I am heartbroken and frustrated that once again there is an issue with safety regarding the Animals managed by the San Francisco Zoo, in association with the San Francisco Park and Recreation.
Whether its your first time reading one of my blog posts or you have before, you know or have noticed that one of my main issues with Zoo FAILS lies within Security.
The event that happened in the past 48 hours, may not be directly related to the actual Security personnel, but Security = Safety and Safety is THE issue here.
Sadly I woke today to hear about the death of one of the Park's new baby Bison. In case you aren't familiar, the Golden Gate Park has a Buffalo Paddock which has housed American Bison for over a hundred years. With the existing herd reducing due to old age, seven calves approimately six months old were added to the herd recently.
They have been kept in a separate area from the older females, first for quarantine purposes, and now I believe until they are introduced.
I didn't have the complete facts at first, only what was relayed to me by a friend who saw it on the KTVU morning news. I googled it and came up empty. So, I went to the Park hoping someone would be there to fill me in. NBC Bay Area was there and I spoke to reporter Joe Rosato, who gave me the specifics that were included in the Zoo's official Press Release, which by the way was the only form of comment on the story they were making.
I know media stories are out there now, but as a reference point for my post I will relay what I was told were the facts. An off leash Dog (allegedly that of a Dog walker) had gotten under the fencing and scared one of the Bison into the electric fence, causing the animal to break three ribs (and I assume there was some injury from the electric fence). The animal was treated, but later died from those injuries.
There are so many things that are wrong with how and why this happened, but all can be reduced to incompetence, lack of sense and poor management, both of the San Francisco Zoo and the San Francisco Park and Rec.
The main problem with the facts is that the fence was breach-able. Who is to blame? The worker's
who worked on the fencing in preparation for the arrival of the new Bison? The Park and Rec who oversee the Park? The San Francisco Zoo ( I would assume Hoofstock ) Staff whose care these animals are in? Whose negligence was it to not check that this fence was secure? Whose was it to not re-check it?
It should not be that easy for a first time attempt by a lose intruder animal to dig its way into the area. That fence should have been deep into the ground. It is the Zoo and the Park and Rec Dept. responcibility to keep these animals safe, especially knowing that there has been an intrusion of Coyote incidents within the Park. One would think that alone would be a concern for not only the existing residents, but the new ones being brought in.
The whole event and facts of how this happened sicken me.
I continually blog about Security issues at the Zoo, how there is not enough signage regarding behavior towards the animals, as well there is no real reprimand or repercussion put upon the offenders. This issue spills over to the Park, where I witness daily, not only dogs off leash, but visitors tormenting the animals.
I have other blog posts regrading Zoo issues that I have in draft form, so I want to stick to this Park issue right now and that of the dog off leash.
Yes, the fence should have been secure, but that does not let the person who had the dog off leash off the hook. This person is who I first blame as they are the catalyst for this event. I come across people with their dogs off leash daily. My problem is, not only for their own safety is them being leashed the right thing, dogs run and terrorize the other wildlife that lives in the Park. You would think that Dog owners would respect all animals, that is not the case unfortunately. As well some seem to really have an attitude
about it. For one, in areas other than the off leash sites, Dogs are legally required to be leashed. That said, I have seen people use the lakes where Ducks live to throw objects in and let their dogs retrieve them. Run up to the Ducks (including babies) and scare them into the water. Chase Squirrels up trees, with a reasoning given to me once as "They need the exercise".
Disgusting.
So now, look what's happened because of someone who thinks its unnecessary to leash their Dog, and in this case Dogs (in their care). They should be ashamed. The Park and Rec should also be ashamed as they are responsible for not making it more public by way of in Park signage and public outreach (repeated use of Twitter and Facebook are options) to drill in the guidelines of visitor behavior to the Park going public. I was recently told by a San Francisco Police Officer whose beat is Golden Gate Park, that it is the Park and Rec who doesn't aesthetically not "like" signage and refuses to post more. Part of the signage they refuse to post is also better street names within the Park. This Officer said that there have been times when he needs additional Officers and he has no way to give them his exact location.
This problem of more signage and outreach is also a MAJOR problem at the Zoo. Maybe this is another off shoot of a Park and Rec rule? In either case, both City facilities where wildlife live need to start taking a more proactive approach to try and deter misbehavior towards these precious animals. AND send a message to the public that harassment of these animals will not be tolerated. There is a law to back this up, yet neither of these wildlife facilities make use of it.
That said, the same Managements need to provide better ways to keep the animals in their care safe.
This week alone, a Squirrel Monkey was stolen from the Zoo with questionable facts surrounding it. There was also the unreported theft of a Rabbit and a Parrot from the Children's Zoo within the SFZoo, about eight weeks ago. Now this tragedy.
When will these places be run with better sense for the sake of these animals?
RIP precious little Bison girl.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
I have been reading the comments on sfgate.com article pertaining to this story. I try not to but I get sucked into it almost every time. There are several posters that say they walk their dogs in that area (back, near the dog park) and they have seen the space in the fence!!! SO if these alleged remarks are true (and I may just take a walk out there tomorrow and see), WHY was this not fixed prior to bringing these poor little girls here?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Still knee deep in those comments, but finally someone who gets the bigger picture, so I'm posting it so the Zoo/Park and Rec can see its not brain surgery to make sure Animals in their care can stay safe. These suggestions and ones I've already been nagging about, are much needed. If measures like this were in place, this tragedy might not have happened. Same goes for the Banana Sam, Rabbit/Parrot abduction.
" I agree with the comments about the dog but the city now is put on notice, The paddocks for the buffalo (who ever heard of Bison Bill?)need inexpensive surveillance cameras so that the public can be given a decent explanation with proof when this happens and second, the paddocks need to have volunteers come in and dig in chicken wire a foot or two down around them and there should be an alarm system that alerts the police when anyone enters the paddocks. These are hard times and the last thing we want to read about is animal cruelty. And now the city is on notice to make sure that it doesn't happen again and if it does we have surveillence tapes of everyone involved."
Well I have finished reading all the comments posted on sfgate.com article, as well a couple other news articles. Its curious to me how very little is said about responsibility of the gate status.
No comments:
Post a Comment