When I was a kid I used to love going to zoos and looking at all the different animals. As a kid I thought it was a neatest thing ever to be able to go up personally and close to see the animals. As I got older I realize that the animals just weren't happy being contained and confined between bars. It was basically just like to jail for animals except unlike jails the animals weren't holders of crimes.

Of course none of the animals want to be living in artificial enclosures their whole lives being shouted and taunted at by people and little kids hitting the glass of their enclosures. Now I'm not saying all parts of zoos are bad, I know that there are lots of benefits of zoos. For example: breeding programs for endangered species, helping injured animals etc. But do you really want to pay money to go and see animals in distress?

In reality, most people only spend a few seconds at each display, waiting for the animals to do something “exciting,” but they gain little, if any, true understanding of the animals. In addition, captive animals don’t get to choose their mates, and they are sometimes artificially inseminated so that their babies can be sold or traded to other zoos. This often results in miscarriages, death at birth, or the mother’s rejection of her young. The Chinese government “rents” pandas tozoosworldwide for fees of more than $1 million per year!

Traveling androadside zoosare even crueler. Animals are often kept in barren cages, such as concrete pens, and in stressful environments, with nothing more than an old tire or a log to stimulate their minds and enrich their lives. People have also been sickened—and some have died—after contracting diseases from animals inpetting zoos.

Instead of going to the zoo, you can learn about animals by watching nature documentaries or observing the animals in their own natural habitats instead. Now that I know the reality behind zoos, I don’t go to the zoo, and I encourage my friends and family to boycott them as well. I love animals, and I want to see them free, not held captive behind bars!

Except what about the animals that are native and in their natural climate who are rescued from the wild. If they aren't able to be released back into the wild because of rehabilitation issues etc. should we be aloud to go see them in zoos? I believe we should have the privilege to go see them! Here are my reasonings:

1. They are in there natural climate, so we are not proving them of any features or needs they would need somewhere where there was a different climate.

2. They are native to the land and therefor there is an extremely lower chance of them getting sick because of temperature etc. problems

3.They're not able to return back to the wild; therefor keeping them in zoos would only help by educating us.

4. If we keep native animals ONLY there will be a lot more space for the animals enclosure making them feel like they are in the wild.

5. If there are only native species therefor being less animals there will be more and proper care for them unlike some animals who are from different places and have needs that we are unaware of.

Although I am making this petition about the Vancouver Zoo this petition applies to all zoos around the world. Please sign my portion and help save and support the animals at the GREATER VANCOUVER ZOO!

By: Natalie Rathler