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A Step In The Right Direction…
The team at Zion Wildlife Gardens was recently contacted by Doctor Jennifer Conrad from the Paw Project based in the USA. Doctor Conrad was aware that a large number of lions and tigers at Zion had been declawed by a previous Operator of the park and suggested that we should research the work done by the Paw Project as she thought this might benefit our big cats.
Tim Husband, Zoo Consultant for Zion Wildlife Gardens was extremely impressed with Doctor Conrad’s 100% success rate in the surgical procedure reversing and preventing the damage done by declawing. “This is not about who is right or wrong in the declawing debate” says Tim, “this is about preventing problems before they occur later on in life.
“This is by no means a cheap quick fix as we would fly over not only Doctor Conrad but also her back up staff. While it is true not all the cats at Zion are currently showing lameness at this time, I don’t honestly believe we should wait for them all to go lame before we do anything. It also must be understood that the lameness is only one of the problems that declawing brings about. While this surgery does not give the cats back their claws it will enable them to support there weight better while walking thus improving their gait and enabling them to grasp their food better” Tim explains.
“I have heard that there are those out there that believe that this surgery should not be done, it would be remiss of me not to put forward any recommendations that will improve the cat’s quality of life in the present and the future. I have offered my services as a trustee for the Zion Paw Project as I am 100% committed to this project and giving the cats at Zion a better life”.
In order for the Zion Paw Project to move forward the park needs to raise $250,000. This money will be used directly for the operations of the 29 declawed cats at Zion. A trust account has now been established by an Auckland law firm Barter and Co with a designated bank account especially for this project. The trust has two independent trustees Tim Husband, Consultant and Steve Barter of Barter and Co.
Account: ASB Bank 12-3136-0024697-01
Name: Barter & Co Trust account
Reference: Paw Project
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