We love Farmington members and RJ Khan are attacking us on many fronts, we have had to hire several attorneys who specialize in each area.

Attorneys are expensive, and the legal fees are piling up. This is part of their strategy. They want to harm our business by causing us to take revenues that normally we could put back into the Zoo and instead is forcing us to spend it on legal fees. If you would like to help with a donation to Shalom Zoo Legal Defense Fund, please CLICK HERE.

Please note, donations to help save Shalom are given from the heart and are not tax deductible.

Thank you,
David & Lana Fechter

Below are meeting minutes and comments from a public hearing December 10, 2024 in the Town of Farmington.

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