Press Conference on Proposed Giveaway of Zoo Animals. Cross Post Please

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For Immediate Release August 11, 2009

 

Press Conference Tomorrow: Citizens to Urge City Council to Stop or Slow Dallas Zoo Privatization

Local grassroots organization seeks halt to zoo animal giveaway; wants oversight measures in zoo management deal

 

What: Press Conference against proposed Dallas Zoo privatization

When: August 12, 2009 8:30 a.m.

Where: Dallas City Hall by the Fountains

 

Dallas, Texas. On Wednesday morning, Concerned Citizens for Jenny, a Dallas grassroots advocacy organization for elephants Jenny and Gypsy at the Dallas Zoo, will hold a press conference to expose what it terms "a backroom deal" to privatize Dallas Zoo and giveaway "ownership" of the animals there to the Dallas Zoological Society (DZS).

 

The Jenny and Gypsy Advocacy group, armed with information published only at the 11th hour by Dallas City Council and also provided by the national zoo watchdog group In Defense of Animals, is seeking to maintain city ownership of the animals at the zoo, retain public access to zoo information and institute meaningful city oversight of this public institution.

 

"The City is rushing to pass a deal to privatize our zoo without proper vetting and no opportunity for public input," said Margaret Morin, founder of Concerned Citizens for Jenny, noting that the item is on the consent agenda for the Council's August 12 meeting, meaning it could be passed by a single vote, along with 68 other items, and no public discussion. "The current proposal gives the Dallas Zoological Society $337 million plus city property, including the animals, and will cost many dozens of city jobs. It's a sweetheart deal for the zoological society, but a bad deal for the citizens of Dallas and the animals at the zoo."

 

"What do the citizens get in exchange? We are losing our voice in how this public zoo operates and treats the animals who reside there," Morin continued. "These animals belong to the Citizens of Dallas. We have a moral and ethical obligation to ensure their care. These animals are completely at our mercy."

 

The proposed deal lacks provisions to safeguard the public interest, Morin said. At tomorrow's press conference, she will release several documents among which is a memo circulated to City Council yesterday by Suzanne Roy, program director for In Defense of Animals, a national animal welfare and zoo watchdog organization. In the memo, Roy urged the council to take several steps to ensure public accountability, oversight and animal welfare in any privatization venture, by:

 

Maintaining ownership of the zoo's animals. .

Guaranteeing continued public access to zoo information and records, currently available through the Texas Public Information Act.

Establishing an oversight committee that includes representatives of animal welfare organizations.

 

Morin advocates for a full and independent audit of the proposed arrangement as well as the immediate cessation of activity on this proposed action until the audit is completed and the Citizens of Dallas have had an opportunity to learn all the facts and express their opinions.

 

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CityCouncil_FinalAddendum_08122009[1].pdf