Tatiana's Law: Zoo Safety For All!
- by: Tatiana's Law group (on Yahoo Groups).
- recipient: Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren, California 16th Congressional District
On Christmas day 2007, a Siberian Tigress at the San Francisco Zoo was shot and killed after escaping her enclosure and attacking 3 men, two of whom had been seen harassing the animals in the Big Cats area. Carlos Sousa, Jr. died from his injuries, brothers Paul and Kulbir Dhaliwal survived. When a paramedic attempted to interview Paul Dhaliwal he refused saying "I don't want anyone to know". The brothers have had previous run-ins with police and have been charged for public intoxication, assault, and for resisting arrest on those previous occasions.
Experts have surmised that the tiger Tatiana's escape was not a random event, but that she was under great duress, most likely from being harassed. The zoo veterinarian's necropsy revealed that her rear claws were virtually shredded, with concrete chips embedded in her paw pads presumably from clawing her way up the moat wall. This was no escape to hunt (she had been fed shortly before and the necropsy showed she had a full belly). This was an animal agitated enough to do whatever she could to get to the source of her agitation. There has never been an occurrence such as this in the recorded history of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, according to the association.
The Tatiana's Law group members on Yahoo Groups are working for the protection of both humans and animals at all United States Zoos. We feel that legislation could and should be enacted to protect all species that enter United States Zoos. Our group is in the process of creating such a law, Tatiana's Law, that would go far to ensure safety and respect for all living things. Please sign the petition that would support the official writing of the bill, and please visit our website (www.pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/tatianaslaw) to voice your opinion or to leave your e-mail address, so that you may participate in approving a draft of the law that will be sent to lawmakers when it is ready.
for Tatiana's Law
We, the undersigned, being registered voters in the United States of America and animal and zoo lovers around the world, declare our agreement with and support of Tatiana's Law, which shall establish very clear and specific regulations concerning the construction, maintenance, and management of all zoos which permit access by the general populace, either paying or non-paying for such access. These regulations shall focus on the security, well-being, comfort and care of all mammals, reptiles, birds, aquatic life, and other living creatures falling under the ownership or custody of the zoo, and shall be strictly aimed at the prevention of any such creatures from escaping, either under normal conditions or conditions of stress or duress, the designed enclosures housing those creatures.
Tatiana's Law shall further establish and demand enforcement of specific rules and regulations directly concerning the actions and comportment of all visitors admitted to the zoo, whether paying or non-paying for that admission, and shall focus on the safety and well-being of the visitors and the zoo's resident inhabitants, allowing zoo authorities to deny admission at the discretion of those authorities, eject, detain, or arrest any visitor who is found to be teasing, tempting, taunting, harassing, torturing, attempting to cause harm or grief to, or attempting to release or cause a condition allowing or promoting the escape of any creature residing in the zoo.
Tatiana's Law shall be designed to offer the maximum in responsible, safe, and humane treatment of all creatures in the zoo, and the responsible, safe, and enjoyable experience of all people visiting and viewing those creatures.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
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