CHARLESTOWN, Ind. (AP) — An animal rights group is pressing federal regulators to take action against a southern Indiana man following the deaths of several wild animals he keeps at his Charlestown property.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said in a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture that Tim Stark may have violated the Animal Welfare Act by acknowledging in a recent application for a captive-bred wildlife permit that multiple animals had died at his wildlife facility.

PETA maintains the Animal Welfare Act requires that animals be housed safely and handled in a manner that doesn't cause them physical harm or discomfort.

Stark tells The Courier-Journal of Louisville, Kentucky he feels PETA should be ignored because they file similar complaints regarding many applicants seeking a captive-bred wildlife permit.