To think DH's view is far too grim about the zoos

[Return2thebasic]

I spotted in the news that the zoo we visited a month ago might end up close permanently if the lockdown is extended any further.

That promoted me to ask DS if he wants to chip in with his pocket money while I match his donation by x2. DS agreed to make a £10 donation, so we together could feed a sealion for a day (shocking!).

I told DH in the evening, as I thought my improvising was pretty smart. We helped the animals and it also gave DS an opportunity to show kindness. But DH's response was like "The zoo is owned by someone. That someone is probably quite rich and the zoo is a profitable business for him in normal time. By giving money to the zoo, you are just helping a millionaire to avoid dipping into his own pocket to feed the animals." ...Not exactly his words, but something like that.

I just can't help but feeling his view is too grim. Not only spoiled my good feeling, but also made me too confused to be either proud or feeling stupid.

What's your view on this? Shall I feel stupid?

My view is that you shouldn’t visit zoos at all - they’re horrible and incredibly cruel.

Zoos are grim. You're paying to gawp at caged creatures. It's even worse that they pretend to be about conservation instead of entertainment and profit.

Maybe donate your £10 to an animal charity. A real one that actually helps animals.

Has he not paid any attention to what Chester zoo or Jimmy's farm do?

Zoos are depressing and cruel. I would not try to help them to keep going though obviously any closure plan has to face the issue of what to do with all the animals who likely would be unable to survive in natural habitats. It’s a no win situation.

It depends on the zoo. There are some that are well worthwhile supporting and there are others that are as he says.

Some councils in the UK have appalling low standards for animal welfare and let owners away with murder.

Zois are awful places, prisons for animals and upset there with the killer whale's imprisoned in seaworld

It depends, surely? What did the zoo say when you asked them how best to help, and how does their funding work?

If you're contributing to a recognised fund or in the process of organising one, tell your DH he's being really rude. OTOH, if you just made a random donation, then that's more about letting a small child feel they've done something nice.

I have a feeling if zoos shut permanently what'll be needed will be really serious organisation/ hard choices, and it is grim.

Zoos help breed rare and endangered species.....
Yes many will probably close
Help them

Not dim. I am with you. I donated to Chester zoo. They are doing great work and I would like them to be able to continue.

It depends a little bit on the zoo but most are structured probably more closely to non-profits than corporate entities. A number of zoos use the money from profits to fund conservation programmes, raise awareness and in some cases educate locals. A local zoo to us takes in animals that were pets and weren’t able to live in domestic homes (shockingly ). I’m sure there are some zoos out there that are just profit making entities but most aren’t.

Many people don't appear to realise that some animals need breeding programmes that zoos run for survival of their species

I think often people do realise that, @reborn2020, but when you have zoos that have (say) 5 male seal lions and some penguins, I think the breeding programme might run up against a few hurdles ...

@Dongdingdong, @ZoeTurtle. I haven't thought about it from this angle. But that's a topic evokes too many different views and emotions. I have to admit that I subconsciously chose to not think about it that way, same as I never highlighted to a child the meat he eats comes from animals which were once alive... Selfish human, huh? But for the zoo, I do think it needs to be a balance. It brought the nature closer to my child and therefore educated him to love the nature. One day, hopefully, he would care enough to make a difference which outweighs the less-than-ethical act of visiting caged animals...

Many zoos are charities or other nonprofits nowadays.

@SarahAndQuack

I think often people do realise that, *@reborn2020*, but when you have zoos that have (say) 5 male seal lions and some penguins, I think the breeding programme might run up against a few hurdles ...

That doesn’t mean they don’t contribute to the breeding programmes though.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park recently homed young male polar bear from Highland WP to join their male group. They still have a big part to play in the breeding programme as they’ve allowed space for HWP to breed again (there is a major shortage of females) and in time, once their rescued bears all pass on, they’ll have good experience with the bears to play an active part.

There needs to be spaces for potentially non-breeding animals to be held for the breeding programmes to be able to continue.

Why would you not tell your child where the meat he eats comes from?

Honestly, you won't be able to keep that up for long. Once he learns to talk he will soon find out.

It's a difficult one, as as much as I hate to see animals in captivity they need to be fed and looked after and without ticket sales many zoos will be forced to close. I can't bear to think what will happen to the animals if that happens . We've stuck these poor animals in zoos so we have a duty to give them the best life possible. Some might be able to go back into the wild but most wouldn't be able to adapt to survive.
I'm with you, op. If the zoos need donations to feed their animals I will donate.

@lyralalala - of course, that's absolutely true, and I shouldn't be so glib.

What I mean is, sometimes it is quite clear animals are being kept for entertainment and not for any good cause. IME zoos that are trying to be ethical are able to explain this, and say why they have a young male polar bear or three elderly lions or whatever it is. But, the unethical zoos are the ones who keep ones and twos of all sorts of things, and they aren't interested in breeding programmes or anything related to breeding programmes.

@SarahAndQuack, of course he knows. That's why I said "never highlighted". Acknowledgement is enough. Too much would only scare him and make him feel horrible...(We have no intention to turn him into a vegetarian in such a way - no offence, just not our choice.)

The Highland Wildlife Park also stated that Hamish will be part of the breeding programme in time too.

I think Edinburgh and the Wildlife Park have worked incredibly hard to ensure that they are providing suitable areas for the animals they keep and I actively support them. I'm not sure that's the case for all zoos though.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

Not dim. I am with you. I donated to Chester zoo. They are doing great work and I would like them to be able to continue.

I too admire Chester Zoo's ethos. I visited the Gerald Durrell zoo in Jersey once and that is good too.

There are number of spieces which were saved from extinction by zoos. Some are absolutely amazing in the work they do.

I woudl absolutely agree to unified minimum standards of care and size of enclosure and such and closure of zoos not providing that. Obviously with slower phasing in so animals can be rehomed

@jessstan1 check out Prague zoo too. Amazing. Took us all day and they have some impressive breeding programs.

@LagneyandCasey, that was my argument too. The animals need to be fed. What if this owner (I don't know if they are NPO or not) reaches to the conclusion that he has had enough of taking out of his own pocket?

I love Edinburgh Zoo, but of course not all zoos are equal.
I don't necessarily agree with your husband but getting your DS to donate his money seems a bit off to me.