Animal Protection Organization Calls For Ban On Public Feeding of Large Cats

San Rafael, Calif.—

In Defense of Animals (IDA), an international animal protection organization today, condemned the San Francisco Zoo's public feeding rituals/spectacles of large cats for exacerbating the conditions that led to the tragic, fatal Christmas Day maulings and deaths.

While the exact sequence of events is still unknown, the San Francisco Zoo is one of the few American zoos that still conduct public feeding spectacles with the tigers. "These public feeding sessions encourage and reward aggressive behavior towards humans," said Dr. Elliot Katz, President and Founder of In Defense of Animals. "The taunting of Tatiana during the public feeding to get a rise out of her, to cause her to show signs of aggression, and to frustrate her for the titillation of the public, is a critical factor in her behaving aggressively toward her keeper and zoo visitors. In light of the fact that this very same tiger mauled her keeper last year, the Zoo wisely stopped the public feeding but, tragically, in an effort to draw more visitors, recently resumed the ritual."

IDA notes that most zoos recognize the folly of intentionally associating feeding with aggressive behavior. Said Dr. Katz, "It is exploitative and unwise to tease big cats like tigers, and provoke aggressive behavior, and this sideshow reveals that zoo exhibits like the San Francisco Zoošs tiger exhibit exist more for public entertainment than education and the welfare of animals."