Ch 17 Reports

Erm. The Buffalo Zoo has a long history of labor management difficulties but recent

developments in that battle may indicate there was more at stake than working hours and fringe benefits. A number of workers at the zoo have come forth with a barrage of complaints aimed directly at zoo director Thomas Whitman. Those charges allege the director not only is at odds with the workers but may not have the best interest of the zoo's animals at heart. The director is doing basically nothing for the animals I would like. After years of seeing animals suffer I would like to see the suffering ended. I see him as taking no steps to end the suffering. We have not put an animal in an inhumane condition here. We have not endangered a single animal's life by anything that we have done. We have not made a purchase that was imprudent based on pricing or who we purchased it from. I don't know what other basis you can make a judgment call. We haven't. And like I say we haven't done anything wrong. The workers complaints about the zoo's direction were spelled out in a six page letter sent anonymously December 10th to the Zoological society's board of directors.

The concerned employees of ours do send a letter to the Board of Trustees of the zoo and we pointed out in this letter some circumstances that we would like to see remedied at our zoo. Circumstances that deal with the welfare of the animals. OK and one case that was pointed out in this letter was the fact that our director Mr Whitman had purchased some wild caught African birds. There were no display areas available for these people. But Mr Whitman Regardless today had no regard for this in order the birds anyway. Well the birds were subsequently kept off a display not seen by the public. Many of these birds died there. I feel personally that it was a waste of both wildlife so wild about birds and super funds. He spent money on birds today even in the expressed a desire to purchase two wild birds taken from the wild to wild. March leaders from Africa.

Now these birds were price listed at $5000 for the pair. Now these birds are I think their wingspan is something like six six to seven feet and that with. And Mr. Whitman was willing to spite my efforts to change the conditions. OK despite my pleas he was willing to bring these birds in and keep them off of this plane for seven months of the year without flight. When the purchase was proposed. We did not think it was a good idea. And we sat down with the director on several different occasions it was took us a couple of days of. Sometimes rather heated discussions and we decided that for all concerned in the long run it was not a good idea to get these birds and everybody was in total agreement. And they haven't been purchased and of course they won't be purchased. Designer status that purchase was never in fact made. Yes it wasn't and then I think is really due to the fact that there was pressure being put on Mr. Whitman. OK and I think you start to feel it. Also under fire from the workers is the neuronal house. They claim the structure not only is an

unsafe place to work but has in adequate facilities for the animals as well. You see the fight over the heating over there is a problem. And. I think they've had a repair. Install at least 62 of the heating units since the place was built. I know that this fire is the animal point that they are in inside these small stalls are large enough for them to turn around but they have to live there about. 7 or 8 months out of the year and the building is not well ventilated at all and which means that they have to breathe their own urea fuel use they're very strong in there. Even the men who worked there complained about it and I know and the fact that the water supply is very questionable since animal keepers work with animals we feel we know the animals OK. Now one one one of our rhinos that was brought in sadly died I believe the autopsy report was very nebulous. I'm From what I understand it did not

show any specific cause of death. OK now if it did I have an answer for that but the fact I feel it is. The right house is basically a very depressing environment to house a living thing. The Santa was brought in. And because it was in a very depressive environment I think the animal got depressed. I think depression causes stress I think stress cause disease I think disease causes death. Essentially the exhibits are biologically extinct. We wish we would design exhibits that would self-destruct in 20 years. We wouldn't have the same problems we've got now. It would mean these buildings would have been rebuilt 20 years ago. However what's happened is the state of the art of keeping out of those in captivity is changing. And what we're trying to do is come up with the dollars to correct the problems that are wrong with facilities. We've got everything from cages that even though environmentally they're the right size and they meet all the minimum specifications and everything they don't meet the standards that we ourselves set. That means there's a logical society says for what we think

we should be as a zoo here in Buffalo. The right of the house is the first structure built under the society's master plan of improvements. Workers complain the animals are up public display eight months of the year the rhinos are kept in Stahl's OK barred Stahl's. For eight months out of the year the stars are approximately 13 by 20 feet large. Alright it was like 10 feet long. They can hardly move in there and they're in there for eight months of the year the public display so that the the public will not see them for the ignorance 90 percent of our public comes to this is who in the time of year when those animals are on public display is dealing with the winter issue vs. summer. The building was designed not as a horse farm but is around a building and you have to design around a building like a bomb shelter from the inside out and you can't put water dishes in there as an example because the animals may pick that spot to defecate in. And I haven't seen a rhino dish yet that's that or a dish yet that's right no proof as far as designing all these factors have to

be to. Count. The injury Johnson design the building and I didn't design the building and I have them because are the experts in the field. I'm sure Mr. women will say something like Well 90 percent of the public comes through when the animals are out in the summertime. Well first of all I doubt that statistic it may be it may be a high percentage of people who do see the rhinos in the summertime. But again you completely forget about the year the Rhinos for the eight months of the year what about them. You know again these animals are wild caught except for young Arthur who was born here but their wild caught and. This rhino house isn't it. No way it's changed from prison conditions it's continuing that antiquated idea to take an animal put it in a cage leave it there. The major criticism concerning the safety of the facility revolves around the single steel pins holding the doors close to the rhinos 13 by 20 foot panels. One condition that is really potentially dangerous exists for example in the rhino house of a.

Phase one of the master plan to keep or as to put it all into a slot in order to keep the rhinos locked in in their small quarters and yet. And while the keeper is doing this the rhino can open the door with its horn. And he can nail the keeper the keeper can be trumped up to know he's a Muslim. And I got to move from here to there. They don't think you'll hear the narrative here. You know that there are right you can yell Open the door there. Don't you know that he would I'm not going to know what you want your he will adore him but I have them and they're going to be right to know and if

you know your room they can avoid going out at night or they would say Mike let me run you out of writing love songs. Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah. Oh man. Basically he would hear oh I don't know I'm on the earth. Maybe a bad leader. Peter when peter off comes out he just didn't get the letter. Are there any other safety hazards with the building fire. Their whole system the warnings are going out with when I go home at night. The heater will shorts out. Nobody $11 going by there's no wire line

to the best of my knowledge we haven't had any problems with anybody getting hurt with a rhino. In fact of caution to myself personally 364 days a year those are great elements you can't predict when that three hundred sixty fifty years the plan is not working as installing them when I saw the exhibit myself so the UN was going to open the door. That's why one of the reasons why the pins were put in. I do know enough a black or black rhino has to know that you have to watch yourself. It's just like walking in front of Sampson's cage if you walk too close to sensors don't reach out and grab it. It's never happened to me. And up until this letter came out I didn't believe it was any core sort of a serious hazard. The keeper that regularly works in the area. Has mentioned it in passing to me a couple of times but. I've never had the individual beating on my door saying this is a terribly unsafe situation you've got to do something about it. He has seemed to accept it perfectly well and I didn't. Attach that much significance to it. Of course.

Now that's been brought to my attention I would say true we do we should put a. More positive situation on there on the door so that the individual can really operate remotely so that he doesn't have to place himself in a potentially dangerous situation. Another complaint about a potential safety hazard concerns some of the display areas in the reptile house workers are especially concerned about the size of the crocodile pit and reptile apartment. A very. Big issue. It was a long term. Problem which was advice that the animal staff and to the director. More than several times that the pool of the large crocodilian pool was overcrowded and had to be a solution either by getting rid of some of these animals to others whose work another collection or by simply as a last resort just for separating the smaller ones from the larger ones. One particular animal was in there doing all the damage. They're only doing what comes natural to them. Probably.

Some of the smaller crocodilians could have been taken out and temporary quarters built from. This. The price of them suggested to him. That one. It still is the person with a problem. And. They've offered no. Assistance. Or solution to this problem. Ties are safeties we asked for in the reptile house. We asked for some kind of arm system so in case something happens. On our days off where we. Were there two days and by ourselves we asked for our system put in the back of the case we got better so we can notify someone and we were turned down. There is no alarms there's no alarm system. I happen to get it. And my partners they are I'm in trouble. I have to close it but put the snake in make sure States I'm secure and I have to get help take care of myself. There's been mention made of an adequate supply of ant to do it

with someone in the reptile house were to be bitten. Has that ever been remedied or if it was really the last month. We've been. Bringing it up to date with they haven't bring enough trials and they're just getting two or three vials of. The marine. Where are they always have been put out. I've been doing is because we've been putting pressure on. And put pressure on them to do it. There is a current controversy raging the antidotes and any of the names right now. They have reported that so many of the names and it's been documented are viable for up to 35 years beyond the date that is actually own the any of the need. At no time were we not covered with any of the name down there. Some of the end of the name we have was Polly Vale and they were just good for more than one type of snake zoo curators say they have tried unsuccessfully to find another zoo to take some of the surplus crocodilians from the reptile house. Channel 17 reports asked about the lack of salt water for

the seals. The seals are receiving right now the federal minimum which states that I have to provide them with. A salt water bath for 24 hours out of every week in a certain concentration which is what they are getting. We can do that in our present situation to go to a fully research related. Salt water system would essentially involve rebuilding the sea lion exhibit and as a result you know as such it's totally impractical. The animals have done well and in many other issues they have done well in freshwater. And medivac in the case of the sea lion itself is largely terrestrial anyway so. Spend very little time in the water. In the wild. So I think I think we're in a situation where I wouldn't be clamoring for money to give me salt water in the sea lion for right now. Zoo officials feel charges of small cages and pens are unfair considering the facilities age and a lack of money for improvements workers say whatever the reason crime supporters are

unhealthy. It is a serious health problem for the humans. Because they they are confined without proper ventilation in the very small area and they have to breathe in their own area and heat up from a respiratory standpoint that is not healthy. This taper I believe was having intestinal problems. It was constipated and had been having problems digesting its food because it would keep laying down in it since it's such a massive animal 400 500 pounds effects of gravity are that when it lays down it twists its intestinal and digestive tracks so that there is a blockage OK. Now my opinion is that the reason that it lays down is is basically if it is in an unstimulating environment it's in a very closed environment. OK it would be like you were I in jail in a small small cell OK on Tuesday a chimp got from one cage into another and seriously injured about whom both animals were sedated. The bathroom was removed to the hospital.

Channel 17 reports asked of such an incident warrants an investigation into the zoo's operation in that particular case there's only one way that could possibly occur and that would be a mistake by a keeper because the those cages are separated. And if the locks are unlocked there's no way that he could possibly have gotten gotten into another cage now. The director does have the responsibility for the care of the animals no question. But obviously the animal keepers are the ones who are doing the day to day thing. I was not aware of this matter frankly until you mentioned it. So I don't know the circumstances but it's obvious to me that a keeper did not do his job. One worker complains daily keeper reports are often picked up late leading to delayed treatment of problems needing immediate attention. We fill out daily keepers reports at the zoo. Which are issued by the employer and in term should be acted upon out of daily basis. While for the last three

years I can remember these reports aren't even picked up. Every day or left in the keeper's file box and picked up maybe two or three times a week. So some of the reports some something wrong with an animal today. It might not even receive any attention for three days afterwards. We've lost stuff because of this. I'm not aware of the reports getting picked up I'm aware of the fact that some of the reports are turned in. We get three days reports because a keeper takes them home with him or carries them in his back pocket. As far as being picked up and responded to best of my knowledge the of the curious responding right away what we do is the emergency situations that involves an animal's life or usually rudely transmitted forgot an animal sick because of attack in the veterinarian we get right on top of it. If you've got a shift or the Nature Repair if the animal's health is not endangered then maybe put on a waiting list because we're insulating a barn or repairing a tape or shit. Understand that 69 percent of my budget is labor intense here. I'm a good 9

percent over the national norm and moneys on the spending for labor. So we do the best we can with the existing monies and facilities we've got. I replied to the workers anonymous letter was made in another letter to the Society's board. Workers complained the December 15th reply was prepared by the curatorial staff rather than Whitman himself. Well I read the letter and I think the letter is in direct response to the to the. Certainly all the major complaints concerning animal care that were made in the United was a letter. So in other words in your mind this week's letter from the curatorial staff does answer the allegations made. Yes. Would you have preferred a response to those charges from the director himself as opposed to the curator's since after all the allegations were made to Rackley toward the director. Well I think the Keurig curatorial staff is the one that has the better knowledge or more knowledge than the let's say animal keepers concerning

the complaints that were made. The director obviously made the decision about which they were making complaints. And I think it was more important to have the curatorial staff publicly state that they agreed with the decisions that were made and they concurred and they did not agree with the complaints that were made. Zoo officials continually insist the main problem at the zoo right now is a labor problem that of having workers from two sources. The city of Buffalo and the Zoological Society. We're charged with the responsibility of running the place and when you have employees assaulting supervisors when you have them stealing birds and where those two people are there right now. But when you have them also telling you that we don't work for you you know we work for the parks commissioner. And you know what we'll do with the parks commissioner says we will. There's a problem the real problem. They're wrong and saying that. Like pushing all these problems off all the things that we are accusing them of pushing them off as labor problems they're evading what they're being charged of.

Their good director our case over there of negligence. Harassment. They've even neglected things and our safety factors for the men. Channel 17 reports filed the complaints are coming from both city and society workers alike. We could find only one worker willing to speak up for the zoo's management. I feel that this is CYA he's doing the best he can and the keepers are doing the best they can. And if there was a little more cooperation between the society and keepers the keepers could improve the conditions of the animals and society could also which they're trying to do improve the conditions. And as far as the safety factor. You know there's no job just perfectly safe. You know once in a while you're going to get hurt. There's nothing you can do about it. Has there been any pressure applied for you to keep you from coming forward and speaking to us. Not particularly. Maybe afterwards there will be but you know not at

present. Only three other people know that I was coming down here to speak to you. I do these three other people of like mind with you. Similar we discussed this beforehand they are not in total agreement with everything that I am in agreement with but they are more in agreement then what that letter states. There seems to be some confusion between top officials over the original provisions for city workers at the zoo dating back to the Zoological societies taking over operations in 1973. I think the agreement was that the 13 people that are working at the zoo cannot be dismissed. They would have a job working for the city as long as the society had. Were in charge of the operation. To the best of my knowledge I didn't negotiate the agreement but I was informed that the contract does provide that the city employees may remain at the zoo. And be

understanding. I am told was that that was to assure the society of having a nucleus of experienced animal keepers and so forth. At the zoo we got into the business of operating was it's our view right now. We presently could operate a zoo without any city employees at the zoo and we think that is what should happen from terms of management and efficient operation. Are you at this time in the process of trying to eliminate the city workers. Yes we are carefully negotiating with the city of Buffalo in this area. Are there any such city workers who due to their expertise experience or whatever may be kept out. Yes as a matter of fact there are five of the city keepers. There are some of the best keepers I've ever seen. They're really good. And what I would like to do is transfer them to our own society payroll so that they're a part of our collective bargaining unit and

would be entitled to the same French benefits our own employees do. But they would be offered jobs working with the society. If one of the 13 people retire they would probably pay them $5000 to do so. And if the person decides to come with the Parks Department or public works where Streets and Sanitation they would receive $3000 this is I think the plan right now. I haven't talked to Mr. Thompson but this is what we get. This is the feedback that we get from the unions. As far as we're concerned the people that work over the zoo we could probably find positions for but some positions in our department would pay less than they're making at the zoo and I don't think that person would want to come over for less money than he's making right now. We have been working with Mr. Arthur of the council and the city administration and we have. We have their assurance that jobs are of the same

level will be made available to the city employees so they will not suffer any loss in pay whatsoever if they will transfer into the into the other positions. Zoo officials agree all along that the 103 year old facility has plenty of problems. They have though if the funding is available they have the master plan to make the necessary improvements. The basic master plan calls for redoing the entire zoo re modeling and inserting new habitats in the existing main building. The first face calls for starting with a main entrance and working through this building itself. Second phase will involve the outside areas. The inside court or where the the new gorilla display would be and the third phase involves going actually into what the existing parking lot is and doing what has been Sister Cities displayed which will be more than just a botanical garden so it would be in your presence a Japanese mechanic who lives outside in Buffalo weather and

you'd have Japanese mechanics down there on display. You first of all have to have some kind of a visitor's center as it makes some sense and make it attractive and create eliminate one of the big problems we have. The biggest complaint we have out there about the browser in the office or the toilet facilities they're terrible and we try to improve. There's no visitor enters will have modern up to date toilet facilities which doesn't sound like much of a big thing for Israel but it's important that we want people to come there and be reasonably have it reasonably attractive for them. Board President Thompson tells Channel 17 reports an independent firm was hired as early as last summer to sound out workers on any complaints about the zoo's management. That study has just started. We expect to have the results of that by the end of January. It will involve questionnaires and interviews with with all questionnaires with everybody interviews with probably a third of the city workforce out there and a

third of our own hourly workforce and all of our supervision and all of our directors although Toppan says recent publicity about the zoo has not affected any board decisions channel 17 reports discovered zoo workers first received questionnaires by the Zoo management study late this week. Common councilman fakey has also interviewed some workers and initiated a common council back study of the problem. What I did in response to that is I wrote up a resolution the council is for a port in the state have somebody independent come in and evaluate this whole problem. What's going to happen with that. Well you got the report back yes. I don't know what's going to happen just yet but I think that this will come in they'll say we have some problems. We're working the way we're doing the best we kid. That's not exactly an adequate answer in my mind. But what I intend to do is wait for the response first and then sit down with them and sit down as a logical society hopefully about. The prospect of getting an independent evaluation done of this issue and then

based on that independent evaluation maybe we can change some of the priorities and to try to deal with some of the problems with the with the keeping of animals. It should be noted in the wake of all charges against director Whitman channel 17 reports was not denied access to any areas of the zoo. Whitman says the key to the future is money. Those complaining say the key is a change in attitude. Well the only hope that I can see for the future. Number one as for the so logical society as a board themselves. They're going to have to take a new interest and the Salado gardens they're going to have to go. To the training point. This has to be done and I think we've clearly portrayed what we're trying to do here how we're trying to make this issue one of the best says America and we're not ashamed of anything we've done here. We feel a little bit remiss in that we just haven't had more money.