Help Shut Down Horrific UK Zoo Where 500 Animals Died! [PETITION]

Earlier this week animal lovers everywhere rejoiced when news of a horrific zoo in Cumbria, UK was denied its renewal license to operate. However, the zoo’s owner, David Gill, has twenty-eight days from the ruling date to file an appeal. This appeal could extend the time until the zoo is officially shut down, which ultimately means the prolonged suffering and neglect of animals in deplorable conditions. If the history of this reprehensible facility has taught us anything, an appeal would mean more tragic and untimely deaths for captive animals.

The South Lakes Safari Zoo has been under much-deserved scrutiny for its severe neglect, abuse, and murder of innocent animals. In a mere four years, between 2012-2016, a whopping 486 animals died while held captive in South Lakes enclosures.

According to a petition from Care2, reports of these gruesome deaths were made by officers of the Barrow Borough Council. Among the atrocities were accounts that three animals were run over and killed by a train and sixteen animals (likely suffering from overcrowding and zoochosis) died after being attacked by other animals in their pen. A tortoise suffered death by electrocution by the zoo’s electric fencing, and a giraffe was shot and killed after it collapsed. Seven young and healthy lion cubs and five baboons were murdered for no reason given other than there was not enough space at the zoo.

Additionally, the Care2 petition details that zoo owner David Gill shot and killed eighteen Sacred Ibis birds after he feared being prosecuted for allowing them to fly freely. Two female snow leopards were discovered in their cages partially eaten, and two squirrel monkeys were given the diagnosis of septicemia, blood poisoning.

It does not take an Animal rights activist to know this zoo needs to be shut down forever. If these astonishing reports have affected you as much as they have affected us, then please sign this petition to immediately put an end to this zoo’s habitual animal abuse, and send the traumatized animals to a safe sanctuary.

Image Source: Down@Earth/Flickr