I Called It! ... SFZoo Activist Says, "All Zoos Need To Close"

In my last post, I referred to Fleur Dawes and Justin Barker, as "Close Zoo Zealots", a term I made up years ago, as I constantly read ignorant words from anti-Zoo people.  As I predicted, these types, are dangerous for our San Francisco Zoo.

Barker and Dawes have hitched their personal agenda to the Panda Plan, using information seemingly mostly taken from the Chronicle articles published in April, and now random Panda " facts".  I doubt either of them have even been to the Zoo but maybe once in recent times, if that.  They don't need to for what they are trying to accomplish, which is clear in the title of this post.

Last weekend, I almost wrote another post about the Activists, after hearing both interviewed on news reports following the Board of Supervisors vote to allow the Mayor to proceed with her Panda fundraising plan.  I was so bothered by their words, that I wanted to express that, but ended up, staying on course with as I noted previously, by not blogging in the same way as I have been for the last thirteen years.  It was hard, because I really feel like their words are irresponsible and dangerous to Our SFZoo.  

Once again, not long before midnight, I decided to check Zoo mentions on Twitter, something I don't do daily.  There was Dawes again, spewing irresponsible words, in a video posted to the In Defense of Animals Twitter.  I had to respond...

view video here:

https://x.com/IDAUSA/status/1802823535506694172

There was another video of her, this time on KRON4 News.  Not only am I offended by her words, I find it offensive that News Media (KRON has not been the only one), gives airtime to Activists who don't even frequent the Zoo.  There seems to be no vetting before airing them. The Zoo has problems, but these Activists focus is misguided.  

Still, I was holding out for not writing a blog post, but once I read the few post replies under KRON's tweet, I could no longer let my tweet replies be all I said.  So, here I am, nearing 2a, ears pulsating, and Zoo blogging.

I called it, when I said these Activists are "Close Zoo Zealots".  Their agenda is clearly confirmed by IDA's own words (I assume by Fleur Dawes) in one of those Tweet replies...

This post has highlighted the words of Fleur Dawes, who is the local mouth piece for In Defense of Animals.  I do call-out "Activists", as Justin Barker has not only spoken, but also is heading an effort called SFZoo Watch.  I had previously seen on that site some indication that they had seemingly joined forces, but at this now almost 3a glance, I couldn't find it.  To my knowledge, Barker has not indicated a flat-out close zoo agenda, but is putting forth closing the Zoo as we know it and having it become a rescue only facility.  I personally don't see how a change like that fixes the current issues.  That said, any alignment between the two, considering IDA's following of the equally un-knowledgeable, their words could pose a threat.  

Their words and agenda, are not only dangerous to Our Zoo, but dangerous to Our Animals.  I know there are army's of people who want Zoo's closed, I've gone into verbal battle with them before.  I will not budge on my opinion, which is creating a movement to close an Animal Care Facility such as a Zoo is something that makes no logical sense, unless as a last resort.  San Francisco Zoo is not beyond fixing.  

Anyone who says, "...all zoos need to close and animals should be sent to sanctuary", is ignorant to the reality of such a statement.  First, there is an average of 2000 Animals in the average Zoo collection.  There is reportedly around 500 Zoo's (Including Aquariums) in North America, even if that number was lower, there are some with larger collections.  So, let's put the amount of Animals who would need "sanctuary", according to In Defense of Animals agenda, at one million. Each of those Animals, has housing, food and medical care.  

Now let's look at Sanctuaries.  I personally have experience with Sanctuaries, as I have been involved with trying to find Sanctuary homes for Animals I know who were in need of rescuing.  Anyone who actually cares about the well-being of Animals,  no doubt follows at least a few Sanctuaries on social media.  Those who do, know that Sanctuaries are constantly struggling to raise funds for the Animals in their care.  They have to constantly turn away Animals in Need because they don't have the funds and/or the space.  There is just not enough money and/or space to place every Zoo Animal in a Sanctuary.  That is the reality.  There are so many Animals in Need, as I'm writing this, all you need to do is look at a Facebook Group called CA/PNW Farmed Animals Needing Adoption (FANA) and see all the sadness.  So many Animals that have no homes and no medical care.  Those are the Animals in Need.  Not Zoo Animals who are already being cared for.

Of course there will be Zoo's and other Animal Facilities that are beyond fixing, and need the intervention.  Again, I do not believe San Francisco Zoo is there yet.  SFZoo needs a new Director, and a few others at the Zoo gone.  SFZoo needs the Zoological Society Board and the SF Rec and Park, to take their oversight duties seriously.  The whole management structure needs an overhaul.  The City (Rec and Park), and the Board, who have neglected their duty to the Zoo for at least the sixteen years I've been watching, need to come up with the funds to fix Needs.  Put these things in place, and Our Zoo can thrive.   That's what those who care should be focused on.  Not creating narrative that can hurt the Zoo and the Animals that call it home.

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"Personal Opinions and Facts presented publicly are Not against the law or any rules. ... Censorship and Retaliation Actions in an attempt at Suppression are frowned upon by Healthy Societies."

For Full Statement see this post:

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-zoo-status.html

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