A Kentucky capybara recently caused controversy when visitors of a state renaissance fair wondered if the rodent was receiving proper care thanks to a viral photo, leading to attention from an animal welfare agency and even questions for the Louisville Zoo.
Gilbert, a young female capybara, was part of a booth at the 2025 Ohio Renaissance Festival in Waynesville, Ohio, promoting “Gilbert the Cranky Capybara Makes a Friend,” a children’s book by Louisville-based Line by Lion Publications. After a photo of Gilbert showing her inside a crate began to spread online, people reported the vendor to local law enforcement, prompting an evaluation by Warren County Animal Control.
The agency later stated the animal was in good health, stress-free and receiving appropriate care from her handlers…