Zoos, Aquariums and Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers

Documents - Workshop September 2007

Issue Statement - Zoos, Aquariums and Wildlife Rehabilitation Centers

1. There are no national guidelines or standards related to a minimum level of care for animals in zoos, aquariums and wildlife rehabilitation centres.
   There are no national guidelines or standards outlining a minimum level of care for animals in zoos, aquariums or wildlife rehabilitation centres. Guidelines are needed for issues such as quarantine periods, approved diagnostic facilities and tests, and a minimal level of acceptable care for animals in captivity.

2. There are not enough facilities in Canada providing diagnostic services for exotic animals in captivity.
   In Canada, currently, there is limited access to diagnostic services for diseases specific to exotic species. As a result, this testing needs to be done in the United States. It is both expensive to transport test samples and difficult to get permits to have samples sent across the border for testing. These restrictions have limited the ability of zoos, aquariums and wildlife rehabilitation centres to monitor many exotic species for diseases.

3. Testing facilities or laboratories lack the expertise or interest in testing animal specimens from zoos, aquariums or wildlife rehabilitation centres.
   There are a limited number of people with expertise in exotic animals. Access to diagnostic testing for exotic animals also varies among regions.

4. Resources in zoos, aquariums and wildlife rehabilitation centres are inadequate for the identification and management of animal diseases.
   There is a lack of financial resources available for managing diseases in zoos, aquariums and wildlife rehabilitation centres (i.e. as in the transportation of animals or samples to labs). For wildlife rehabilitation centres in particular, resources are needed to identify areas where diseases are present so as not to re-introduce wildlife into known diseased areas.

5. There are no mechanisms to identify zones of wildlife diseases, or areas where wildlife is at risk from contaminants.
   Farm animals in Canada have been the focus of the development and enhancement of disease surveillance systems. Animal diseases are known to cross species barriers; therefore, Canada needs a comprehensive surveillance system that goes beyond livestock and considers all terrestrial and aquatic species, including: wildlife, companion animals, zoo and aquarium animals, and humans. Areas where wildlife diseases or environmental contaminants are present could be documented in some kind of registry.

6. There is limited of access to information among zoos, aquariums and wildlife rehabilitation centres regarding animal health risks.
   Due to limited resources, many zoos, aquariums and wildlife rehabilitation centres do not have adequate access to current scientific research that could supplement their own work.  As a result, there appears to be little connection between research and its practical application in zoos, aquariums and wildlife rehabilitation centres.

7. There is a lack of communication among government and non-government organizations, special interest groups and professional associations, both in Canada and internationally, regarding animal health risks for animals in zoos, aquariums and wildlife centres.
   There is a need for stronger communication among Canadian organizations dealing with animal health or animal diseases, as well as communication between the United States, Canada and Europe on import requirements for the movement of zoo and aquarium animals.

8. There is no national decision-making organization for zoos, aquariums and wildlife rehabilitation centres.
   Apart from the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA), there is no decision-making group or organization for zoos and aquariums in Canada. CAZA has codes and principles which apply only to its members. The working group for this animal sector would like to see a national animal health governing structure for zoos and aquariums whether or not they belong to an association. 
   In Canada, there is currently no national organization representing wildlife rehabilitation centres, and no national health and welfare standards regarding the handling of animals in wildlife rehabilitation centres. Most of the staff in wildlife rehabilitation centres are volunteers without formal training. This lack of training may increase their risk of exposure to diseases from rescued animals.