Toronto Zoo sale remains worth exploring:
... The other big concern — that council continue to weigh in on animal treatment decisions better left to professionals — is far less defensible. City council made a Jumbo mistake last year when it voted to send three elephants to an unaccredited sanctuary rather than an accredited zoo. In doing so, politicians rejected a decision by the zoo’s board and advice from the zoo’s own experts. That ill-judged move came at the urging of animal rights activists. As a result, the Toronto Zoo was stripped of a prized accreditation issued by the organization that sets standards for most major North American zoos.
When the decision is made whether or not to privatize, maintaining council’s right to meddle shouldn’t be the deciding factor.
-- source: Toronto Star (29-Aug-2012)
The Toronto Zoo’s departing elephants have squashed its accreditation. Thanks, Bob Barker.:
Toronto City Council made an elephantine mistake last fall and the zoo is suffering the consequences. An international organization [AZA] setting standards for most major North American zoos has stripped the Toronto Zoo of a prized accreditation. And it’s because councillors rejected the advice of the zoo’s expert staff last October [2011] and opted to send three elephants to an unaccredited sanctuary.
... Now the zoo has lost an accreditation it had since 1977. [Councillor] Berardinetti has condemned the AZA for attempting to tell Toronto “what to do with our elephants.” But that’s the organization’s job. Since in its view it is unacceptable to send elephants to an unaccredited facility, the AZA’s action should come as no surprise.
-- source: Toronto Star (20-Apr-2012)
You too can speak out about the elephant decision by signing the petition.
Related post: About (an overview of all the issues)
Related post: The Future of Toronto Zoo Governance (proposed new governance model)
Related post: Speaking Out About the Elephant Decision
