A company has rebuffed claims that it has waged a ‘campaign of harassment’ against a South Cumbria zoo.
The Zoo Investment Company came under fire from a boss at South Lakes Safari Zoo at a council meeting last Thursday.
The Zoo Investment Company, which is the landlord of the zoo, was accused by Anna Gillard, zoo director, of waging a campaign against it that had been driven by ‘greed’.
Ms Gillard’s comments, which included claims of ‘lies’ and ‘dishonesty’ on the part the landlord, came amid scrutiny of the zoo brought about, in part, by reports sent to the council by The Zoo Investment Company.
But The Zoo Investment Company, which says it was declined permission to attend the special meeting of Barrow Borough Council’s licensing regulatory committee, has dismissed Ms Gillard’s claims.
A spokesman for the company said its prime interest was the welfare of the animals.
The spokesman said the company had paid for an inspector from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to visit the zoo, which is near Dalton, on a regular basis to report on the animals and general conditions.
“This is what the Cumbria Zoo Company Ltd [the licence holder] staff refer to as ‘harassment’ despite that fact that reports have found a continuing list of serious animal welfare issues,” he said.
“These have been forwarded to Barrow Borough Council, together with graphic photographic evidence.”
Thursday’s committee meeting followed a November inspection of the South Lakes Safari Zoo by the borough council that commended aspects of the zoo but also raised concerns.
Among the comments fed back from the inspection was that the rhinos at the zoo were subject to a ‘time-share’ system of rotation that limited the time they spent outdoors.
After lengthy discussions, the licensing regulatory committee reached a number of conclusions, announced by committee chairman Cllr Tony Callister.
Cllr Callister said this had to be implemented by no later than February 16, 2024.
