But zoo owners will head back to court next month to face off with the TV cameraman bitten by a chimp in 1997.

Zoo owner Steve Macaluso said he feels the recent courtroom victory will give him an edge in the upcoming trial. “We’re going to win that one, too,” he said.

Audrey Pegg was volunteering at the zoo, located near Rockwell, three years ago when a wolf escaped its cage and wandered the zoo grounds. It bit her when she attempted to capture it, Macaluso said.

“They felt she contributed to her injuries,” Macaluso said.

Pegg no longer volunteers at the zoo.

George Williams suffered a more serious bite in 1997 while filming Sydney the chimpanzee for WBTV-Channel 3.

Sydney had escaped the zoo and roamed Rowan County for a week before he was captured.

As zoo workers tried to lure Sydney back into his cage, the chimp broke free and bit Williams on the left arm. He sued.

The bite went through his wrist to the bone, severing tendons and damaging nerves, said Dr. David Baker, who operated on Williams in Charlotte.

The lawsuit claims Williams was permanently injured and “suffered excruciating pain for ... a year.”

Macaluso contends the cameraman came on zoo grounds against advice and knew he was taking a risk.

Williams, represented by Charlotte attorney Paul Whitfield, is seeking $13,000 for medical bills and additional damages. The trial starts July 31 in Charlotte.

Macaluso’s attorney is Lee Cecil of Greensboro.

Sydney still lives at the zoo, which exhibits a variety of exotic animals and livestock at 4400 Cook Road.

Since the attack, Macaluso and his wife, Carla, have tried to find a new home for Sydney. They believe he escaped because he hates living in a cage.

“We want to find a place where he can roam free, but it is so hard to place chimps,” Carla Macaluso said. “There are so many of them.”

The chimp escape marks the only time the zoo was fined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which has licensed the zoo to exhibit animals. Macaluso paid the $750 fine, according to federalrecords.

The zoo passed its annual surprise inspection earlier this month.

“This was our best one yet,” Macaluso said. “I told Carla, ‘You should pat yourself on the back.’ ”

Inspector Dr. David Kelly found two new problems: a chewed up dog house that could injure the animals it sheltered and inadequate fencing around a tennis court where lions are kept.

Macaluso said he threw away the dog house because the animals had other shelter. He also plans to build a fence around the tennis court by the Aug. 1 deadline.

Kelly found two old problems the zoo still needs to correct.

Peeling paint in the primate building doesn’t allow adequate cleaning, according to the report. The zoo started removing the paint but must finish the job, Kelly wrote.

And although Macaluso developed a feline diet plan as instructed earlier, he must keep a written copy of the plan at the zoo, Kelly wrote.

The zoo looks the best it has since opening in 1995, Macaluso said. “We’ve cleaned up the zoo and got rid of lots of animals,” he said. “We found homes for them.”

Seven lions and six tigers remain, he said.

Although Macaluso has sold several lions and tigers to Rowan residents, he said he’ll never do it again. The people are taking good care of the felines, he said, but their neighbors call the zoo and complain.