Dublin Zoo cleared of wrongdoing after investigation into allegations of mistreatment of animals

Dublin Zoo has been cleared of 17 allegations of mistreatment of animals in its care.

The allegations were brought by whistleblowers who had formerly been employed at the zoo. The allegations were investigated by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

The protected disclosure allegations date back to 2004 and were submitted to An Garda Síochána at the end of 2023, and the force in turn passed them on to the NPWS.

One allegation was partially supported. This involves a female California sea lion, Kipper, who died while giving birth in August 2004.

The report acknowledged that although earlier intervention could have been beneficial, the actions taken at the time were consistent with the knowledge and facilities available then.

The NPWS concluded that in some cases the whistleblowers were “poorly informed as they lacked the correct information either due to not being present when the case occurred, or they were not made aware of all the details at the time of the event”.

One example involved a stillborn Eastern bongo calf. The whistleblower alleged the calf did not survive the Caesarean section where in fact it had but was euthanised after six days because of traumatic hip dislocation during its birth.

Another allegation stated a female ostrich broke her pelvis while mating with a male ostrich and was left untreated for eight months. The NPWS could find no evidence that a mating had taken place. The ostrich had died in a pen, but from a lung ailment that is common in captured birds.

Of the 17 cases, nine were considered to have fallen into the category of a complaint of a HR nature between one of the whistleblowers and Dublin Zoo senior staff. “These differences of opinion were not considered to have led to the welfare compromise in the manner alleged in the cases,” the NPWS stated.

It added: “The inspection team are of the opinion many of the allegations highlight their lack of credibility and a failure to recognise the learning opportunities that were available in many of the cases which would have aided in the development of their basic husbandry knowledge, instead their perception of several of the events points to the failing being that of their managers or other staff within the zoo, rather than their own inexperience.”

In a statement Dublin Zoo said the allegations were made without consulting staff to verify their legitimacy and caused “considerable distress”.

The zoo added: “The NPWS has unequivocally affirmed that the staff at Dublin Zoo are unwaveringly dedicated to the highest standards of animal welfare, ensuring the well-being and dignity of every animal in their care, both as individuals and as populations.

“The report emphasises that Dublin Zoo continues to prioritise the welfare of our animals, constantly evolving our practices and facilities to align with the latest standards and knowledge in animal care. We maintain a strong commitment to transparency and have demonstrated this through our open communication and cooperation with the NPWS inspection team.”

Dublin Zoo acknowledged human error is “unavoidable” in managing animal welfare so the course of action taken once an issue is identified and the manner of its resolution are crucial.

“We are pleased that the reputation of Dublin Zoo and our dedicated team of employees and volunteers, who live and breathe our mandate of animal welfare daily, has once again been upheld,” the zoo concluded.