Friday, July 17, 2009

Need a Giraffe? Zoo Animals Look for Place to Live

Our economic turmoil has reached a new low. Two state-funded zoos, Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo, may have to close due to an over 50 percent budget cut imposed by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick. They originally were granted $6.5 million for the 2010 year, but now that number has dropped to $2.5 million. If the zoos don’t get that money back, they will have only two options: to either send animals off to other zoos or to euthanize them! Lawyers are looking into getting the $4 million back, but if they don’t, the zoos will need to find new homes for over 1,000 animals. Of course, there are cutbacks at other zoos too, so my guess is they will not find enough places for these animals to go. While a zoo is usually thought of as a place that protects animals, now the exact opposite may happen.

What do you think about budget cutbacks at zoos? Please comment below.

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