A British Columbia zoo that has been criticized for its treatment of a young hippopotamus is expected on Wednesday to become the first in Canada to face animal cruelty charges.
FROM AUG. 13, 2005: Zoo criticized for baby hippo barn
The Greater Vancouver Zoo is expected to face charges laid by the B.C. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which enforces laws relating to animal cruelty and prepares cases for prosecution.
The Vancouver Humane Society has been lobbying for charges since Hazina the hippo was moved to the Aldergrove facility from a zoo in Quebec in October 2004.
The very social animal has been kept in solitary confinement in a windowless shed with a very shallow pool since its arrival, society spokesman Peter Fricker said. "Alone, without access to the outdoors, with only a small shallow pool to wade in, and we feel that's totally inappropriate for an animal of that size."
Fricker said the zoo would be the first in Canada to be charged with cruelty to animals.
Hippo featured in television ad
Hazina was the star of a Telus commercial that aired on television last Christmas, with the proceeds to be used to build her a new home and pool that is supposed to open later next month.
But Julie Woodyer, a spokeswoman for the animal rights group Zoocheck, said the process has taken too long, adding the zoo has been warned repeatedly to make improvements.
"The SPCA gave them every opportunity to rectify the situation and move the animal into a better situation, and as far as I can tell, they just ignored that and went ahead and left her in a concrete barn," Woodyer said.
Zoo defends hippo's treatment
The zoo's animal care manager, Jamie Dorgen, said he's surprised at the pending charges. He said the SPCA had been working with the zoo for months and had seemed happy with the zoo's progress.
Hazina's new pool is going to open soon, Dorgen said, and the hippo has been doing well.
"She's doing great," he said. "She eats regularly. We spend a lot of time with her, working on her target training, which is great enrichment for an intelligent animal like a hippo. She gets all sorts of different enrichment opportunities as well with other things.
"And the reason we can say that she's doing very well is because she's in great mental condition. She shows no signs of having any problems at all. She's in great physical condition."
Dorgen said the zoo would plead not guilty to the charges under the Animal Cruelty Act, which provide for a fine of up to $2,000 and six months in jail.