Lujan Zoo petition

Lujan Zoo, in Argentina, controversially allows visitors to enter enclosures and cages to have their photographs taken cuddling and even sitting on the backs of some of the most dangerous prediators in the world. The animals appear to be very sedate and tame, with keepers seen 'playing' rough and tumble games with them.

Visitors can even hold the smaller animals and manhandle them, at risk to themselves and the creatures. Shockingly, there does not appear to be much by way of safety regulations to protect either visitors or the animals. Even children are allowed to enter the lion's cage and fondle a range of animals that have the potential to maim or kill.

The Born Free Foundation is recommending that concerned members of the public contact the Head of Mission, Mr Enrique Ferrer Vieyra, at the Argentine Embassy in London. This petition will be sent to him explaining that no one wants to see animals forced to behave in ways which are abnormal and degrading to them, and that no one wants to see Lujan Zoo (or any zoo) putting its visitors at risk.


Will Travers, CEO of the Born Free Foundation, said: 'I am fearful that a terrible accident is going to happen. The zoo is, in my view, placing the lives of its visitors at great risk by encouraging them to have 'close encounters' with dangerous, potentially lethal, wild animals.

'Anyone who has any knowledge of big cats will understand that they are wild animals and, as such, as unpredictable. Born Free is calling on the authorities to launch an immediate investigation into these practices.'

Wild animals, even in captivity, are dangerous and unpredictable, and there are tragic accidents happen every year. Even high profile trainers have been unable to predict how 'trained' animals will behave. In China, in 2008, a young girl was killed by a tiger she was being photographed with (it is thought the tiger was startled by the camera's flash), and in 2009 a woman was mauled by a supposedly 'tame' captive tiger in Thailand.

The physical and psychological suffering of animals in zoos is not what members of the public want to pay to see or support, and those visiting zoos need to know their safety, and the safety of their children, is never at risk.








We, the undersigned, are calling on the relevent authorities to
launch a full investiagtion of Lujan Zoo and to make the treatment and
quality of life for the animals there a top priority, with the
practice of visitors being allowed into cages to pet, ride and be
photographed with the animals ceased immediately.

Lujan Zoo, in
Argentina, controversially allows visitors to enter enclosures and
cages to have their photographs taken cuddling and even sitting on the
backs of some of the most dangerous prediators in the world. The
animals appear to be very sedate and tame, with keepers seen 'playing'
rough and tumble games with them.

Visitors can even hold the
smaller animals and manhandle them, at risk to themsleves and the
creatures. Shockingly, there does not appear to be much by way of
safety regulations to protect either visitors or the animals. Even
children are allowed to enter the lion's cage and fondle a range of
animals that have the potential to maim or kill.

No one wants to
see animals forced to behave in ways which are abnormal and degrading
to them, and no one wants to see Lujan Zoo (or any zoo) putting its
visitors at risk.



The Born Free Foundation is an international animal charity that
has deep concerns, (based on what it has been able to see and read on
Lujan Zoo's website, international press coverage and also members of
the publics internet 'blogs'), that the lives of the zoo's visitors are
at great risk with the zoo encouraging them to have 'close encounters'
with dangerous, potentially lethal, wild animals.

Wild animals,
even in captivity, are dangerous and unpredictable, and there are
tragic accidents happen every year. Even high profile trainers have
been unable to predict how 'trained' animals will behave. In China, in
2008, a young girl was killed by a tiger she was being photographed
with (it is thought the tiger was startled by the camera's flash), and
in 2009 a woman was mauled by a supposedly 'tame' captive tiger in
Thailand.



The physical and psychological suffering of animals in zoos is
not what members of the public want to pay to see or support, and
those visiting zoos need to know their safety, and the safety of their
children, is never at risk.



Thank you for taking the time to read my letter.

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