Petition - San Francisco Health Officer - Please Don't Kill Our Zoo!

Yep, another Petition.  They are good for awareness, documentation, and hopefully change.

Please Sign and Share.  Don't let the future of our Zoo be threatened without being a Voice for it.  The Animals we all Love need their home.

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/tell-a-friend/66159922 

Petition Text

It's the 4th of July. What the Animals at the San Francisco Zoo need is for their home to be Re-Opened to Visitors. The San Francisco Zoo needs its Independence from the Indoor Museum classification.

While San Franciscans flock to the Park, the Beach, Outdoor Dining and other places where no face-covering and no social distancing is allowed to happen, the Animals wait and wonder what will become of their home.

The San Francisco Zoo was set to Re-Open June 29 after a three month Shutdown due to the Covid19 Pandemic. The San Francisco Health Officer delayed the Re-Opening indefinitely, citing a surge in Covid cases.

While San Francisco Botanical Garden, Retail Stores and Outdoor Dining continue to stay open, the Zoo stays closed. ... While People continue to pack the Park daily, the majority with no face-covering, or courtesy to attempt distancing. The Zoo remains closed.

The San Francisco Zoo needs to be reclassified in alignment with the Botanical Garden, which shares the classification with Outdoor Museums. The Zoo is an Outdoor, controlled environment, with Safety Protocols in place.

Further delay in allowing the Zoo to Re-Open, could put the Zoo in a dire financial hardship, threatening the security of the place the Animals call home.

Re-Open the San Francisco Zoo.

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Blogger's Statement

"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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Is The San Francisco Health Officer Killing The Zoo? Pt Two

My main issue of keeping the Zoo closed, ia the hypocrisy, when all kinds of other places and behavior are allowed.  I pretty much cover it in my video, which is linked in the part one to this post title, from yesterday. The purpose of this post is basically as an open letter to the San Francisco Health Officer Tomas Aragon, who is responsible for green-lighting places that can open, and advising/setting health order mandates.  He is the guy, keeping the San Francisco Zoo closed.

To recap, the problem started the last week of May, when Governor Newsom announced the Re-Opening Timeline.  His Timeline placed California Zoos in Phase 3, to Re-Open in mid-August, along with Indoor Museums. Botanical Gardens like ours in San Francisco were in Phase 2 with Outdoor Museums, allowed to Re-Open June 1st.  The majority of a Zoo is outdoors, so this logic makes absolutely no sense at all.

On May 29, I questioned this nonsense in my blog, and to Newsom on Twitter, and I started a Petition aimed at Newsom, calling for reclassification of Zoos. Curiously eight days after I started my Petition, Newsom fast tracked Phase 3 and deferred to local Officials, to set their own Re-Opening dates anytime after June 29. ... In light of that, this issue now shed the responsibility on our San Francisco Department of Public Health.

After returning to the Botanical Gardens, the second day of their re-opening, June 2, I became more irritated about the Zoo not being in the same classification.  I detail my visit in a blog post, which also has a video link.  In short, the BG was not following re-opening protocol, allowing visitors to remove their face-covering once inside.  By week two, I was incensed, as my regular morning walk was pushed to afternoon, which meant more people.  I stopped counting at forty visitors, which was over half, without face-covering. 

After the June 16 Board of Supervisors Meeting, my attention turned to Tomas Aragon, the SF Health Officer.  He is the one dictating the Orders and was the only hold-out at the Meeting to green-light the Zoo Re-Opening.  I sent him an email, presenting valid reasoning why the Zoo should be allowed to re-open, and concerns if it is not. ... Now, he is once again responsible for the Re-Opening delay that was to happen June 29.

  

I again turn my words to Health Officer Tomas Aragon. Let me start by saying, I am not a Medical Professional, so my opinion is just that, my opinion. I base all my opinions on logic, and to me, the places that are allowed to re-open, and the behavior of the masses, does not represent logic in relation to keeping the Zoo closed.  

I completely understand the concern regarding cases surges, but I also see what's going on, and surges are inevitable when people aren't following the rules, and the masses are not.  Additionally, if those are the concerns, then a wider shutdown would make the concern valid, but that hasn't happened, so it's not valid.

I am outraged that the Botanical Garden can open and the Zoo can't.  The Zoo has more space, wider paths, and a controlled environment, something the BG does not. I continue to go there and continue to see visitors without face-covering.  Yet the Zoo Can't Open. 

Retail stores are open with no limiting of number of people.  Face-Covering mostly required, yet Target and the Post Office do not Require them???  There is no Distancing happening in any store.  Yet the Zoo Can't Open. 

Outdoor Dining, where people are packed in small spaces, with masks off, talking, laughing, expelling particles, is allowed.  Yet the Zoo Can't Open.

I have a video on my YouTube, of outdoor dining and this irritation happening across the street from the Zoo at Pasquales Pizza, but you can see in the photo the hypocrisy.  Gathering, no face-covering, no distancing, and two Police even there inside!  Yet the Zoo Can't Open. 

The Parks and Beaches are not even enclosed controlled outdoor places and people are free to gather, not wearing face coverings or distancing. Yet the Zoo Can't Open.

And the Protests. Forget the ones that started happening a month ago, that allowed for huge crowds, with no distancing.  Let's go with gatherings that were allowed since the Re-Opening delay was announced Friday June 26.  Please know that I am not against Protests, Parades, and other gatherings of these sort, obviously I am all for free speech and expression or I wouldn't have been writing about the Zoo in blogs for over ten years.  The issue I'm taking by using them as an example, is the hypocrisy that allowing one thing over another is not justified.  Gatherings, not in controlled environment.  Yet the Zoo Can't Open.

 

Thanks to Senator Scott Wiener for documenting these events and posting to Twitter. Made it easy for me. 

Now, IF, as I heard at one point, this issue is a concern about the Animals contracting Covid, then please explain A- How that can happen if Visitors are kept back at least six feet from exhibits and B- Why no other Zoo in the Country has that concern in regard to Re-Opening? Animal Care Safety Protocols are being taken. There is no one in the Animal Care Department at the San Francisco Zoo that I know who would want the Zoo to open if they thought the Animals in their care were at risk.

The Zoo has been wrongly classified, and that needs to change immediately.  Again, and I know I sound like a broken record, but it is the same reasoning I made over a month ago, IF the Botanical Garden can be open, and people are allowed to be out in the Park with no face-covering, no distancing, there is no reason the Zoo can not open.  Its the same type of facility as the BG, and a controlled environment unlike the Park.  I fear delaying Re-Opening any longer will be detrimental to the Zoos future.

The City of San Francisco owns the Zoo and the Animals. If they are not going to be allowed to open and to gain revenue to sustain the lives of the Animals, then the City will need to take on the costs of their care.  Having the Zoo fall into a financially dire situation for no logical reason is irresponsible and not acceptable.

Related Posts
7.3.20 Is The San Francisco Health Officer Killing The Zoo? Pt One

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2020/07/is-san-francisco-health-officer-killing.html

6.19.20 Re-Opening The SFZoo - Letter to SF Public Health Officer

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2020/06/re-opening-sfzoo-letter-to-sf-public.html

6.3.20 San Francisco Botanical Gardens Re .-Opens, Why Can't SFZoo?

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2020/06/san-francisco-botanical-gardens-re.html

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Blogger's Statement

"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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Is The San Francisco Health Officer Killing The Zoo? Pt One (Video Rant)

This past week was probably the toughest of the Shutdown yet. 

Last Thursday, things were looking up.  San Francisco Mayor London Breed visited the Zoo and gave the go ahead for the Zoo to Re-Open, this past Monday June 29. The next day, the City Health Officer Tomas Aragon turned my smile to a frown once again, calling for a delay in Re-Opening.  

So, while this week would hayve been a time for me to finally get to see My Zoo Friends, instead I was back out among the masses of asses who give the middle finger to the rules, and therefore who are keeping SF in this limbo indefinitley.  The Self-Entitled are essentially preventing the Zoo from Re-Opening, by contributing to case spikes that are the data the Health Officer is using to make his decisions.  That said, his decisions in my opinion are not justified.  

From the onset of this crisis I have been disturbed, frustrated and frankly pissed off at people's F-you behavior in regard to doing what's right.  This week has brought on a new level of irritation.  I hate being in a manic and angry mode the whole time I'm out, but the No Maskers and No Distancers, and the allowance of this both outside and inside stores by the Health Officer, while the Zoo remains closed and in financial jeopardy, is a real problem for me.

I have a longer post in draft I will finish in the next day or so, as I'm trying to stay calm from yesterday's high energy outting, seeing less and less people doing the right thing.  For today, I'm doing this short post to link the video I made yesterday.  I made this video, as a "Trailer" to my blog post, but it turned out to be a long rant, that will leave no one wondering how frustrated I am about this situation!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzvU_P2afI8

A couple notes about my rant.  First, I am trying not to swear in the rants I use to send Officials.  Anyone who knows me, knows the F-word is my most commonly used word.  I think at my age and the level of human behavior frustration I've had in the last decade has sent it into overdrive.  Anyway, in that effort, at one point in my video I say, "I don't give a hell".  Well, I don't know what the hell that even means because I never said those words before in my life lol! I was trying to avoid saying I don't give a shit, and who knows what detour my brain took. ... Second, I mention, "... the Zoo isn't creative ..."  I also follow that with saying I know the Zoo will have an issue with that.  I am not trying to pass judgement with that statement, making myself a target for retaliation, but I was being serious, as I have for years thought of great ideas to bring in funds, as well through this whole shutdown been thinking of new things.  Other than one fundraiser, which I think was sent to a mis-targeted audience, I have not seen any other efforts to raise funds come out of the Zoo, except for asking for donations.  So, it was said as a factual frustrating observation.  

That all said, this past week did see this Zoo finally start an online store and finally make a custom face mask with logo.  I have been waiting for them to do Pandemic related items for over three months.  They missed most of the Shutdown T-Shirt fundraising opportunity time, and now a bit late, but at least they are finally in the mask game. In addition to my own original shop idea, I have wondered for many years why the gift shop didn't have an online store.  Please visit their store and see the Masks!  I especially liked that they had Toddler sizes as too many kids not wearing masks, or even those bucket hats with face shields.  Everyone not an infant should be covered in some way.

https://shop.sfzoo.org/en_US/taxons/collection/masks

Related Posts

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2020/06/zoo-will-open-on-june-29th-oh-no-it-wont.html

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2020/06/re-opening-sfzoo-letter-to-sf-public.html

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Blogger's Statement

"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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Zoo Will Open on June 29th! - Oh NO It Won't!

I can't even describe how pissed off I am right now.  Not at the Zoo, but at this whole Pandemic situation in general.  I have two major issues with Covid coming to Northern California.  First, the Shutdown of the Zoo, and second the people of San Francisco, who have exhibited Self-Entitled behavior in mass for the past couple decades, but have really kicked into overdrive during this Health Crisis. 

So yes, the title is right, the Zoo will not be Re-Opening on Monday June 29th as reported in the news yesterday.

Mayor London Breed, who visited the Zoo yesterday (Thursday), and gave the okay to reopen, announced today, that do to concerns in case surges, businesses scheduled to re-open, will not.

This was going to be a very different post today.   I waited for the re-opening news all day yesterday.  Relaoding the Zoo webpage,

as it went from this, ...

to this!

to this! 

I was going to report the re-opening news, and direct to the website in regard to Reservation information.  This page came-up when you closed the above one.

 

Below this contained all the re-opening information, changes and rules.  I didn't screen-cap as I figured those who wanted to see it could go to website.  Now I don't see it there.

Now, unfortunately this post is a rant.  These words have to be said, because this delay could be for months if the "surge in cases" reason is the continued concern.  Places will never be allowed to re-open under a surge concern.

It has been documented all over the States, that places re-opening are seeing surges.  It's going to happen because people are gathering in mass, going to the beach, protests, wherever, not distancing, and all over in general not following rules, not wearing face-covering and not distancing.  It's epidemic in San Francisco, and if our City Officials and Health Department don't see that, then they haven't been to Golden Gate Park.  

I'm out three times a week.  Each of those mornings I drive through the Park at 8a.  I'm in and out of the Park through the day.  The majority of people are NOT wearing Face Covering.  That means, No Covering, not even around their neck in case they pass someone.  As well, the majority Do Not make any attempt to Distance when they pass someone. Hell, there is absolutely no distancing happening in stores and people don't even wear their face-covering properly. This is all day, everyday.  San Francisco will never get out of this Crisis with the majority of people giving the rules the middle finger.  

Other than being extremely irritated by the disrespect to everyone and everything by these offenders, I would have no problem letting Covid sort out the population of Self-Entitled, BUT these Anti-Maskers and Anti-Distancers are preventing the Zoo from opening.  These people who aren't following the rules, and I'm sure not using hand sanitizer when their out either, are keeping the Zoo closed.  They are keeping other places closed too, but my concern is for the Zoo.  And, Yes!  At this point, in regard to what's happening outside my home, I really only care if I get to see the Chimps and other Zoo Friends again.  I could just cry and probably will later.  I'm also concerned for the future of the Zoo if they do not start generating revenue. 

So, my grief I guess is with the City.  I hate to point fingers, but seriously, I have watched as State and local Officials applaud the great job we are doing.  Again, these people obviously never go to the Park, or they would not think that way.  This situation is never going to end if there are not repercussions for those who don't follow the rules.  If there had been back in March we might have been done with this.

All this said, if City Officials will not allow the Zoo to open, then they also need to close some of the places they allowed to open, like the Botanical Garden.  I go to the BG each morning I'm out, and even during the early hour 8-9a, the majority of people have their masks off when inside.  There is no monitoring inside, people left to do whatever.  At least at the Zoo there would be monitoring.  

Bottom line, No reason the Zoo can't open.  People have to follow the rules or they will have to leave. If the Botanical Garden can be open, and its free flow in Stores, No reason the Zoo can't open.  

Sorry I'm just repeating myself now.  I am so upset I can't even think straight.  I know it might sound ridiculous to be upset by not being able to go to the Zoo, but it's a huge part of my life, and I'm F-ing over being denied because people can't cover their damn face holes!

Will The Zoo ReOpen June 29?

This article came out yesterday morning. It clearly states that the Mayor has approved the Zoo to ReOpen June 29th, which is this coming Monday.

https://abc7news.com/health/sf-accelerates-reopening-of-hair-salons-nail-salons-outdoor-bars/6260138/

I checked the Zoos website immediately and it still says Closed Until Further Notice.

As well the reservation calendar had no Open dates.  So, I took a picture of my membership card so that I would have the number on my tablet in case the calendar opened up at some point during the evening.

I noticed there was a number that was not the main number which I had never noticed before and since the main number doesn't allow you to call any departments since the shutdown I called this number and Membership answered.  I asked about the opening and the online reservation situation. Membership did not know anything about the Zoo getting a reopening date.

The website remains the same today so who knows what the deal is. Will the Zoo be opening on Monday or not?

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Blogger's Statement

"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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Why Hasn't The Zoo Said Anything About The Lives Lost?

It's been four days since news articles noted that the Zoo released a statement to Media that one Red Kangaroo and two Walleroos had been recently killed. 

I've been deeply saddened by this loss and the event that caused these deaths.  It hurts my Soul that their passing has been ignored.

I keep waiting for this type of statement to be posted by the Zoo to it's social media, but there has not been one word.  They died eleven days ago.  

'We are Sad to announce a horrific loss to Our Zoo Family...'

Why hasn't the Zoo acknowledged these Lives? 

Additionally there are other questions.   

I don't even know if this is a thing but, it would seem that there should be a protocol and maybe there is to report suspected wild animal trespassing.  The Zoo made their statement last Friday, a week after the killings and three days after the first reported spotting if the Mountain Lion.

Coyotes are common in the City and have been spotted in the Zoo, but a Mountain Lion it seems should be reported and neighboring area warned to be alert when out. That's just my thought and curiosity.

Many more thoughts since this news about how the animals are housed at night. In addition to note about Coyote presence, the Zoo is on the route a Mountain Lion would take north to the City, where they have been spotted on the westside, so predator tresspassing should be a concern.  It would seem that all the animals should be locked in at night, especially ones that occupy exhibits around the perimeter fence which would be the first point of access. Closest to the fencing would be the Farm, the Walkabout and the Cassowary.  

So, that's another question in my mind.  Are these animals locked in at night or are they left out?  If they are left out, considering the obvious concern, what is the thought process for leaving them out after hours?  Not being judgemental but definitely curious.

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Blogger's Statement

"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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Three Lives Lost - Mountain Lion Roaming SF Suspected

The Mountain Lion roaming the City this past week, is suspected to have entered the Zoo and killed a Red Kangaroo and two Wallaroos.  

I followed the story of the Mountain Lion and its rescue by Animal Care and Control, and taken to Oakland Zoo for evaluation.  There have been several of these instances and each time I wish our San Francisco Zoo was set-up to intake Wildlife in need.  After evaluation, this yearling was taken by Fish and Wildlife and released.  It seemed like this story turned out ideally.  Unfortunately, only for the Mountain Lion.

I read the Heartbreaking news from the Zoo yesterday late afternoon.  Been shedding so many tears, it's just so awful.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/amp/San-Francisco-mountain-lion-dead-kangaroo-zoo-15352957.php?__twitter_impression=true&fbclid=IwAR3j31EBeUfEmYk9WxuH9kd9MXs2nxrpZJcQ5FBHDjKLtwdiR2FFUEKyUTE

What a horror for a captive Animal to experience. For any Animal, but for captives, whose live is peaceful and safe, with no fear of predators, it had to be terrifying. Just too horrible to imagine those moments.

Hard to know the specifics, not much information provided.  I thought they were kept inside barn at night (assuming it happened overnight) but another article noted they were found in "outside exhibit".  There have been multiple Mtn Lion sightings in the past year, as well there is a huge Coyote population in the City.  There is the possibility of a predator threat, I would think none of the Animals in the collection should have outside access at night.

I'm so Sad for this loss, especially for the Kangaroo and Wallaroo Families, who have witnessed this and lost their loved ones.

RIP Precious Roos.  Bless Your Souls.