As you already know if you have seen the photos, I visited Guzoo Animal Farm with two friends on April 22nd, 2007. On May 13th, 2007, Irene Gustafson from Guzoo contacted me via email. Below is a copy of her email and my response to each of her arguements. I've divided up each section to make it easier to read. Irene's words are in BOLDED font, while mine remain as is.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Devon,

We were notified of your new photos you obtained during your last visit here. We checked our records and on that date, April 22, 2007 we do not find you listed on our registration form. If you were here, you didn't register. I don't think I need to inform you that a rather large sign at the entrance to our property reads that registration is mandatory. YOU WERE TRESSPASSING. We successfully charged two individuals last year with trespassing; do you think you are above the law?

However, we are not going to press charges against you. Reason being, we have learned a lot about you (reading your reports, your chat group profiles and other rambling of yours on the internet) we have concluded that instead of charging you with a criminal offense, we are going to pray for you. The bible speaks of many incidents of Jesus healing the mentally ill; the bible refers to those incidents as demon possession. Demon possession can happen to anyone through no fault of their own. For what ever reason, you suffer from what this modern age calls mental illness. But have hope, it is curable through Jesus Christ. And so we pray.

Hello Irene,

 

I can ask you the very same question; do you think you are above the law? In 2005, the Alberta Zoo Standards Committee put out a new set of standards for facilities such as yours, and you are in violation of many of them. You have been violating Alberta laws for over a decade, and the new standards have put you in an even worse position! I am going to see to it that Guzoo Animal Farm is shut down. I am going to see to it that you are no longer going to be able to exist above the law.  The Alberta Government has to stop reprimanding you and walking away; a threat followed with nothing.  I am going to fight for the rights of your animals, as they cannot fight for themselves. They deserve better then what you are giving them.

 

As for being mentally ill? Well, I've been diagnosed with depression-but, many other people have been as well. Let me share with you, some statistics:

 

  Lifetime risk for Depression: 7.9-8.6% of adults will have major depression during their lifetime in Canada (Health Canada)
 

 Prevalence statistics about Depression: The following statistics relate to the   prevalence of Depression:

• 6.5% of women have a major depressive disorder in the US (National Institute of Mental Health, NIH)
• 3.3% of men have a major depressive disorder in the US (National Institute of Mental Health, NIH)
• 6.7 million women have a major depressive disorder in the US 1998 (National Institute of Mental Health, NIH)
• 3.2 million men have a major depressive disorder in the US 1998 (National Institute of Mental Health, NIH)
• 4-5% of population have major depression in Canada (National Population Health Survey, Health Canada) [1]

 

You are making a pretty absurd statement, Irene, about a significant portion of the population. People suffering from depression are possessed by demons?  I got help for my depression, and I'm happy to say, I am feeling a lot better. You may know that one of the symptoms of depression is lack of interest in things that the person previously felt passionate about. As you can see, I am certainly NOT lacking in passion. If you are insinuating that I am somehow mentally deficient, or psychotic in anyway-well, I can't even validate that with a defense. As for being possessed with a demon? I can't really validate that with a defense either.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Now let's talk about your report.
If you can't read this letter then please get someone to read it to you.

_______________________________________________________________________________

 

 This is your photo of the raccoons. I say raccoons-with an "s" because there is more than one raccoon in this enclosure. I wonder if the reason you could only see one is because the others were hiding in their hideaway, located up on the other side of the overhang you see from your view. The same hideaway you said doesn't exist. The reason there are no climbing structures is because this is only a temporary holding until the Alberta Exhibit is completed. Oh I can assure you the straw in the back of the raccoon enclosure is dry. That roof doesn't leak.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________

My apologies, you're right, I didn't see the other raccoon. Where's the hide? And why is there only one? Also, why are their two raccoons being housed together? Did you know that adult Raccoons are solitary and prefer to live alone?[2] Not only are you forcing them to share the same territory, but you are forcing them to share the same hide! There is also only one hide, while Raccoons prefer to have several to choose from.[3]

 

The fact that they are in a temporary cage is no excuse. Raccoons are extremely intelligent animals with amazing problem solving skills and dexterity. They get bored extremely quickly. In the wild, they spend much of their time during the day, above the ground level. [4] This poor animal doesn't have anything to play with, manipulate, or climb on. How much longer do they have to suffer in there? 

_______________________________________________________________________________

Your photo of our singing dogs.
This again is a temporary enclosure for these animals. They will not be spending the rest of their lives in this enclosure. Plans are in the making for new Singer enclosures. The bird cage, is to protect a plant I planted there in an attempt to put something green in there.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Apparently there are plans in the making for a lot of enclosures; how long will it take until they're all done, and the zoo is finally up to standards?

 

As for the greenery, I hate to break it to you, but if you're talking about that tangled mass of yellow foliage I can make out at the bottom of the cage-I think it's a lost cause.

_______________________________________________________________________________

 

My photo of Zena the lion. You mistakenly noted that this is the same lion you saw last time. The last lion (and his dog) have long since grown up and been sold. Lions get big you know. Oh, I forgot you are only a self proclaimed expert on small animals. This lion hasn't been paired up with a dog yet. We haven't come across an appropriate match. When we do, she too will have a dog as a companion. And by the way, the lion didn't slink into her hide when I took this photo.

I guess I should have assumed that you would have sold him. Yet another example of why you cannot possibly call yourself a rescue. You claim to have rescued these animals from their bad lives in captivity, yet you allow them to reproduce and continue the cycle of wild animals in the pet/private trade. Where did that lion go? Where is he living now? Another roadside zoo? In somebody's backyard in B.C.? Will he end up in a 12'x12' enclosure just like Guzoo-born[5] Kisa the Tiger, at Siberian Magic in BC? Perhaps dead, like Kim Carlton's Gangus, for acting like the big wild cat he is? [6]

  As for puzzle feeder and rawhides. Don't make me laugh. This is a lion. Raw hides are for house dogs. Our lions get the best and most natural feeding enrichment captivity can offer-an entire animal to rip, tear, chew, consume, dismember and play with parts there of. Don't talk to me about puzzle feeders for lions. Good Gosh I can't believe you wrote that on your web site.

Rawhides are often given to captive big cats, as something different to chew and manipulate. They are intelligent animals that appreciate variety. I agree that carcass feeding is good enrichment, but it can't be the only form.

 

In the wild, lions have to work for their food. Reputable zoos and private owners take the time to provide there animals with enrichment activities that will allow them to exhibit their natural behaviors, as well as utilize their natural foraging and hunting skills. This is what is meant when I say "Puzzle Feeders". For example, hanging a large hollow ball, filled with chunks of meat and scents, encourages the animal to attack and wrestle it causing the food to fall out. It requires them to manipulate the ball to obtain their food. Another fun idea is a burlap sack, stuffed with hay and food. Hung from the top of the enclosures, the cats must attack and tear at the sack in order to obtain the food. It encourages them to exhibit predator/prey responses, and requires them to use their natural abilities. There are all sort of things you can do to enrich the lives of captive cats.

_______________________________________________________________________________

I would like to make the point that you criticized us because you thought those raccoons had no place to escape from the public eye but here you complain that the lion was hiding when you wanted to see her. What do you want? Do you want them to hide or do you want to be able to see them? You are being inconsistent and irrational-one of the symptoms of mental illness.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Don't be ridiculous. I was in no way upset that I couldn't see the lion. I was merely pointing out that she didn't want to be in public view, but that she didn't want to be in her hide box either. She had to retreat to her hide box in order to keep away from me; she had no natural cover to lay about in the sun undisturbed.

_______________________________________________________________________________

 

This is our BOBCAT! My photo. The animal with the ramshackle hide. This is the first reason I concluded that you might not know how to read. The sign on the enclosure clearly states, bobcat. Not to mention the ears clearly give the species away to anyone who knows anything about exotic cats.

_______________________________________________________________________________

My mistake! I've never claimed to be an expert, and unfortunately, I found it difficult to read the sign, as the text was extremely small and we were behind the stand off barrier. I am sure I am not the only one that found it difficult to read it, squinting into the sun, attempting to make out the slightly moisture addled text on the cats cage.

If the hide is water tight, which it is, and allows the cat to get out of the public eye, which it does, why does it matter to you that the hide is "rough" looking. I am sure the cat doesn't care.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Hmm-I will have to take your word, that it is water proof. I'm no architect, but I know that wood has a tendency to rot and leak, if not sealed correctly. Did you know that there is a reason for sloped roofs and shingles? I find it difficult to believe that the years of Alberta winters and springs haven't rendered this shelter useless.

 Here I will call you a liar! There is a huge stump in the back for the cat to bask in the sun on. And as for toys (either for him or the other big cats) how often have you heard of wild adult lions and tigers chasing butterflies? Adult wild cats rarely play as we see domestic cats do and even they don't play much once matured. Ok Miss Cat Expert, what do adult cats do more then anything else-Give up?-Try... SLEEP. Cats sleep 20 out of 24 hours a day. The rest of the time they patrol their territory, hunt, eat and drink. Doesn't leave a whole lot of time for playing does it?
Our cats are lucky, they don't have as large of territory to patrol so they can enjoy sleeping even more.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Very true, lions do sleep a lot-but why? To conserve energy for the hours in which they are awake. During this time, they expend their energy, as you said, through patrolling their vast territories, hunting, and foraging. This is natural to them, and if you believe in God; this is how GOD made them to live.

 

Wild lions are given free choice. They can choose where they want to sleep. If they get bored with the scenery and the scents, they can move to another area within the many miles making up their territory. They use their natural abilities, such as their amazing sense of smell, their powerful muscles, their agility and speed. You are not saving them from the wild, from having to work and provide for themselves. You are denying them their God given right to be wild animals, and to use the abilities that He gave them. During the hours in which those cats are awake in the wild, they have thousands of options as to what they can do at that moment. They can run, they can wrestle, they can hunt, scratch a tree, hunt prey, follow scents-something new can happen every day, their lives are not monotonous.

 

What do your cats do? Pace on their well worn paths so obviously seen in their enclosures. Have you ever seen a wild animal pacing back and forth, or circling? There is no enrichment provided to encourage natural behaviors [7] such as:

 

-Predatory behavior.

     -pouncing

     -hunting by scent.

     -attacking/dragging

     -stalking

    

-Social behavior

     -Grooming

     -Sleeping together.

     -Hunting together.

     -scenting territory.

     -pride structure. (lions)

 

-Habitat related behavior:

      -swimming (tigers, ocelots, etc)

      -jumping

      -climbing

      -balancing

      -denning

 

There are many other behaviors that cats are observed exhibiting in the wild that can be encouraged, if you use your imagination.

 

You do not utilize the space within your enclosures. Even terrestrial cats should have access to raised platforms throughout the vertical area of their enclosures, with walkways for easier access. The complexity of the enclosure is important, and the majority of the vertical space should be utilized.[8]

 

You do not provide your cats with enough den boxes or visual barriers, either. Having access to multiple dens and hiding areas is proven to decrease pacing and cortisol levels in captive cats.[9]

Here is some information you might find interesting:

 

"In a study of 20 species of small felids Mellen (1991) found no relationship between reproductive success and the size or complexity of enclosures. However, there was a negative relationship between time spent pacing and enclosure complexity; in other words, small cats that were housed in a complex enclosure spent less time pacing than those housed in enclosures that were more sparsely furnished (Mellen, Hayes, and Shepherdson, 1998). Enclosure complexity was defined by the number of physical barriers which one cat could use to hide from another. In enclosures with seven or more barriers, pacing was reduced or non-existent. Similarly, time spent pacing was reduced by 50% when the complexity of a leopard cat enclosure was increased. Lyons, Young, and Deag (1997) found similar results in a study of mostly large felids (but including jungle cats and Siberian lynx); complexity, not size of enclosure affected pacing" [10]

                                                                                                                          

Did you know that according to the Alberta Zoo Standards, you are supposed to keep the animals in appropriate social groupings?

"All animals must be maintained in numbers sufficient to meet their social and behavioural needs (unless a single specimen is biologically correct for that animal)." [11]

Keeping a female lion alone is cruel and unnatural. In the wild, lionesses would only be found living alone in the most abnormal of situations. Lions are extremely social, and live in female dominated prides, consisting of multiple animals. Female cubs usually bond to the pride for life[12], so separating her off and putting her into solitary confinement is horribly cruel; and I doubt that putting her with a canine is biologically correct for her species.

_______________________________________________________________________________

You know you might want to stop criticizing other people and the way they manage their animals, because the number of incorrect statements and miss-identified animals you made on your site makes you look like a fool, especially since you claim to be an expert.

Let me tell you that we have been running this zoo longer than you have been on this planet. Don't you think for one moment that your teenaged, egocentric, self centered, closed-minded, mightier-then-thou attitude can for one moment convince anyone that you know more about animal care and husbandry then us. You are a sick individual who needs help. Perhaps you will be cured or grow out of this phase and realize there really are people out there who know more than you. Until then you would be wise to keep your mouth shut and save face.
Let us continue.

_______________________________________________________________________________

As I've said in the past, I'm not going to respond to your childish personal attacks. I have never claimed to be an expert; to the contrary, I have stated many times that I am NOT an expert. However, I have done a lot of research into the behavioral and physical needs of captive wild animals, as well as their natural behaviors, health, etc. I have done a lot of research into the proper running of a sanctuary or rescue, from people that run accredited facilities.

On the date you toured our zoo, you may have noticed the snow and mud lying everywhere. In fact you commented on it when talking about the pigs, tigers, raccoons and just about every other animal. I don't know what the weather was like in Edmonton the week prior to your visit but you came only days after we had a freak spring snow storm that dumped over a foot of snow overnight. On top of that, the warming air has brought the frost out of the ground. You bet it was muddy and when you live on the side of a hill where water runs off, it just adds to the problem. But I would like to say the problem is only temporary. Trudging through the mud at this time of year must be endured by both man and beast. The animals deal with it the best they can, and the Guzoo staff deal with it the best way they can knowing it comes to an end. And I assure you it does.

You should know this and stop pretending that our animals live in a swamp. You have been here before, or perhaps you only visit after heavy precipitation.

 

Dry ground in front of the bobcat and singing dog enclosures on May 11, 2007.

_______________________________________________________________________________

I obviously realize WHY Guzoo was muddy, but that is still no excuse. Perhaps if you took the time to read the Alberta Zoo Standards:

"Since water is a significant element in the life cycle of many diseases and parasites, enclosures must be landscaped in a fashion that prevents accumulation of standing water within the enclosures."[13]

Oh, and nice picture-do you actually think that proves anything other then the fact that you can take pictures of the ground?

We read your rantings on our ringneck doves, who by the way, anyone can own; we don't need a permit for them. O.K. little miss expert, prove to me that our doves are under weight. I assure you they are not. Those doves are no more underweight then a jersey cow. It is the way God created them, nothing more. And we sure got a good laugh when you mention cuttle bones. Oh my Gosh! And you call yourself an expert and animal rescue. Unlike psittacines (or parrots, to the lay person-you), pigeons and doves are soft billed birds, they couldn't pick at a cuttle bone even if they wanted too. If you cared to look, you would have seen a bucket hanging, this bucket is full of sand. If the doves want grit for their gizzards it is available to them.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Of course I cannot prove to you that some of those doves are underweight, unless I came out with a net and a scale. I have cared for many doves, however, and there were quite a few doves in your care that had a sunken body shape, in contrast to a healthy, round body shape. Here are a couple of healthy, rounded birds:

http://www.ringneckdove.com/Wilmer's%20WebPage/Slide_Birds_USA/slide_dove_wildtype_dark.gif

http://www.strombergschickens.com/images/doves/violet_neck_ringneck_dove.jpg

I also realize that doves are soft bills, much like finches and corvids. However, they are still capable of consuming cuttlebones. The last dove we had in rescue scraped the cuttlebone with his beak. However, some doves won't consume cuttlebones, just as some Psittacidae won't. They still require supplemental calcium, such as ground oyster shells-this is especially important for egg layers, such as yours.[14]

You went into great length to describe the state of filth our doves were in. Since you don't believe in breeding animals in captivity I will forgive your ignorance on this issue. Let me explain. Ring neck doves will only lays their eggs in "nests" made up of their feces. If we were to clean out the poop from the nesting boxes and roosting platforms daily, we would never have baby doves. Unlike you, we do want our animals to live as naturally as possible, that includes allowing them to court, nest and raise their young.

What a ridiculous statement. Not only do ringneck doves not form nests out of feces, but they will even attempt to back up to the edge of the nest when defecating, as to not soil it.[15] They usually nest in high shallow crevices and sometimes just on flat surfaces, and the nesting material is usually just a few twigs and pieces of hay, that the male provides.[16]  Breeders usually provide shallow cardboard boxes, Tupperware containers, or something similar as a nest box.

Cleanliness is extremely important in preventing parasites and diseases when keeping and breeding doves or birds of any type. An unclean aviary promotes the development of infectious diseases, as well as bacterial infections (salmonella, e coli) or protozoal infections (coccidiosis, trichomoniasis). The biggest concern when keeping doves is the development of Psittacosis, which is transmissible to humans. [17]

Your photo of our fan tale Pigeons. Yup water in the cage.

A photo taken May 12. This cage dried out soon after you left.

The pigeon by no means remain in a wet cage 24/7. If they did, they would die. Now that wouldn't be good for business would it?

_______________________________________________________________________________

I find it amusing that you provided me with this picture! It clearly shows that you didn't clean the enclosure from at least April 22^nd to May 12^th, 20 days. The floor of the enclosure is filthy, and you can tell that the debris on the ground in the second picture is the same as in the first picture, aside from the fact that it had dried out in the second. Again, I beg you to read the Alberta Zoo Standards!

"Buildings and substrates to which animals have access must be kept

clean as follows:

Washable surfaces must be washed clean and disinfected regularly to

prevent potentially dangerous accumulations of organic and inorganic

materials and organisms.

Substrates which cannot be washed must be cleaned of gross waste

(e.g., perishable food and animal waste) on a daily basis for

enclosures smaller than 0.5 acres) and less frequently for larger

enclosures. The animal care protocol may indicate longer cleaning

intervals for some species to reduce psychological stress. To facilitate

cleaning all areas of the enclosures must be accessible to keepers.

Substrates such as loose bedding material must be changed if soiled

with feces and urine and any bedding provided must be kept dry and

changed on a regular basis." [18]

High above the floor there is a hidden platform, yes, under those sloped boards. You can't see them because the birds need a place to nest that is private.

That is still completely unsuitable. Birds require perches of varying diameters and textures to keep their feet in good health. Improper perching results in improper blood flow to the feet, which can cause bacterial infections such as bumblefoot.[19] Doves also very rarely fly around just for the sake of it-not utilizing your vertical space with perches is giving them less of a chance to fly from place to place, and can lead to overweight birds. 

_______________________________________________________________________________

Let us talk about the Bearded Dragons. I too took photos, and with the flash I can make the glass of the cage look filthy too.

This is another case where I think you need to learn to read. There is a very noticeable sign on the left hand side of the cage that states exactly what the cage contains. The fact that someone wrote flying squirrels in obviously old and faded ink on the wood is irrelevant. You purposely cut the sign out of your photo to deliberately mislead your audience into believing that we would miss-identify these animals. That shows vindictiveness and mal intent. Not attributes of a sound minded individual.

_______________________________________________________________________________

You cannot deny that the cage is filthy. You can see a layer of dust along the outside frame and very obvious dirt and water marks on the glass, and it's apparent that it hasn't been cleaned for some time. I've taken hundreds of pictures of animals behind glass, and although the flash will highlight dirt and marks, it doesn't put them there. The fact that the cage is labeled 'Flying Squirrels', shows that you haven't even properly cleaned the enclosure since it was last used. Even Sharpie ink will come off in hot water with proper cleaners. I've washed dozens and dozens of aquariums, and have written on many with Sharpies-if this cage had been properly sanitized, the 'Flying Squirrels' label wouldn't even be there.

As for food. Yes those dragons get fed lettuce. But you are very presumptuous to assume that because that is the only food you saw, that it must be the only food we feed them.

Had you cared to ask, any of our staff would have told you that the cage of mice you noted that had opposite genders in it, were in fact breeders to produce the pinkies that we feed the dragons. Once a week the dragons get crickets too. But you wouldn't know that because YOU DIDN'T ASK!

Reptiles that consume vegetables shouldn't be fed lettuce; it has very little nutritional value and has too much moisture, which can cause diarrhea, leading to dehydration. [20] They should be getting gutloaded insects such as crickets, cockroaches, and butter worms at least every second day, and should have nutritious greens and vegetables available at all times. Dark greens such as Collard, Dandelion, Escarole, chicory, etc are all nutritious choices and should be mixed for variety. Other vegetables to include are green beans, turnip tops, carrots, snow peas, squash, and sweet potato. [21] Food also has to be dusted with a calcium/Vitamin D3 powder once a week, for proper bone development. Without the proper lighting, which your dragons do not have, in addition to the supplements and diet, the dragons will develop complications such as metabolic bone disease. [22] As for pinkies, they shouldn't be fed to Bearded Dragons more then once a week, unless they are gravid.[23]

Here is a photo I took of one of my ball pythons in his aquarium. Notice the difference in cleanliness?

_______________________________________________________________________________

As for the dragon not moving after you put it down-maybe you traumatized it. Or maybe it didn't feel like moving. So what? Reptiles are not noted for their hyperactivity.

_______________________________________________________________________________

I'd first like to mention the absurdity of the statement "Reptiles are not noted for their hyperactivity." This is an extremely broad statement; many reptiles are extremely fast and active. Bearded dragons, although they have a tendency to be quite calm, are sprinters, and if disturbed or frightened will run. This dragon is obviously ill; his eyes are crusted shut, his stomach sunken, and he was very un-alert. Even tame dragons will open their eyes, prop themselves up, and look alert when you wake them up. We have rescued, rehabbed and rehomed over a dozen bearded dragons, and I know their temperaments and habits well. Yours is ill. Perhaps if you consider people picking him up grounds for trauma, you should keep the cage locked?

 
That cat cage. You commented on no toys or scratching posts offered to the cats. People donate them all the time and we will not put them in the cage. Why? Because toys and scratching posts are impossible to sterilize. Ever tried cleaning poop off of carpets. What are scratching posts made of? Besides those cats are only there a short time. It is not their life long home. It is a holding facility until people want to adopt them.

_______________________________________________________________________________

You cannot POSSIBLY be claiming to be concerned about sterilization! Take a look at your lovebird and Amazon enclosure; does that look clean to you? How long did it take that pile of feces to form? Or the layers of dust? How do you possibly sanitize floors with a few inches of water on them, or old wood with no sealant? Guzoo has so very obviously never been anywhere near "sterilized", and the fact that you tried to use that as an excuse is absurd.

The warming barn that you so thoroughly picked apart is also called the Petting Barn. There is a reason many of the cages are unlocked-so people can pet the animals. Duh!

Again, I ask  you to read the Alberta Zoo Standards:

"Direct contact (i.e. touching) between the public and animals is allowed

only when this activity is approved in the Zoo Development Plan. Such

contact must only occur in a contained area and all applicable Alberta

Health regulations must be followed.

* Animals in areas where direct contact is possible must pose no danger to

the public, be comfortable with human contact and be under the direct

supervision of zoo staff." [24]

There were no staff in the barn the entire time we were in there.

Your description of this photo is hilarious. Are you daft? Are you deliberately miss-leading the public or did you honestly not see the open trap door (that so plainly can be seen in your photo). The tiger is standing in the shift area. This is where we put the food in.

 My photo, taken from the other side. See-trap door-S-H-I-F-T---.. A..R-E-A. Smarten up and stop behaving like a paranoid juvenile delinquent. Start acting your age.

_______________________________________________________________________________

First of all, I'd like to mention your hypocrisy as far as your religion goes. You claim to be a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. As a follower of Jesus Christ, are you not supposed to strive to be Christ-like? You cannot be, of course, as He is the only one without Sin, and He is perfect. However, Christians are supposed to try to exhibit the qualities that Jesus preached as good. Jesus was not vindictive and he was not fallacious; you keep implying that I am mentally imbalanced, and making personal attacks. I refrain from fighting these personal attacks, or throwing any of my own; I don't want to sink to your level. My problems with you are solely with the way you keep your animals, not you as a person. However, you and your supporters prove yourselves time and time again to be incapable of intelligent conversation without the addition of personal attacks and insults.

Unlike you, I am able to admit my mistakes. I didn't see the trap door, and I am not attempting to mislead anybody. Any mistake that I make, I will be the first to correct. However, this Tiger was still displaying agitated stereotypic behavior. For the entire two hours that we were there he paced back and forth, crying and growling.

"Stereotypic behavior and other such undesirable behaviors are usually caused by frustration. The animal has an internal drive that is motivating its action. However, in a captive situation, there may be a missing link in the sequence of this motivated behavior. Because of this, the animal cannot carry out the sequence in its entirety, thus resulting in the repetition of the broken behavior. If this situation is allowed to persist, the mental state of the animal may deteriorate to such an extent that it becomes irreversible."  [25]

"While the animal is awaiting its meal, the animal may turn around in restlessness and follow a fixed path back to its original lookout. This sequence of events initiates a stereotypical movement that may occur at feeding time and may eventually occur whenever the animal is hungry. This in an example of how an insignificant behaviour such as waiting for a meal (predatory animals for the most part do not wait for a meal to be delivered to them in the wild) can transform itself into a stereotypic behaviour."[26]

The frustration that results in stereotypic behavior is caused by boredom and lack of stimuli and exercise.[27] Your barren exhibits, lacking in appropriate enrichment to encourage natural behaviors, as previously discussed, are driving your animals into insanity. 

_______________________________________________________________________________

You asked many questions about that pot bellied pig we fed to the wolves. If you were so curious why didn't you ask one of the staff. In your paranoid and antisocial state of mind you are jumping to conclusions. We could have put much of your worries to rest had you only asked.

_______________________________________________________________________________

My questions are not based out of paranoia, they are based off of my knowledge of the Alberta Zoo Standards. Again, I ask you to read it:

"All deaths from the zoo collection must be reported to the zoo veterinarian

who will determine if any follow up action is required"

 

 "The zoo veterinarian must record veterinary activities as per the AVMA

health record keeping protocol."

 

"When infectious diseases are diagnosed, the zoo veterinarian must advise

on and the zoo operator must comply with any special isolation and

cleaning procedures that are necessary prior to reusing the enclosures."

 

 

I am just curious as to whether or not you followed the proper protocol when this pig was sick, and when he died. Could the other pigs be at risk of catching what he had? Or did you kill the pig?

_______________________________________________________________________________

 

Like all the animals at our zoo, none of them live in a swamp. The wolf enclosure is dry. The grass will grow again. Here is a photo take two winters ago, when discarded Christmas tree were placed in the pen to add appeal.

Wow, an enrichment activity you did two years ago! Did you know that reputable zoos have a regular schedule and program for enrichment? It isn't an occasional treat, it's an integral part of the animal's lives as the keepers realize that it is crucial for their mental health and happiness. And, thank you again for the photo. It shows the filth on the ground, unless you just threw that fur in there. Did you know that according to the Alberta Zoo Standards dictate that enclosures less then half an acre need to be cleaned of perishable waste daily? This includes carcasses and animal feces.

"Substrates which cannot be washed must be cleaned of gross waste

(e.g., perishable food and animal waste) on a daily basis for enclosures smaller than 0.5 acres) and less frequently for larger enclosures."

_______________________________________________________________________________

I must say, your lack of experience with large animals shows itself time and time again when you keep making comments about no trees or shrubs in the lion, tiger or wolf pens. I challenge you to try to get plants of any sort to grow where large animals chew, dig at and pee on them day after day after day. That is why we plant trees on the out side of the enclosures. Or maybe you didn't notice that.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Unfortunately, I have no way to take you up on that challenge, however, if you took the time to visit some reputable facilities that contain animals such as wolves, tigers, and lions, you would realize that they are indeed capable of growing vegetation in the enclosures. The tigers at the Valley Zoo, for example, have an enclosure with trees and such long grass in places that you can't even see them laying in it at times.

 http://www.buildingthevalleyzoo.com/images/gallery/lashka.jpg

 

As do the wolves at the Calgary zoo-

 

http://www.viewcalgary.com/peter/zoo/images/wolf_0670.jpg

 

As well as their tigers-

 http://7deadlysinners.typepad.com/foureyedbat/images/tiger_snow_1.jpg

 

As you can see, it is obviously not impossible to grow vegetation in a large animal enclosure. You are having difficulties because your animals have nothing to do BUT dig, chew, and trample their vegetation. They have traveled the ground so often in those tiny enclosures that I completely believe that you can't grow anything in there now. Animals at reputable facilities are provided with activities and challenges throughout their day, so they are not as bored and frustrated as your animals.  It is like putting a puppy into a room full of treasured furniture and not giving them anything to play with as an alternative; you can't be surprised when they take out their energy on the furniture.

 

 That is the perfect example as to why you shouldn't have these animals. You do not try to solve problems you encounter with your animals; instead, you take the easy way out, such as planting trees on the outside. I'm sure they really enjoy looking at them.

_______________________________________________________________________________

You commented on the bear enclosure not APPEARING to be secure. Now who died and made you the bear expert? Whether or not the fence APPEARS to you to be secure is irrelevant. If that fence wasn't secure, the bears wouldn't be in there. It has an electric fence ALL AROUND. The bears will not even touch the fence, let alone climb it.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Okay? I have never claimed to be an expert. It was just an observation. Simmer down.

Monkeys, you comment on how deplorable it is that we keep our monkeys alone in separate cages. I will have you know that each and every monkey we have at our zoo with the exception of the Snow Monkeys were examples of pets-gone-wrong. Those monkeys were given to us after they could no longer be kept as "pets" due to aggression, illegal possession or the simple fact people couldn't offer the monkey the social interaction it needed for proper social development. In every case, these were lone pets. When a monkey is taken from its parents and bonded with people in a human family environment the animal never learns monkey talk, sort-of -speak. It never learns the body language and social etiquette needed to integrate with other monkeys. They are not unlike yourself, antisocial; unable to peacefully co-exist with other members of their kind. Even if we had another specimen of the same species we could never introduce them together. In short, putting these monkeys with others monkeys would only lead to fighting and ultimately seeing monkeys rip each other to pieces. But if that is what you want, then send any monkeys our way-and we will show you.

Again, I urge you to do some research. I completely understand the issues that humanized monkeys face; however, it is definitely not impossible to introduce them to other monkeys. In fact, I have done a lot of research into different accredited monkey and primate sanctuaries, and I can't find any that keep their animals in single settings for their entire life, except in extreme circumstances. They go through long, painstaking processes of introducing the animals to one another, and in the case of having only one of a species; they pair them up with another that is closely related. These sanctuaries get their animals from private homes as well as labs, and all sorts of unnatural settings, and then they help rehabilitate the animal and help it heal its mental wounds. They help them get back to the most natural state possible, living with others of their own kind. For example, the TAOS [28] accredited sanctuary 'Jungle Friends', in       says the following about introducing primates:

 

"In efforts to mimic the primates' natural habits and behaviors as found in the wild, we strive towards socializing our monkeys into large groups. Socialization is a very slow process to ensure that the introduction will not result in injury. To begin the socialization process, we house the prospective monkeys in adjacent cages so they can see and hear each other. The two habitats are connected with a ramp, in which our forking system is utilized. Initially, two "forks" are used to separate the monkeys or groups being socialized. These forks are placed far enough apart in the ramp so that the monkeys are not able to touch each other. Their behaviors are monitored for several days and any reactions towards each other are noted. The next step involves moving the forks closer together in the ramp, but still not close enough to allow the monkeys to touch. If all goes well, we again move the two forks closer-this time allowing for minimal touching, but not close enough to where they could hurt each other if a fight occurred. After we feel confident that the socialization is progressing comfortably, we remove one of the forks and allow the monkeys more direct contact, such as grooming (as seen above). The final step involves removing the last fork, and allowing the new monkeys together. During this final stage, the new socialized group is given a large neutral area equipped with numerous natural visual barriers and hiding places. The length of time involved in the socialization process and its individual steps is unique to each situation. Every step is closely monitored and the progression to the next stage depends upon the monkeys' behaviors. We have had great success utilizing this system of socialization."

 

And this regaurding Humanized Monkeys:

 

If you cared about the mental state of your primates, you would rehome them to an appropriate facility that would take the time to integrate them into a group of their own species. There are monkey sanctuaries all over North America and in the UK that will take animals from any country, from all over the world. Your monkeys could be happy, if you let them.

_______________________________________________________________________________

 

Your Photo of the capuchin who didn't want to touch the snow.
You are right they don't like snow. Nothing is forcing this monkey to step in the snow. In fact nothing is forcing this monkey into being outside. But I notice your photo conveniently cuts out the entry way to his heated housing. This, by the way, is where we feed the monkeys. How do you know there are no puzzle feeders or toys in their out-of-sight-heated enclosure? Again your presumptions illustrate your naivety and lack of thought process.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________

Their "out-of-sight-heated enclosure" is extremely small. The entire building is the size of a large trailer, divided up into sections for each animal. There must be a pathway inside as well, to access each enclosure, taking up even more space. The indoor space provided to your monkeys is extremely small, especially for a province with such harsh weather. These animals are from warm climates (excluding the snow macaques) and would have to spend much of their time throughout the year inside. I HIGHLY doubt that there are toys or puzzle feeders of any sort inside. Why would Guzoo look like crap on the outside, but amazing behind the scenes? Wouldn't you want to show the public how the monkey plays and manipulates things to reach his food? Wouldn't you want the public to see that you're providing these intelligent animals with some sort of entertainment? If you have ever been to a reputable zoo or sanctuary, you would notice that their primate enclosures are FULL of toys, ropes, bridges, ladders, branches, nets, hammocks, and other items to engage interest and activity.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Just a word of advice. You would be better to not make guesses as to species and who is who and what is what. It makes you look like a fool. The above photo taken by you is a Savanna Baboon. And yes, he has a tail.

This photo below, taken by you is a juvenile snow monkey. Born at our zoo. The Baboon is still there, if you looked at the very end of the monkey row. And Yes snow monkeys have short tails. Maybe you need to be studying your books more, smarty pants.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________

Again, I have never claimed to be an expert, and throughout my website I say "I could be wrong", or "I am not sure-". I am not infallible, of course. I even stated that I could very well be wrong about this particular monkey, and apparently, I am. I accept that, as I learn from my mistakes. I don't try to make excuses for them.

 

However, I am curious as to why you took the snow monkey away from his/her family and doomed it to this life of depression and solitary confinement? Snow macaques live in large family groups, and I thought you wished your animals to live as naturally as possible. I'd also like to say that this animal was STILL the saddest animal at the zoo, tail or not. She banged her head against the side of the enclosure and contorted into odd positions, all the while excessively grooming her hair. This is yet another stereotypic behavior. She also pulled at the little stub of a tail she has, which appears twisted and missing hair. She displayed very strange hand movements, grasping at the air, at nothing in particular.

_______________________________________________________________________________

You made a big deal that the baboon wouldn't come out of his heated enclosure. If we didn't provide a place for him to get out of the public eye, you would complain he had no escape from people. Animals don't always do what you want them to do. You are acting like a four year child who is not getting her way.

_______________________________________________________________________________

 

Again, you are being ridiculous.  I wasn't "complaining" about the fact that the baboon wouldn't come out because I wanted to see him, I was showing that in our weather, he prefers to stay in a heated area. Unfortunately for him, his heated area isn't nearly large enough to provide him with enough exercise and play space, so in order to stay warm and comfortable, he has to stay cooped up in his 'closet'. Again, the space in his outdoor enclosure isn't utilized-climbing structures, platforms, hammocks, ropes, vines, etc could all be used to make his habitat more interesting and give him more surface area to explore.

 

Again, I ask you to read the Alberta Zoo Standards:

 

"Animals must be protected from injurious heat and cold associated with

ambient outdoor conditions or any other weather conditions that are

detrimental to their health. Only animals that can acclimate and tolerate

ambient outdoor conditions can be kept in outdoor enclosures, and they

should have access to sheltered areas to protect them from sun, wind,

precipitation and temperature extremes. Some species can be outdoors

during some seasons but need access to indoor facilities during colder

weather

*If a species is not native to the area or able to acclimate, that species

must have enclosures where the temperature, humidity, ventilation and

lighting levels can be regulated to simulate their natural environment"

_______________________________________________________________________________

Thin rope? Is there a diameter that you recommend oh ye, monkey expert? Maybe we should take the ropes out, since people just complain about them.

_______________________________________________________________________________

Those ropes are pointless. If you had more, of varying diameters, lengths, and attached vertically and horizontally throughout the entire cage, then they could actually go somewhere when climbing. What are they supposed to do here? Swing from rope to rope then drop to the ground? Again, if you look at reputable facilities, their primate enclosures are packed full of climbing and swinging equipment.

 _______________________________________________________________________________

The cockatoo is a very poor example of something you should be criticizing. I bet any cockatoo owner would dream of having his bird kept in such a spacious enclosure. As for toys. You can't see his indoor heated enclosure. What do you think is in there? I am surprised you didn't complain that he didn't have any water. The water dish is inside where you can't see it. But you never thought of that did you?

_______________________________________________________________________________

Why would I assume that you have toys inside for your cockatoo? None of the other animals appear to have toys, and again, why would Guzoo look bad on the outside but great behind the scenes, where the public can't see? I happen to be a cockatoo "owner", and I certainly wouldn't condemn my girl to a life at Guzoo. Putting a cockatoo into a cage like that is like putting a child into an empty room with a chair. What is the child supposed to do? Sit in the chair and run around in circles? Once the cockatoo has explored his perches, they are nothing but places to sit and things to chew. Cockatoos need toys to manipulate, and foraging in particular is important to their mental health. The size of the enclosure isn't the biggest concern, as long as it's at least three times the birds wingspan; the complexity of the enclosure, and the toys, are most important as these birds have the intelligence of a 2-5 year old.[29] Cockatoos are extremely social [30] as well, and demand a lot of attention. Not only does this bird not have a cage mate, but he can't even see the rest of the people in the zoo. He is doomed to a life of loneliness and boredom, possibly cut short buy metal toxicity caused by the inappropriate chain link you used to construct his enclosure. [31]

 

Also, did you ever think that maybe I didn't mention the water because I thought of the possibility that it was located inside?

_______________________________________________________________________________

You commented at least once about how our grazing animals have no pasture. Well, I have news for you. Grass doesn't grow in the winter. When did you come visit our zoo? Right at spring thaw. The earth has barely lost the frost in the ground-and you wonder why you saw no grass. Well, two weeks after your visit I took these pictures:

Camel, not pacing, laying quietly among the new shoots of grass.

 

 Contented cow with calf.

Fallow deer, chewing their cud in the sun among the fresh grass.

Sheep and llamas, grazing in their large paddock.
Looks like lots of green to me!

 

_______________________________________________________________________________

I didn't say that all of your grazing animals were lacking in pasture; however, many of them are-others have very little pasture available. Of course, some of them are a lot less trampled then others. You can even see, on either side of the fallow deer picture, the mud in the two adjacent enclosures.

 

As for the pictures, do you think they prove anything aside from the existence of grass in some of your enclosures? You can take pictures of starving children dancing and playing in Ethiopia, but that doesn't mean that they're not going home to no parents, a mud shack, and no food. Just because you can take some pretty pictures of animals in their enclosures, doesn't mean that they are being provided for properly. It doesn't mean that they have sufficient space, shelter, nutritious food, clean water, or supplementation

_______________________________________________________________________________

 

Brunos' enclosure. There is more than one bear in here, but you can't see them because they are "out of the public eye". Perhaps we shouldn't provide a cave for the bears to hide in because it leads people to think that the poor old bear is all alone. BTW, a brush pile and a play ground monkey bar set are very appropriate climbing structures. But you may be surprised to know the bears almost never use them. If you do your research, adult bears rarely climb trees. You should know better than that Devon.

 

_______________________________________________________________________________

I didn't complain about Bruno being alone. I said that he was a single bear, but I didn't say that that was a bad thing, did I? In nature, they tend to be solitary animals anyways.

 

A brush pile is an appropriate form of enrichment; however, I wouldn't say it's a good climbing structure. It is mentioned as a form of foraging enrichment, you may find it beneficial to bury food in the brush, to encourage them. A climbing structure is something that they can use to reach a higher vantage point, and a pile of brush doesn't make a very comfortable resting area, I'm sure.

 

You are indeed correct about mature bears rarely climbing trees; however, they do prefer to rest at a high vantage point. In the wild, they would have the option of walking to higher ground, climbing onto a boulder, or a large stump.

 

"Bears are wild animals and thus, are affected by fundamental instincts and rhythms. Those held in enclosures are subjected to unnatural situations and therefore, require additional efforts by the caretaker to maintain and enhance the bears' behavioral/physical well being."

"Bears naturally like to climb and sit with high vantage points to rest or look out for potential danger. Include trees with sturdy limbs and boulders in the enclosure for bears to safely climb. If you don't have a tree or boulder available, try fabricating a raised platform from strong, rough-textured logs (preferably with bark intact for easier gripping) and camouflage it with natural foliage. Make sure the bears have a clear way to climb up onto the platform. They often prefer "decks" located near protective cover such as trees or bushes as opposed to placed out in the open since vegetative screens give them a sense of security. You can encourage them to climb by placing some treats on top of the platform. If a bear is too heavy, weak, or old to climb then provide a "helper" by placing some wide, roughly textured logs or planks which are at an easy incline for them to gain ready access to the "deck". Always remember to locate trees and platforms far enough away from the perimeter fences."

 

- The American Bear Association [32]

 

As for the 'monkey bars', they have already been declared unsuitable and unsafe in a report done in 2002, by Jennifer L. Long. [33]

  "Playground equipment ("monkey bars") in the bear exhibit appeared out of place and unsafe for the bears. It is also unlikely it would be an effective structure for the bears to utilize because the bars were too small for them to grip properly. Logs or wooden beams at least 4 inches wide would be more

effective for bear climbing structures" [34]

 

_______________________________________________________________________________

Devon, I have spent a lot of time on this letter to you. I will have you know I will never do this again. Until you grow up, get psychiatric help and find Jesus, it is best we never talk again. I suggest you read your bible, eat some turkey and get some sleep. In the morning, go find a really nice pastor or priest to talk to you about salvation. I will keep praying for you.

Acts 10:11-14 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)
Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

11He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. 12It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles of the earth and birds of the air. 13Then a voice told him, "Get up, Peter. Kill and eat."

Thanks, I'll add you to the list of people praying for my salvation, then. I'm sure if you guys all start praying together, something will happen! Keep trying, I depend on you!

 

Take care,

Devon McDonald

_______________________________________________________________________________

FOOTNOTES

(RECCOMENDED!)