Animals @ SF Zoo: YOUR letter needed!!!

[Guest guest]

For more information please visit www.RescueSFZoo.com.

 

 

 

 

Today, Juy 3, 2008, the San Francisco Chronicle published an opinion piece by Jim Maddy, the CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), opposing our effort to transform the San Francisco Zoo into a rescue facility. The piece "On Wildlife Conservation" can be read here: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/03/ED4U11IQTK.DTL

 

Mr. Maddy asserts the proposal is backed by "animal rights activists, in their attempt to capitalize on the [tiger mauling] tragedy." Please send a short, polite letter to the editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. State your support for the rescue zoo and your dismay at the AZA's attempt to block the effort to improve and reform the San Francisco Zoo. Please remember to note any connection you have to the City of San Francisco or the zoo.

 

Please limit your letters to 200 or fewer words ... shorter letters have a better chance of being selected for publication. The editor prefers e-mail. The address is letters. Do not send attachments, the Chronicle's virus-detecting software will delete e-mail with attachments.

 

Points to include in your letter:

· The AZA’s “mandatory standards for animal welfare” including “naturalistic habits” are meaningless, as evidenced by conditions at the San Francisco Zoo. Since the Zoo “meets these standards,” it’s obvious that the AZA standards are worthless. By no stretch of the imagination could the zoos’ exhibits be considered "naturalistic" or acceptable, as the majority of animals are confined in cramped, barren and dilapidated conditions.

 

· San Francisco can do better than the extremely minimal AZA standards; we are a progressive city that needs a zoo that reflects our values. San Francisco can lead the nation in establishing a new standard for zoos worldwide by placing animal welfare at heart of the zoo’s mission. There’s no better way to accomplish this than a rescue zoo that would exist to help animals in need.

 

· The San Francisco Zoo rescues some animals now such as the popular rescue of the two grizzly cubs. We need to build upon this as there are so many exotic animals in need of placement. Why would anyone oppose making this a focus of the zoo?

 

· The AZA has no credibility in San Francisco after fighting to stop the transfer of the zoo’s elephants to a sanctuary, despite it being in the best interests of the elephants. The cramped and inhumane conditions for elephants at the zoo, which prematurely killed two of them, met AZA standards.

 

Thank you.