*Photo from Reddit*
Recently a kangaroo named Willow escaped from a roadside zoo in Canada called Papanack Park Zoo, only to wind up dead shortly after. Unfortunately, this is not the only instance of animals escaping from the zoo. In 2016, a lion named Zeus escaped and once caught, zoo officials ended up euthanizing him. Beyond that, there have been multiple accusations of animal neglect and cruelty in the zoo.
Will you sign the petition demanding that the province investigate this zoo?
When Willow the kangaroo escaped, the zoo put out a post on social media and shortly after said Willow was dead. It's unclear how Willow died, but there is footage and photographs of her injured and bleeding, crossing multiple highways. Good samaritans tried to help Willow, but she ultimately died anyway.
There is also allegedly video of staff committing animal cruelty inside their facilities. There is an accreditation body for zoos in Canada called the Canada Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA). That body requires onsite animal welfare inspections, but Papanack Park Zoo is not part of it. This means there is almost no oversight for the zoo.
The Ottawa Humane Society has reported that they have gotten frequent reports of abuse and neglect at the zoo. If a zoo is behaving ethically towards their animals, they should have no problem proving it and living up to the standards of CAZA. Until this zoo joins CAZA, it is only accountable to provincial animal welfare inspectors, who ultimately report to the solicitor general -- which means we need to call on the solicitor general to take action. Sign the petition to demand Papanack Park Zoo is investigated immediately!
If you witness any animal neglect or abuse in Ontario, especially at this zoo, please call 1-833-9-ANIMAL to report it.
