US Members: Help WCS Appeal to Congress for Zoo Survival

AmbikaFan

AmbikaFan

Well-Known Member
OK. Here is an appeal from WCS with the tabulation that (presumably US) zoos are losing over $33 million every day. That puts a real figure on what we've all been fearing. But the WCS has sent the following form letter to members, urging them to petition Congress to save our zoos. However you place the odds on such a thing succeeding or not, this at least is SOMETHING we can do. Without other pressing things to do while in lockdown, I urge you to fill out this form letter and send it to your congressmen. You can even send this to friends and relatives to fill out and send in, and certainly to other forum members. For a moment or two, let's turn worry into action:

Tell Congress: zoos, aquariums, and museums need emergency support
 
AmbikaFan said:
OK. Here is an appeal from WCS with the tabulation that (presumably US) zoos are losing over $33 million every day. That puts a real figure on what we've all been fearing. But the WCS has sent the following form letter to members, urging them to petition Congress to save our zoos. However you place the odds on such a thing succeeding or not, this at least is SOMETHING we can do. Without other pressing things to do while in lockdown, I urge you to fill out this form letter and send it to your congressmen. You can even send this to friends and relatives to fill out and send in, and certainly to other forum members. For a moment or two, let's turn worry into action:

Tell Congress: zoos, aquariums, and museums need emergency support
Click to expand...

The media gets this - the public gets it - but we now have a written reply from DEFRA in the UK, saying they will not do any more, and we should save costs, apply to the National Lottery (which only gives grants to charities and now only those they've supported before), or claim on our insurance....
We carry on, of course - it will, it must, build to a point where they listen to everyone else...
 
I just looked at the link but will not sign for a couple reasons. First of all it is worded as coming from "a constituent and supporter of WCS" which I am not, since I live on the other side of the country. (I mean I support their conservation work in theory, but I have no direct connection to them). Second it is worded to provide relief for zoos and museums (with a larger emphasis on museums) that employ 500 people or more. That leaves out my two local zoos (both AZA accredited) and probably the majority of this country's zoos and aquariums.
 
Arizona Docent said:
I just looked at the link but will not sign for a couple reasons. First of all it is worded as coming from "a constituent and supporter of WCS" which I am not, since I live on the other side of the country. (I mean I support their conservation work in theory, but I have no direct connection to them). Second it is worded to provide relief for zoos and museums (with a larger emphasis on museums) that employ 500 people or more. That leaves out my two local zoos (both AZA accredited) and probably the majority of this country's zoos and aquariums.
Click to expand...

The majority of accredited zoos and aquariums that are operated by non-profit organizations and have FEWER than 500 employees are eligible for forgivable loans (i:e. grants ) from the recently passed federal legislation if they maintain their current staffing levels (don’t furlough or lay off staff). The Desert Museum is among many who have successfully applied for and received this support. The problem is that larger non-profits with more than 500 staff are not eligible for this support, but they are attempting to get legislation passed that would include them. Omaha, San Diego, Audubon, WCS and many other major zoos all fall into this category and are working together to try to be included in the many proposed federal stimulus bills. Many government owned and operated zoos (like Reid Park) are looking to their respective local/regional governmental owners for a piece of the federal stimulus being directed to local governments for support.
 
@reduakari Thanks for the clarification. For the record, though, Reid Park is no longer government operated. The zoological society took over operations from City of Tucson last year (after the tax support passed).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top