Letters Needed: Support SF's Step Toward Establishing 1st Major Rescue Zoo

[Guest guest]

 

Letters Needed: Support SF's First Step Toward Establishing First Major Rescue Zoo

 

On Tuesday, June 10, 2008, San Francisco Supervisor Chris Daly introduced an ordinance to reform the San Francisco Zoo and make it a model zoo for the humane treatment of animals. The ordinance calls for transitioning the troubled institution to the nation's first major rescue zoo that prioritizes animal welfare and offers a refuge to exotic and other animals in need.

 

The proposed ordinance reflects the recommendations of the city's Animal Control and Advisory Commission, which evaluated the zoo's animal welfare record and identified serious deficiencies.

 

Now the entire Board of Supervisors needs to hear from concerned citizens (especially SF residents) to show widespread support for improving the zoo and setting a new standard for the housing and care of animals by zoos.

 

WHAT YOU CAN DO

1. Please email the San Francisco Board of Supervisors at board.of.supervisors asking them to co-sponsor Supervisor Daly's ordinance and to schedule public hearings on this urgent matter as soon as possible. Be sure to include a few words about any ties that you have to San Francisco or the San Francisco Zoo (i.e. San Francisco resident/voter, lived in SF, visited SF Zoo, worked at a zoo, etc.).

 

2. Please write a brief letter to the editor of the San Francisco Chronicle at letters expressing support for the rescue zoo proposal. Also remember to note any connections you have to the city or the zoo. Letters to the editor must be 250 words or less, and include your name, address and telephone number (for verification purposes).

 

3. Also, please post a comment on the SF Chronicle website expressing your support for the ordinance. link: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/11/BA3F1177HE.DTL & hw=zoo & sn=001 & sc=1000

 

Thanks so much for taking the time to help with this very important effort.

 

Below are some points you can use in your letters:

 

+ It's about time that the Board of Supervisors addressed the animal welfare problems at the zoo. I support Supervisor Daly's ordinance and urge other supervisors to step up to resolve this long-term problem that has plagued the city.

+ San Francisco needs to reform the zoo to reflect the city's commitment to progressive leadership -- as they did with the closing of the elephant exhibit. + A rescue zoo is needed to address the pressing need for placement of exotic and domestic animals and wildlife who need homes.

+ The tiger Tatiana's death resulted because the zoo kept her, and many other animals, in outdated and inhumane conditions. Had the zoo prioritized animal welfare, she, and the other animals, would have lived in modern, safe and spacious enclosures.

+ A zoo that provides a refuge for animals in need provides them with the best possible quality of life and lifetime care. Such a facility will become a model zoo for the humane treatment of animals, promoting understanding, respect and compassion for the creatures with who we share the planet.

+ The Christmas Day tiger tragedy, the elephant crisis of 2004, and the poor conditions in which many of the zoo's animals continue to languish demonstrate clearly that the management and oversight structure of the zoo has failed. They must be held accountable for ensuring the well-being of every animal at the zoo.

+ Just ten years ago, SF voters passed a nearly $50 million bond to help the animals -- yet the same problems still exist. It's time for the Board of Supervisors to address the fundamental management and oversight problems at the zoo.

 

Thank you.