Controversial zoo ordered to close
Posted Jun 1, 2011 5:22 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A zoo near Three Hills, embroiled in controversy has been ordered to shut down in seven days.
GuZoo’s Animal Farm first began making headlines in April, when a Facebook campaign circulated images of dozens of animals living in poor conditions.
The province conducted an independent review of the facility, and has decided not to renew its license.
The review focused on 108 different elements from Alberta Zoo Standards, and deficiencies in all categories of zoo operations.
The Minister of Sustainable Resources, Mel Knight, tells 660News, they did not make the decision lightly.
“It became apparent to me that there were a number of major deficiencies relative to that facility that would require me to take a look at me decommissioning the facility,” he says. “This has, as you know, been ongoing for a number of years and I think it is the most responsible action that we can take right now.”
Zoo owner Lynn Gustafson tells 660News he’s disappointed in the decision and worried about his animals.
“These animals have been here for 20 years, some of them as long as the zoo has been here, and everything here has to be treated as a zoo animal, which means you, have to get rid of them all,” he says.
Gustafson says he’s upset with the way the investigation was handled.
“I’m just very disappointed that the province of Alberta has turned into a dictatorship, where you have no rights whatsoever,” he says. “They can do a report on you and they don’t give you a chance to conform if there are shortcomings, or anything else and they can just take you license away from you.”
Knight says there was no way the zoo would have been able to comply with all of the recommendations.
It’s not clear where the animals will be sent.
