Seventeen claims of animal abuse made against Dublin Zoo have been dismissed, according to a report by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). The accusations, dated all the way back to 2004, were made by former zoo employees. These were then submitted to An Garda Síochána in 2023 and subsequently handed over to the NPWS.
The NPWS partially substantiated one claim concerning a Californian sea lion named Kipper who passed away during childbirth in August 2004. The report conceded that prompt action might have been favourable, however, the course of actions applied was congruent with the understanding and equipment accessible during that period.
The investigators reported that in some cases, the whistleblowers were uninformed or misinformed due to absence during the incident or a lack of detail concerning the events. The report stated that some claims, such as an ostrich dying from a pelvic fracture caused by mating were unsupported by any solid evidence.
In fact, nine of the total seventeen charges were found to be of a HR nature, arising from a disagreement between a whistleblower and Dublin Zoo’s senior management. NPWS pointed out that the allegations demonstrated a lack of credibility and a failure to learn from experiences that could have improved their basic animal husbandry knowledge.
Dublin Zoo on their part expressed their disappointment that the accusers failed to engage with staff to confirm the veracity of their claims, which caused immense sorrow to the staff.
The zoo has confirmed: “The NPWS have categorically stated that the Dublin Zoo staff are unwavering in their dedication to upholding the highest standards of animal welfare, ensuring the dignity and well-being of every creature under their care, both individually and as groups.
“The document underlines Dublin Zoo’s ongoing commitment to prioritising the welfare of our animals, continuously adapting our methods and facilities to keep pace with the most recent standards and understanding in animal care. Our commitment to transparency remains resolute, evidenced by our open dialogue and collaboration with the NPWS audit team.”
Dublin Zoo accepted that human error is “inescapable” in managing animal welfare, hence the steps taken once a problem is spotted, and how it’s resolved, are critical.
“We are gratified that Dublin Zoo’s reputation, along with our devoted staff and volunteers who passionately enact our animal welfare mandate every day, has once more been vindicated,” the zoo wrapped up.”