Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com
Published - Wednesday, September 05, 2007
Don’t mistreat zoo animals
Having been out of the La Crosse area for some time, I took a stroll through Myrick Park yesterday. I discovered that the zoo now houses a ferret. I am disheartened at the lack of care for this animal. She (and her food) was covered in flies and in a building with no air conditioning.
Unless there was another ferret hiding somewhere, I did not spot a playmate for her. Her tail was balding which could likely be due to the stress of being confined. Being a “mom” to two of these very loving and curious animals, I know that they need social interaction to thrive.
Ferrets do not have the ability to sweat as humans do; therefore, the fan placed by the cage does little good. They also do not possess the ability to pant like a dog does, for example, so heat is very hard on their little bodies. Because this ferret is exposed to mosquitoes and is in the vicinity of wild animals, I would hope that she has had proper vaccinations against heartworm, distemper and the like.
In my opinion, if this “zoo” cannot recreate a close to natural habitat as possible, then none of the animals should be there. I saw nothing more than concrete slabs that smelled of waste. It is truly sad and an embarrassment to La Crosse. Though I applaud the efforts of educating others about animals, it should be done with compassion and respect for their well being, and I surely did not encounter that during my visit.
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