Animals in Venezuela zoos are starving to death. Over 50 animals have already died. Once proud lions can barely stand, their ribs painfully jutting out, erratically rising and falling as breaths coming in short gasps. Too weak to move, these once healthy animals now lie and wait for death– we must act now.
Lions in one Caracas zoo have been kept alive with mango and pumpkin – chronic food shortages mean that it is likely that all these animals will die.
Some animals had not fed for two weeks before a merciful death overtook them, ending their pain. Once glossy fur stretched tight over muscle and sinew, now dull, wrinkled and matted; too big for their lifeless bodies. Monkeys stare with pleading eyes from between their bars, eyes that show pain and desperation pleading for anything, just a tiny something to eat. Bears reach out with their paws that looked almost comically too big for their shrunken bodies. Only it is not a joke, they are reaching out in desperation as they look to the people passing by for help. Paying no attention to the people in better times, now in a bid to live, to be rid of the pains of hunger it knows who to reach out to: Us, people, humans! Only no one can help.
There is just no food. Venezuela in grip of a severe economic crisis.
Venezuela is in political turmoil, but this is no time to play the blame game, we need to act, and we need to act now. We are calling for all those who can help, to send a lifeline to these zoos, to these starving animals. This petition will be sent out to any animal foreign aid organizations, to international animal rescue organizations and animal rescue projects. But without you, it will never reach them. Without your signature, the plight of these animals will not reach anyone who can help. They will die and no one would have done anything.
Sign this petition with me, and let us get this message out to all organizations that can help. With your voice, we can send a ray of hope for these desperate animals. This is not a demand, it is a plea, a cry for help. Let us cry out in unison to save the animals in Venezuelan zoos from a terrible slow death.
Make your voice heard, sign this petition and send it to all your friends and family. You are the hero that these animals need. No one is listening until our voice shouts through the darkness – save the animals of Venezuelan zoos. Send food, volunteers, medical volunteers - feet on the ground to distribute food and give aid.
The lives of these animals are now in your hands, this is your first step to save them
