Supes take aim at zoo overhaul
By Beth Winegarner
Examiner Staff Writer 9/5/08
The cost of extra security: The San Francisco Zoo raised ticket prices in the wake of a Dec. 25 incident in which a Siberian tiger escaped its enclosure, killed a 17-year-old and injured two of his friends. Getty Images file photo SAN FRANCISCO – As a proposal to turn the San Francisco Zoo into a rescue center heads to a vote Tuesday, Supervisor Bevan Dufty is looking for other ways to bolster the future of the facility and its animals and Mayor Gavin Newsom has come out against the rescue plan.
Supervisor Chris Daly introduced a plan to convert the zoo into an operation that would focus on rescuing exotic animals from dangerous wild or private situations. On Aug. 7, a Board of Supervisors committee voted 2-1 in support of the proposal, with Daly and Supervisor Tom Ammiano backing the concept. Dufty voted against it. The full Board of Supervisors is expected to vote on the proposal Tuesday.
Conditions at the zoo have remained under close scrutiny since a Siberian tiger escaped from her enclosure Dec. 25, fatally mauled a 17-year-old patron and injured two of his friends.
Recently, the zoo boosted ticket prices to patch cost overruns associated with improving safety measures after the attack.
“I’m opposed to this legislation because of [Daly’s] abuse of process,” Dufty said, referring to the fact that The City’s contract with the zoo was open for negotiation last year — and won’t be again until 2012.
“I just don’t think it’s workable,” he said.
Mayor Gavin Newsom’s office also came out against Daly’s legislation.
“The last thing we want is Daly monkeying around with the zoo,” mayoral spokesman Nathan
Ballard said.
Although Dufty is not working on a counterproposal for Tuesday, he is considering a future move that “would address a bit of what could be improved [at the zoo],” he told The Examiner on Thursday.
“I think everyone agrees there needs to be progress in terms of animal welfare and greater oversight,” he said.
Daly did not return calls for comment Thursday.
Zoo officials, who have met with supervisors in recent weeks, asked supporters this week to flood City Hall with letters opposing the overhaul, zoo spokeswoman Lora LaMarca said.
“We’ve gotten thousands of e-mails,” said Supervisor Sean Elsbernd, whose district includes the zoo. Elsbernd said he plans to vote against the Daly plan.
2 Comments
Reader Comments:
POSTED Sep 15, 2008
Anne B. Cfreevy: "I have been a docent at the S. F. Zoo since 1984. I have seen a lot of changes in the intervening years, most of them positive. In addition to the staff and keepers at the Zoo, we who volunteer there realize that things can always be better, but we have always been and continue to be dedicated to animal welfare regarding our collection particularly, to education of the public about these and all other animals, and to animal preservation in the wild. We are very committed to our responsibilities in these areas. Hopefully, our efforts will continue to inspire people to have a reverence for all life. Please let us continue to do our work. We really care about our Zoo animals and want to do what we can to serve them. We want to see the Zoo remain as a viable animal resource center. Please vote “No” regarding the Daly plan. Sincerely, Anne B. Creevy, Docent San Francisco Zoo Resident of Sunnyvale, CA."POSTED Sep 15, 2008
Anne B. Cfreevy: "See below."