Private Zoo mistreats animals

[InSutterWeTrust]

Really disturbing to hear what is going on there.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgar...omplaints.html

Here is a link to the pictures that someone posted on Facebook. You do need to have a facebook account to access the pictures.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/album.php?aid=636678&id=563805693

[dissentowner]

We had the same thing here in London. I am totally opposed to private zoo's, they all are poorly run and are an attempt at a cash grab at the animals expense. Leave it to the big professional zoo's please!

[drewboy12]

Looked at the pictures on facebook earlier today... Shut this place down and charge this guy for cruelty to animals! Disgusting!

The large turtle in the tiny tank made me sick. I cant stand when people lock an animal up in a cage or tank that is not sizable for the animal. Working in the airline industry and seeing a dog that doesnt have room lay down and sprawl out in his cage erks me!

[SebC]

I've been to that place, and I share the sentiment that they should have their license revoked.

[troutman]

Conditions at Guzoo have been in the news for years.

[Deelow]

This quote pretty much says it all...
The Alberta S-P-C-A confirms it is investigating complaints into the treatment of animals at a privately run zoo near Three Hills.
S-P-C-A spokesman Ken Dean says a very large number of complaints came in after pictures of animals at the facility including a goat with its face nearly covered in blood were posted on a Facebook page.
GuZoo owner Lynn Gustafson says he has nothing to defend, adding that dealing with animal activists and people who he claims don't understand is part of the job.
Gustafson says if he is forced to give up his animals, they will never go anywhere else. He says one of his lions is worth 10-thousand dollars to a taxidermist. (CTV Calgary)

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by troutman

Conditions at Guzoo have been in the news for years.

But only now, it seems, authorities are taking it seriously. Guess if social media can overthrow a dictatorship or two, maybe it can finally see something done about Guzoo.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by Deelow

This quote pretty much says it all...
The Alberta S-P-C-A confirms it is investigating complaints into the treatment of animals at a privately run zoo near Three Hills.
S-P-C-A spokesman Ken Dean says a very large number of complaints came in after pictures of animals at the facility including a goat with its face nearly covered in blood were posted on a Facebook page.
GuZoo owner Lynn Gustafson says he has nothing to defend, adding that dealing with animal activists and people who he claims don't understand is part of the job.
Gustafson says if he is forced to give up his animals, they will never go anywhere else. He says one of his lions is worth 10-thousand dollars to a taxidermist. (CTV Calgary)

What is the law on governments being able to possess the animals and nullify the sale? I could imagine the provincial government stepping with these threats flying around.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Deelow

.Gustafson says if he is forced to give up his animals, they will never go anywhere else. He says one of his lions is worth 10-thousand dollars to a taxidermist. (CTV Calgary)

I would think that statement alone should have PETA rushing to the property to bum-rush the guy.

[Yasa]

As soon as I saw the thread title, I immediately thought "Guzoo." I was sure they were closed down a while ago, but I guess now. I went there once as a kid and it was terrible. I'm not sure how it's still able to keep running.

[Jake]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

We had the same thing here in London. I am totally opposed to private zoo's, they all are poorly run and are an attempt at a cash grab at the animals expense. Leave it to the big professional zoo's please!

Big professional zoos are often just better at keeping their mistakes a secret.

But obviously they are still far better than this.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

I would think that statement alone should have PETA rushing to the property to bum-rush the guy.

PETA would just whine about it, we need ALF in this case. Buddy would wake up one morning and every animal would be gone. Or you can go a step further and go with ARM, all the animals would be gone and buddy would never wake up again. The fact that he would sell his animals to a taxidermist says volumes about this guy.

[underGRADFlame]

I've known the owners for years, they are good people, Lynn does care about these animals. I remember the tiger coming to my school when i was in elementary. It hasn't always been this way, or this bad I guess.

That being said, it looks like this may be the final straw for the GuZoo. The question is, where do these animals go? Another private zoo? Public zoo? A lot of the animals that they have there were donated because they had no place to go to begin with. It is just very sad all around, and I feel for the animals but the Gustafson's too because I believe their hearts are in the right place.

[Jake]

Originally Posted by drewboy12

The large turtle in the tiny tank made me sick. I cant stand when people lock an animal up in a cage or tank that is not sizable for the animal.

This is an issue at most zoos. The problem is that for many animals, there are no regulations/laws on the size of pen/tank per animal (e.g. for aquatic animals, m^3/animal, or for land animals, m^2/animal).

Again, it seems far more severe here.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by underGRADFlame

I've known the owners for years, they are good people, Lynn does care about these animals. I remember the tiger coming to my school when i was in elementary. It hasn't always been this way, or this bad I guess.

Well if he really does care the comment about how much money he get get from a taxidermist is about the most dumb@^# thing he could have said. In this day and age of social media it is FAR to late to take that back. The damage is done.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Well if he really does care the comment about how much money he get get from a taxidermist is about the most dumb@^# thing he could have said. In this day and age of social media it is FAR to late to take that back. The damage is done.

Not only that but a Lion along with his Tiger are very protected animals. If he sold it to the taxidermist I am pretty sure both would be looking at prison time.

[underGRADFlame]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Well if he really does care the comment about how much money he get get from a taxidermist is about the most dumb@^# thing he could have said. In this day and age of social media it is FAR to late to take that back. The damage is done.

He's making a point. Where are these animals going to go? I think the comment was probably taken out of context as well, knowing Lynn it was made in jest. Lynn has had so much media pressure regarding the GuZoo for so many years he's probably tired of answering the same questions over and over and is starting to get short with the media.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Yasa

As soon as I saw the thread title, I immediately thought "Guzoo." I was sure they were closed down a while ago, but I guess now. I went there once as a kid and it was terrible. I'm not sure how it's still able to keep running.

Ditto. Didn't even have to open the thread to know exactly what was being talked about.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by underGRADFlame

He's making a point. Where are these animals going to go? I think the comment was probably taken out of context as well, knowing Lynn it was made in jest. Lynn has had so much media pressure regarding the GuZoo for so many years he's probably tired of answering the same questions over and over and is starting to get short with the media.

That could be true.

Dude would have been way better off to agree with everybody's assessment that conditions are subpar and use that as an opportunity to solicit donations of money and professional expertise. Instead he's ruined his reputation forever.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by underGRADFlame

He's making a point. Where are these animals going to go? I think the comment was probably taken out of context as well, knowing Lynn it was made in jest. Lynn has had so much media pressure regarding the GuZoo for so many years he's probably tired of answering the same questions over and over and is starting to get short with the media.

None of that matters, don't you see? He made the comment yesterday and a bunch of people on Facebook and Twitter have spread it like wildfire. They don't care if he is tired of answering these questions over and over again, it doesn't matter to them at all.

He's an older guy right? So he probably has no concept of what his comment (even if made in jest) has just done to him and his business.