ZooCheck New Zealand

The Objectives of the Trust are:-

1: To promote animal welfare, and in particular to prevent the suffering, both physical and psychological, of animals in captivity.

2: To promote the conservation of animals in their natural habitat and to encourage the protection of the natural environment.

3: To provide educational material to all ages encouraging a better understanding and a greater respect for wild animals and their needs.

4: To undertake educational & research activities dealing with promotion of animal welfare & conservation of the natural environment.

ZooCheck New Zealand advocates that a legislative programme of zoo reform be undertaken which will:
 

1. Establish enforceable minimum animal welfare standards, reviewed periodically by an independent  review panel.

2. Establish a mandatory licensing system to include a licence to operate, a licence to breed and compulsory accredited staff training programmes.

3. Introduce a provision into zoo licences according all rare and endangered species a 'protected status', preventing  zoos from transferring, selling, exchanging or destroying any individuals of these species without an independent consultative process.

4. Introduce a 'passport system' for captive wildlife in zoos to ensure accountability  in the transfer, sale, exchange or disposal of stock.

5. Draw up provisions  for a 'Zoo Bond' in the form of a guaranteed closure fund into which all zoos pay.  This will underwrite operational and care costs in the event of closure for a limited period thereby ensuring that the closure of zoos does not cause the unnecessary suffering of zoo animals.

6. Establish an independent national consultative panel to include wildlife professionals, humane society representatives, zoo professionals and animal behaviourists and psychologists charged with drawing up ethical guidelines, procedures and a compulsory Code of Conduct aimed at protecting wild animals in captivity.
 

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