Ferraro and Wachs to Seek City Probe of Zoo Conditions

Los Angeles City Council President John Ferraro and Councilman Joel Wachs said Friday that they will ask the city attorney’s office to investigate conditions at the Los Angeles Zoo and determine whether any laws have been broken.

“Very disturbing reports have surfaced about problems and the welfare of animals at the zoo,” Ferraro said in a motion to be introduced Tuesday, the next time the council meets.

“These reports indicate that federal officials have found repeated violations of the Animal Welfare Act and the Los Angeles Zoo has been warned to correct these problems,” the motion says.

City Atty. James K. Hahn could not be reached for comment.

The motion also asks that Keith Comrie, the city’s chief administrative officer, aid in the investigation.

Ferraro called on the officials to report to the City Council within 30 days and recommend a program of remedial action.

Also Friday, Councilman Nate Holden said he will tour the zoo Monday to inspect conditions there. He said he will be joined by Jim Hadaway, director of the Department of Recreation and Parks, which oversees the zoo.

The Times reported Thursday that the zoo had been cited repeatedly by the U.S. Department of Agriculture for more than three years for inadequate food storage, sanitation and drainage problems, pest and rodent contamination, inadequate housing, run-down animal barns and other violations of federal regulations.

Further, zoo Director Warren Thomas failed to reply to a letter sent by the USDA nearly a year ago demanding an immediate response to a list of 10 chronic violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

Frustrated by the lack of response from the zoo, USDA officials formally warned the zoo in a letter earlier this week to correct the violations immediately or face stiff fines or revocation of its license to operate.

Thomas said this week that he was unaware of the USDA citations for several years, but recently began a crash program to correct the problems.

USDA officials said they decided to hold off on taking legal action against the zoo because significant improvements have been made in recent weeks. However, they warned that further violations could result in loss of license.

Mayor Tom Bradley has called for an immediate report on the allegations and the Greater Los Angeles Area Zoo Assn. said it will join in an investigation with officials of the Recreation and Parks Department. All said they had been unaware of the USDA citations.

In a press release Friday, Holden said he was “appalled” by reports of conditions at the zoo and wants Hadaway to come before the full council to explain the situation.

The council’s Arts, Health and Humanities Committee, chaired by Wachs, is expected to hold a hearing on the situation, but Holden said he wants Hadaway to report to the full council immediately.