Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo is joining other zoos which are considering closing or killing (or transferring) animals due to budget shortfalls — as we continue to spend billions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Even if the zoo does not closed, one thousand animals may be euthanized or transferred from the zoo.
Despite the fact that zoos and parks are some of the most popular public programs, politicians are selling them off or closing them due to budget shortfalls (here). It will take three years and roughly $9 million to shutdown the Franklin zoo and a smaller zoo. While the legislature provided $6.5 million for the zoos, but Governor Patrick used a line-item veto to cut the funding to $2.5 million.
A single day of expenditures in Iraq would fund every zoo currently facing closure in America for years. Yet, we are cannibalizing our public parks and zoos to fund a war for a nation with some of the largest oil reserves in the world. Putting aside the hundreds of billions spent on these wars, it took massive incompetence among our politicians to get to the point that the United States cannot even sustain its parks and zoos. Yet, there appears to be little outcry or backlash from the public.
For the full story, click here.
This is really a sorry state of affairs, closing the Franklin Park Zoo. I cannot fathom the need of the State to consider such an action or to severely cut funding which would in effect cause the same action. I believe that Governor Patrick has done well for the State of Massachusetts and I hope that he will continue by finding funds to continue the long life of the Zoo. If necessary the legislature should override the line item reduction. I have been a member of the Zoo for many years and hope that I will continue to have this wonderful life option.
Any update?
Bull Crap ! What a cheap ploy to get money.
Nice to see your accompanying photo of a thriving zoo in a hard left foreign socialist paradise like Australia where a bipartisan penchant for over-regulation prevented a US-UK scale financial meltdown and where better health outcomes are achieved with fewer dollars (note Sydney CBD, Harbour and Opera House in background).
Couldn’t you find a photo of Franklin Park?
By now, you have most likely seen some of the extensive media coverage focused on the risk that Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo might close due to a drastic cut in funding from the Commonwealth. While this is certainly a troubling situation, we can all take encouragement from the growing outcry in support of the Zoos, and remain hopeful that this support will ultimately lead to a positive outcome.
We are very grateful to the many people who have contacted us to ask what they can do to help. With this in mind, we have developed a section of our website – http://www.zoonewengland.org/helpthezoos – to keep you and your fellow Zoo supporters up-to-date and offer specific steps that you can take to help ensure a bright future for Franklin Park Zoo and Stone Zoo.
Rabbi decides it’s OK for Jews to eat giraffe after declaring the animal’s meat kosher
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 5:06 PM on 06th June 2008
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1024749/Rabbi-decides-OK-Jews-eat-giraffe-declaring-animals-meat-kosher.html
recipe for cooking giraffe:
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/01/18/article-1121222-0319B3BA000005DC-231_468x332.jpg
Link:http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/food/article-1121222/Giraffe-Its-height-fine-dining-says-TV-chef-Hugh.html
It would truly be sad if a great city like Boston (and a great state like Massachusetts) were unable to have its own zoo. I really, really think someone has their priorities wrong there. The children (and animal-loving adults) of Boston need a good zoo to go to! For now, they have the Franklin Park Zoo — a place I’ve been to a few times. Every time I’ve gone, I’ve enjoyed myself. Its Tropical Rain Forest building is one of the nation’s best indoor jungles. If funds truly are a problem, I would suggest closing the Stone Zoo and keeping Franklin Park open.
Allen Nyhuis, Coauthor: America’s Best Zoos
This is amazing and pathetic. There has to be a way to keep the useful and beautiful things in our lives. How much poorer we would all be if we could never see wild animals where they are available to virtually everyone. Our spirit and wholeness has to be worth something in this world, and I don’t believe we can have either without the animals. Maybe it requires decisions like this one to make us look at the importance of zoos in our lives.
I wonder how much the Giraffe goes per pound. Is it as tasty as tiger?
Cheney in the monkey cage could raise some funds.
I remember the evil grin a monkey at Opryland had as he stretched one hand out to my wife… needing a human friend to help him in his time of emotional need. She was touched and as she smiled and approached, saying, “What a wonderful monkey. He likes me…”, he reached with his other hand and threw his shit at her and laughed and laughed and laughed.
This is precisely how I envision Cheney.
Cheney in the monkey cage could raise some funds.
Dibs on the giant anteater.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/54/151227551_60042800e7.jpg
With any luck they will use all the surplus WMD from Iraq to carry this out.
From today’s Boston Globe:
“Zoogoers reacted with shock and sadness yesterday to Zoo New England’s assertion that it might be forced to shut both of the Boston-area’s zoos and turn over control of animals to the state, a move zoo officials said could lead to the euthanizing of some animals.
“But even as several legislators vowed to override him, Governor Deval Patrick stood by the budget veto that slashed zoo aid from $6.5 million to $2.5 million in the belief that the private-public partnership can find a way to stay open by reducing its costs or raising money from visitors and donors.”
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/07/12/news_of_zoos8217_financial_woes_stuns/
58 comments so far.
Until I was age 6, my family lived down Glen Road from Franklin Park and spent a lot of time there. It was wonderful.
In the meantime, I have tried to do my share. I went online at Zoo New England and made my own contribution:
http://www.zoonewengland.org/Page.aspx?pid=219
I hope that other friends of the Zoo, past and present, will step up.