Wants to help Belfast Zoo

A

Aisling

Member
Hi, I am a local Belfast girl. A few politicians are calling for Belfast Zoo to close, so I have began a petition demanding huge investment for it. Some of the enclosures need updated and enlarged, the floral hall hall needs renovated and the old part needs a complete overhaul.

The zoo staff needs support, they do an amazing job

Please sign and share the below petition to show your support

Sign the Petition

#SaveBelfastZoo
 
Aisling said:
I have began a petition demanding huge investment for it.
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Where are you asking for the 'huge investment' to come from? If you expect it to come from central UK Government sources, this means central taxation - which means some of the huge levels of tax we have to pay, will go to Belfast Zoo. This was not mentioned at any national or local elections! - and I do not think our visitors would support this...

If you mean you want a local tax levied on the residents of Belfast to support the zoo (as is done in the US), then perhaps you ought to say so...
 
What is the current overall state of Belfast Zoo?. I have read various reports recently suggesting enclosures in poor repair, stagnant moats, major expenditure needed to bring it up to an acceptable standard. Is that a fair appraisal of the zoo, or untrue?
 
Andrew Swales said:
Where are you asking for the 'huge investment' to come from? If you expect it to come from central UK Government sources, this means central taxation - which means some of the huge levels of tax we have to pay, will go to Belfast Zoo. This was not mentioned at any national or local elections! - and I do not think our visitors would support this...

If you mean you want a local tax levied on the residents of Belfast to support the zoo (as is done in the US), then perhaps you ought to say so...
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Any public petition showing a large support for Belfast Zoo is surely a good thing at this moment in time. Impressively, it already has nearly 8,000 signatures, which should help wilt the agendas of a few out of touch politicians.
 
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Hi, it's from Belfast City Council. Belfast Zoo has needed major investment for years but the council keep ignoring it. The local people here pay rates, the rates won't rise because there is money already in the pot. If needed though the zoo may ask private investors too. Either way we don't want the zoo to be closed over a politicians silly not thought through comments.
 
Pertinax said:
What is the current overall state of Belfast Zoo?. I have read various reports recently suggesting enclosures in poor repair, stagnant moats, major expenditure needed to bring it up to an acceptable standard. Is that a fair appraisal of the zoo, or untrue?
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It's untrue, the zoo always has and always will put the animals welfare first. The enclosures are not in bad repair, a lot of them have already been modernised. The moat in the bear enclosure is deep and needs emptied but the bears dont go near the water anyway. This is where some of the investment is needed to modernise it.

The old part of the zoo is rarely used to house animals, it need a complete overhaul and the floral hall is derelict. It needs completely renovated.

I live close by and visit the zoo regularly, my family love the zoo and have never had a bad experience while visiting.
 
Pertinax said:
Photos do not really show the reality about general conditions on the ground. I would like to know what it is really like and why there are moves afoot, rightly or wrongly, for its closure.
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The politician did not consult zoo staff or any other organisations before making his foolish comments. He changed his statement to say he never asked for closure but thinks caged animals should be a thing of the past and wants the larger animals like the elephants sent back to the wild. These elephants are elderly and were abused most of their lives, so cannot be returned to the wild.

There is no evidence that says Belfast Zoo does not put the welfare of the animals first. It all says the zoo needs funding.
 
There is a committee meeting happening on 21st February to decide the future of Belfast Zoo.

Only one party are against and it is hoped they will change their original motion.

We want to present this petition with at least 10,000 signatures


Thank you for your help
 
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Interesting to read about the zoos plight, I do see a lot of blaming going on. Councillors saying not fit for purpose yet they oversee the zoo. Petition saying council has failed to invest in zoo, has this come from zoo staff? With such a big loss financially every year I wonder who do you think Is to blame for this?
 
The councillors (only one party) changed their views again. They are now saying the zoo take great care of the animals but they don't believe in caging animals. The animals enclosures were approved by many organisations including EAZA. Every other party is defending the zoo.

The zoo has needed investment for years, no one said the council hadn't paid some funding but the zoo needs more and it's up to the council to provide it.

I do not work for the zoo but I know the zoo union are defending their workers and rightly so.

I personally blame the council for not giving adequate funding in the first place. The zoo could be even better but it needs help to fund the things to attract more visitors.
 
So if the enclosures were approved by EAZA why do they need improved and upgraded if they are suitable or is it a case they meet the bare minimum requirements?

Surely it’s not really the council or ratepayers obligation to fund such a facility even if people like us think it’s an important place. No other major zoo in the UK is funded by a local council they all have to be commercial and support themselves.

I would have thought the suggestion of change of function and concentrating on different species might not be a bad idea. Lowering running costs, attracting more visitors to a break even or profit scenario?

If the staff and visitors blame the council perhaps they would be supportive of privatisation which would be better for the animals and the facility long term.

what would you suggest the zoo needs to do to improve? What enclosures and where do the zoo want to spend this money on?
 
The Prairie dog said:
So if the enclosures were approved by EAZA why do they need improved and upgraded if they are suitable or is it a case they meet the bare minimum requirements?
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Unless there has been a change recently, EAZA does not approve enclosures....

The Prairie dog said:
Surely it’s not really the council or ratepayers obligation to fund such a facility even if people like us think it’s an important place. No other major zoo in the UK is funded by a local council they all have to be commercial and support themselves.
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Absolutely. There is no obligation on any local authority to fund a zoo. Every penny of our running costs is earned from our visitors and all our expansion works are funded from borrowed money (save the odd pound or two in donations) - this is the case for practically every zoo in the UK.
 
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