Student: Zoos Not Protecting the Animals

To the Editor:

Zoos. The places where you can see wild animals. The kind of place you might enjoy, but do you know what’s happening behind the bars or fences? There is a whole life of cruelty hidden with little space, no care and “money—makers.”

Yes, it’s true—zoos don’t provide animals with enough place to live. The animals will get zoochosis as a result. Zoochosis is a term which is used to refer to a range of psychological problems associated with animals kept in captivity. Also, after conducting a study, the Born Free Foundation found that animals spend most of their time showing symptoms of stress as a result of captivity. Plus, in Milwakee County Zoo, elephants are kept in pairs or even isolated. Believe it or not, the enclosures are incredibly small.

It's not a lie that animals are not cared about in most zoos. In fact, a former director of the Atlanta Zoo said he was too removed from the animals and they were the last thing he cared about. Did you know that in most zoos, only 1/15 of the money earned goes to the animals. Also, if there is a certain animal that isn’t popular for a long period of time, within a few weeks it will be removed from the zoo and replaced. Many people have noticed it.

In zoos, you see animals as valued beings. In the owner’s eyes, they see the keys to making a lot of money. If animals are of no use, they will be sold to circuses, poachers, the black market, research facilities or exotic meat industries. They will also be killed or fed to other zoo animals.

In most zoos, if an animal is sick, instead of calling a veterinarian, they will start looking for another animal at a cheap price because calling one will cut “holes in their wallets.” Virginia Mckenna, star of the movie "Born Free" has said that in zoos, if an animal is not attractive, that animal will be replaced by a more “likable” animal.

Now that you know about the cruelty that happens in zoos, you should help end this cruelty. Never patronize zoos. The money spent on ticket purchases pays for animals to be imprisoned and traded, not rescued and rehabilitated. Report poor conditions to the USDA and pressure local officials to stop subsiding zoos with taxpayer money. If everyone contributes, then soon this problem will cease to exist.

Sincerely,

Sanjula Singh

6th Grade,