A special zoo inspection will be made in the next three months to ensure it is keeping accurate veterinary records.
Officers told members of the regulatory committee for Westmorland and Furness Council there would be a special inspection of South Lakes Safari Zoo near Dalton to ensure compliance with the requirements to keep suitably comprehensive veterinary records on site.
According to documents prepared for the meeting, South Lakes Safari Zoo is operated by Cumbria Zoo Company Limited (CZCL) , the licence-holder, and animals are mostly under the care of the International Zoo Veterinary Group (IZVG). Animals owned or managed by the Zoo Investment Company (ZIC), the landlord, are under the care of Dr Kate Hornby.
An informal inspection of the zoo conducted by the council found that veterinary records of animals under the care of Dr Hornby were ‘incomplete and basic’.
The inspectors report added: “It is essential that Dr Hornby understands clearly the requirements under the Zoo Licensing Act and laid out in the Secretary of State’s standards of modern zoo practice (SSMZP) regarding the keeping of suitable records on site and available for inspection by inspectors.
“These records must also be compliant with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) code of conduct.”
Following the inspection, letters were sent to both CZLC and the ZIC advising them of their veterinary responsibilities under the Zoo Licensing Act and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons Code of Conduct.
In a statement CZCL said: “We are doing everything possible to ensure any animal within the zoo perimeter receives veterinary care as and when it requires and that that care is documented in line with SSSMZP and the RCVS standards.
“Specialist zoo vets IZVG and Dr Karen Archer, who you will be aware is a Secretary of State zoo inspector as well as a well-respected and extremely qualified zoo veterinarian, have an overriding eye on the whole animal collection and the veterinary care being administered and recorded and are responding immediately to any potential shortcomings or gaps.”
Karen Brewer, chief executive of Cumbria Zoo Company Limited, said: “The further inspection is welcomed by us to ensure the continued care of the small number of animals owned by the new landlords.
“We should emphasise that a small number of animals originally on loan agreements from South Lakes Safari Zoo including flamingos, squirrel monkeys, a number of ring tail lemurs, kangaroos, vultures and condors passed to the new landlords the Zoo Investment Company in the sale.
“The Zoo Investment Company cancelled the animal agreements and have not collected them. That left the animals on site without a vet as we cannot appoint a vet to animals we don’t either own or have an agreement for.
“To be clear, the Zoo Investment Company appointed Kate Hornby to be responsible for these animals. During that inspection it is Kate Hornby who has been under question for experience, record keeping and knowledge. We are working tirelessly to move those animals as soon as we can.
“Animal welfare is always our number one priority, so the inspectors’ concerns about Zoo Investment Company’s veterinary provision are concerns shared by us. We’re pushing for this situation to be resolved as quickly as possible.
CZLC is also required to inform the council within seven days of any animal leaving the site however no additional conditions were placed on the licence by members of the committee.
Deputy leader of the Labour group councillor Bill McEwan (Ormsgill and Parkside) praised the work of CZCL in the meeting.
He said: “I can honestly say what they’re doing is fantastic for the area and I would like to say congratulations because reading the report a lot of things have been adhered to and addressed.”
Janette Kemp, CEO of the Zoo Investment Company, disputed the comments in the inspectors report that state the veterinary records for animals under the care of Dr Hornby were ‘incomplete’.
She said : “Dr Hornby has and had properly completed all the clinical vet records including test results which were shared verbally on site at the zoo with the CZCL and backed up with emails.
“However at the the time of the inspection physical clinical notes and tests for the three animals were kept at Dr Hornby’s practice. Dr Hornby had not been made unaware that they needed to be kept at the zoo but following the zoo inspection she immediately took all records to the site where they are now stored.
“The records were up to date at all times and to suggest that they weren’t and that they were ‘basic’ is incorrect.”
Ms Kemp said the health of animals is ZIC’s top priority.
Ms Kemp added: “Our prime interest as owners of the zoo is the welfare of the animals. A court order remains in place allowing us to visit the zoo on a weekly basis and we will continue to send in our inspectors to highlight the many continuing issues.
“With regards to the animals and birds that we own and or which fall under our control, and which currently remain at the zoo, our team is in the process of finding suitable approved homes so that they can be removed at the earliest opportunity.”
