tweddle animal farm
- h eee I first visited TWEDDLE ANIMAL FARM two years ago and I was not impressed at what I saw. Raccoons with plastic containers for feed bowls, capuchin living in a barn on its own,two bactrian camels which at the time had recently joined the collection had a flimsy wooden structure for a stable. The whole place appeared to be very. makeshift and homemade. It was therefore no surprise to me this year when I became aware of the C.A.P.S. investigation and reports into Tweddle Animal Farm and its practices. If a children's zoo wishes to expand into exotic species, all well and good, but surely the correct procedure would be to obtain the appropriate zoo license from the local authority before stocking the place with zoo species rather than obtaining the animals first then discussing a license later.
I visited TWEDDLE ANIMAL FARM again this year to see if things had improved,apart from the monkey being re-homed at a sanctuary and more notices being displayed telling visitors to wash their hands after touching the animals, I did not think there had been any improvements at all. It now transpires that the4 owners have withdrew their application for a zoo license due to finances involved in bringing this place up to zoo standard and are to dispose of the zoo stock and concentrate on domestic species. I WISH THEM WELL WITH THIS REVISED ARRANGEMENT and hope they in the future educate their visitors in domestic rare breeds as well as well as giving children the pleasure of stroking rabbits and bottle feeding lambs. The north east of England has never in my lifetime been well served with zoological collections Stanley,SEABURN A SMELLY SLUM and indeed the short lived LAMBTON LION PARK if it had survived had the potential of being a first class attraction in the grounds of the LAMBTON ESTATE. I doubt if we will ever see a Colchester or a Paignton in the north east, however a small well run establishment would be welcome perhaps in the Barnard Castle area of County Durham.