BC SPCA Is Investigating Animal Cruelty Claims At Vancouver Aquarium & Greater Vancouver Zoo
A hippo was "floating listlessly" while other animals were pacing along a fence, the report claims.
A hippo in an enclosure at Greater Vancouver Zoo. Right: a sea lion in a water tank.
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An investigation into allegations of animal cruelty at Vancouver Aquarium and the Greater Vancouver Zoo is underway, B.C. SPCA has confirmed.
The Vancouver Humane Society said it has submitted footage that allegedly shows "a hippo floating listlessly in a barren indoor pool" and "lions, tigers, and bears endlessly pacing along a fence."
Their report to the B.C. SPCA also claims that African penguins were "huddling for long periods of time around a door in their enclosure," sea otters were "repeatedly trying to peel back the edges of their tank" and a sea lion was "abnormally sucking on the ground."
VHS Campaign Director Emily Pickett said that when animals are unable to express their natural behaviours, they may engage in "stereotypic behaviours."
"Consider that a giraffe's natural habitat ranges from the size of Stanley Park to the size of Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, and Surrey combined [...] The giraffe enclosure at the Greater Vancouver Zoo is thousands of times smaller than their natural roaming distance," she added.
A B.C. SPCA spokesperson told Narcity that they look into every complaint they receive and they have opened a file to investigate the VHS allegations.
In response, a spokesperson for the Vancouver Aquarium said: "We take this very seriously, as ensuring the highest standards in animal care, health and wellbeing are the aquarium’s founding principles."
The spokesperson said that the Vancouver Aquarium has offered B.C. SPCA officials a walk-through of their facility.
A Greater Vancouver Zoo spokesperson also said they were also aware of the "opinion piece" regarding their park.
They added, "The Greater Vancouver Zoo takes the health and welfare of animals very seriously. As a CAZA and WAZA accredited facility we meet and exceed all provincial and federal requirements."