Family Farm Frenzy!

Once again behind in posts.  So many things to do both on blog and off.   I have made space holders for posts since I like things in chronilogical order.  This is the post I have in me to do right now.  Its current and contains things that are in desperate need of attention at the Zoo.  

I will start by noting there are many posts within this blog where you can find details of Humans Gone Wild.  I know that sounds comical and sure its meant to be catchy, but it also is point blank.  When I walk into the Zoo I feel like I have entered a place where people are allowed to run wild.   I look around and see people out of control.  There seems to be few places in Society where Humans have any sense of personal control, or empathy.  The Zoo is no different.  There is very little guidelines given for behavior or respect.  I can not say none, because I have witnessed Security giving speeches to school groups as they enter.  Sadly I have also witnessed the same school groups act the fool while in the Zoo, even the adult leaders.  That said, these speeches are still needed, and the Zoo should be giving these same speeches to ALL that enter, not just school groups.  I won't say more on this because I have before written much about misbehavior and what things the Zoo should being doing to deter. Search "barrier breaching" and other "misbehavior" within this blog.

This post is isolated to the Childrens Zoo Family Farm.  This past week was out of control.  In March I noted in a post about misbehavin' :

> Additionally, there needs to be some at-a-glance (BIG lettered) signage at the Family Farm entrance, telling people not to bring in food, not to feed the animals anything but food they sell there, not to bring in any plastic bags to hold the food in or have hanging out of pockets/purses, not to sit on the animals, not to pull on their horns, not to chase the animals.  Good Grief I have recently and constantly seen people do all these things, which included an adult try to sit on a Dwarf Goat, put a Lollipop w/stick in a Goats mouth, and watch a Sheep throw up a plastic baggie. <

Such instances are an every visit occurrence.   With summer in full swing its only worse.  The Zoo needs to take notice!   Zoo Management is fine with people running wild all over the place and while it is annoying and may only be "potentially dangerous to the?"  Animals in the Main Zoo, there is DIRECT ANIMAL ABUSE at the Farm.  These are free roaming Animals.  They are vulnerable to Humans.  The above instances I noted of people sitting on Animals and feeding them unauthorized food, as well bringing in dangerous items like plastic bags, is not only abuse, it can cause the death of one of these Animals.  I have also witnessed the Animals being hit and a constant stream of trying to steer the Goats Horns.

There needs to be more signs not to do these things.  There needs to be a Volunteer or Docents at the gate reminding people who enter the Farm.  There needs to be more Volunteers/Docents monitoring the yard.   It can not be left up to the Keepers.  The Keepers job is to take care of the Animals. It also can't be left to one Keeper to Volunteer to monitor two yards and two barns.   Monitoring the Visitors should be part of what the Docents help doing, both at the Childrens Zoo and the main Zoo.  I never see Docents at the Farm.  Why isn't there a better organizing of what they do?  ... That all said, there needs to be a limit to the number of people who can be at the Farm at one time.   Too many people for the amount of eyes watching the Animals should not be happening.

There is a sign when you enter the CZ:

This rule is never upheld. 

NEVER!  

Monday I was at the Farm.  It was fine til a large group of kids from the Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center came in.  They appeared to have only two leaders.  The frenzy then began and it was a sea of chaos in purple shirts.  Really awful and out of control.  There was no supervision from their leaders. The kids were running and screaming all over the place.  They were making fun of the Animals, yelling at them, it was really disgusting.  Why do they even come to the Zoo?   

Does the Zoo send out a guideline for behavior in writing to these groups prior to their Visit?  They should.  Does the Zoo provide them with a guideline in person when they arrive? They should.  Does the Zoo ask them to leave if they are misbehaving?  They should.  None of this behavior, which is not isoloated to this one group, should be allowed. 

My friend put several dollars into the food machine and these kids came up and took her food.   There was a point when they were so out of control, the Keeper had to put the food machines away.   I contemplated leaving but stayed as extra eyes.   There was a particular gang of four that made fun of a few certain Goats and in fact stalked them when they tried to seek refuge into the barn.  Finally after 45 minutes of this I said something to them.   Disrupting my right to enjoy my Visit, I asked them, "What's wrong with you?"   Telling them that they were one of the worst behaved kids I have ever seen and why don't they enjoy the Animals and learn about them, rather than run all over the place screaming and making fun of them.  They were silent after that, but seriously, what is wrong people who behave this way?  I see it in adults as well, so I guess there is no hope for society in general if adults act this way and therefore do not teach kids to act any better.  That said, when they come to a facility like the Zoo it is then up to the Zoo to set behavior guidelines.  Anyway,  I finally alerted the leader, who was sitting on a stump ignoring the behavior going on, even after being told by the Keeper in duty that the kids were wreaking havoc, he still wasn't monitoring them.   I get kids run around and yell and all that, but this is not the place for it.  This is a place where Animals are free roaming and where they live.   Its not a friggin' Fun House.  Visitors need to reign in the frenzy and learn to act appropriately in public.  Places like this should be somewhat of a controlled environment, so all Visitors have a good time.  I am not the only person there who was appalled and upset by this behavior.

That incident, which I've witnessed similar many times, really affected me.  Not that the Zoo cares at all about me, but I left there really hyped up and immediately felt anxious and nausea, which I haven't been able to shake all week.  Just writing about this I can feel a physical upset.  

When I visited on Thursday, there were no school groups at the time, but there was limited eyes on the crowd and I found this on the ground.  

Baggie of Raisins

I see alot of stuff at the Zoo, everytime I'm there.  I sometimes feel like I'm guided to be in that place at specific times.   While that thought might be alittle too spiritual for some, it is true that I seem to be witness to things for a reason.   Thankfully I was there to see this before one of the Animals got it.  People don't need to bring in unsecured snack bags or other items that can cause harm tot he Animals.  A sign needs to be posted that says to keep them secured in purses, zip pockets, whatever but not where they can fall to ground or an Animal can snatch from hand or pocket.   If your kid needs treats that bad eat them before or after visiting the Farm.  ... This also goes hand in hand with feeding the Animals anything other than the Zoo treats for purchase.   I heard that the day before on Free Day (another Run Wild at the Zoo event) was out of control with people trying to give the Animals unauthorized food.   

San Francisco Zoo, take note and protect these free roaming Animals at the Family Farm.  

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Contact the San Francisco Zoo Director 

Tanya Peterson

if you want your voice heard.

tanyap@sfzoo.org