Here’s what we know, for sure, about the controversy surrounding the DEW Haven wildlife sanctuary in Mount Vernon.

Following a 1998 raid, the facility was cited for 48 violations of various scope and severity, and its exhibitor license was suspended for 90 days.

Since then, DEW Haven has been cited regularly and repeatedly for violating the federal Animal Welfare Act, including 54 instances in total between 2004-2015.

That’s not a judgment on the love and affection owners Bob and Julie Miner have for the animals in their care, nor is it a determination that the animals would be better off if it weren’t for people like the Miners who are willing to give them a home.

But they are the facts, and they show undisputably that DEW Haven at times has struggled to meet the minimum state and federal standards for keeping and exhibiting animals. The Miners have 200-plus animals in their care, many of them exotic, and no matter how much they care about the animals, and no matter how much joy the animals bring DEW Haven’s many visitors, the facility must be kept up to those minimal standards.

The controversy was reignited last week by an article in left-leaning magazine Mother Jones, which recounted DEW Haven’s history of violations, and suggested that the magazine’s reporting led to the cancellation of the Animal Planet television show, “Yankee Jungle.” Subsequently, two local theaters cancelled showings of a documentary on the animal sanctuary called, “Wild Home.”

In response, many of the Miners’ fans have come to their defense, saying the couple’s dedication to the animals is beyond reproach. A game warden who helped investigate DEW Haven even told Mother Jones, “They’re serious about those animals. They’ve given their whole lives to that place.”

But the violations speak for themselves.

The violations in 1998 included illegally imported animals, dirty water and feed, pens that were broken and too small, and a black bear with what appeared to be an untreated broken leg.

In 2002, the Miners were fined again for unsanitary conditions and improperly keeping animals together in the same enclosure.

In 2005, they were cited for keeping a lion cub inside their home, a repeat offense, and a mountain lion was “crippled” after being declawed, and in 2012, three bears needed to be euthanized after a fight.

In addition, from 2004-2015, there were numerous violations for unsafe and unsanitary animal enclosures, improper feed and insufficient care. Some inspections found no problems, but most did, with the latest coming in July of last year.

Those were all documented instances, from different state and federal investigators. Many of the violations — dirty or lack of water, broken fences, insufficient shelter — were repeated.

The Miners may have done a lot of good over the years, but they’ve fallen short in places, too.

The standards exist for a reason — to make sure places like DEW Haven follow the rules when state and federal investigators, who have limited resources and too many compliance-related duties, are not around.

Places like DEW Haven may be fun to visit, but housing wild and exotic animals requires a high level of responsibility and accountability. It is even a valid question whether they should be held in private facilities, or in captivity at all.

So we should have high standards, and everybody — regardless of their good intentions — should be held to them.

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