Information10NBC Investigates: AZA report on Seneca Park Zoo

Only about 10% of zoos and aquariums have AZA accreditation. The Seneca Park Zoo has the seal but it also has the consideration of its inspectors.

“There have been issues and problems about animal care and welfare and of course basic safety relating to the lion escape and so the inspection crew seemed at all of all those issues stem to stern,” Ashe told Information10NBC.

Monroe County been given the comprehensive report 16-webpage report from the November inspection on Thursday. The conclusion reads in section, “While we did not locate any systemic animal welfare considerations at the time, the other findings from our special inspection are critical and concerning. The poisonous do the job atmosphere coupled with weak conversation between team at all levels and a lack of apparent definition of employees responsibilities, reporting composition, and accountability, all lead to stress and distrust amongst staff members.”

The report goes on to say, “additional weakness in facilities maintenance, basic safety protocols and crisis schooling even more exacerbate the challenges and have led to existing circumstances the place Seneca Park Zoo is susceptible to main basic safety and animal welfare lapses.”

Ashe states as President, he doesn’t have a say in what takes place from listed here. The Seneca Park Zoo will most likely be “asked to surface so that the customers of the (accreditation) commission can question concerns and the zoo can clarify their point of view or position on the results of the report,” he mentioned.

The commission’s up coming listening to is in February.

“They have a selection of options with regard to a member like Seneca Park. They can ask for even further reports, they can check with the Director to surface personally in advance of the fee, they can inquire for ongoing updates and progress reviews about distinct issues at the zoo, they can suspend or table their accreditation in the most critical of instances,” Ashe mentioned.

The AZA report does specially emphasize some issues with the USDA citations issued to the Seneca Park Zoo. The report promises, “the USDA findings align with a selection of the AZA inspection team conclusions (e.g. inadequate servicing staffing, perimeter fence routine maintenance, conversation challenges) but there ended up a amount of citations that had been factually incorrect and that further more assistance the worries raised by this workforce regarding the overall lifestyle and organizational framework at the zoo.”  It goes on to say, “in our see, the USDA report consists of incorrect citations since the USDA inspectors spoke only with the veterinarian and individuals allied with him and did not contain enter from the entire animal management team and management staff members, as would commonly be the situation.”

A spokesman for Monroe County Govt Adam Bello tells Information10NBC that there is a new Zoo director in position who is functioning difficult to correct a amount of the troubles highlighted in the report and they are self-assured they will preserve their AZA accreditation.

The whole report is underneath:

Seneca Park Zoo – Unique Inspection Report 1-2022 by Information10NBC on Scribd