SF Zoo is “Unsafe for Visitors and Animals” According to City Report

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KQED

Politics, News, News Commentary

4.6 • 656 Ratings

🗓️ 14 October 2024

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

At the San Francisco Zoo, the kangaroo pen lacks running water, the gorilla habitat area floods during heavy rainfall and the jaguars are depressed and live in an old concrete chain-link box. That’s according to a new report by the San Francisco Animal Control and Welfare Commission, which describes the 95-year-old facility as “extremely outdated” and “unsafe for visitors and animals.” The commission is now urging the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to require a performance audit of the zoo. We’ll discuss the report and talk to experts about what makes a zoo safe and humane for animals, zookeepers and visitors. Guests: Tara Duggan, reporter, SF Chronicle Justin Barker, local animal rights activist who contributed to the city’s report Joel Parrott, former director, Oakland Zoo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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1:32.3	From KQED in San Francisco, I'm Leslie McClurg, in for Alexis Madrigal. At the San Francisco Zoo, there's not enough running water in the kangaroo pin.
1:36.3	The gorilla habitat area floods during heavy rainfall.
1:40.3	The langers are depressed and they live in an old concrete chain link box.
1:48.7	That's according to a new report which finds the facility unsafe for animals and visitors.
1:54.9	The San Francisco Animal Control Welfare Commission describes the facility as extremely outdated.
2:03.4	We'll find out what's really going on inside and discuss how and if a zoo can be safe and humane. That's next after this news. Welcome to Forum. I'm Leslie McClurg. I'm in today for Alexis Madrigal. Every time I visit a zoo, I feel somewhat conflicted inside. Do zoos protect animals or do they imprison them? A new pretty scathing report about the San Francisco Zoo has me even a lot more conflicted. A city commission
2:35.3	describes the 95-year-old facility as unsafe for visitors and animals. We're joined by Justin Barker.
2:42.1	He's an animal rights activist, and he contributed to the city's report, which was spurred by a San Francisco
2:47.6	Chronicle investigation from Tara Dugan, who is also with us, and Joel Parrott.
	...

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