for those who dont have facebook here is Guzoo's history.
The following information about Guzoo Animal Farm in Three Hills, Alberta was compiled from documents received from Alberta Sustainable Resources Development through Freedom of Information & Protection of Privacy (FOIPP) process, reports published by Zoocheck Canada and the World Society for the Protection of Animals and media reports. 1987 - Complaints are received by Fish and Wildlife reporting that L. Gustafson, owner of Guzoo, has been illegally keeping emus and raccoons. Officers reportedly advise him that it is illegal and that the animals will be seized. When officers arrive to investigate, the animals are gone. June 1989 – Owner and operator of Guzoo, Mr. Lynn Gustafson, is convicted of illegal possession of exotic animals. December, 1992 - Mr. Gustafson is convicted under the Animal Protection Act for failing to relieve the distress of a zoo animal. One media source reported that Judge Clozza had stated that there was no question in his mind that the animal was “sick, in pain and suffering.” September, 1992 – A news release by the Alberta SPCA calls for better legislation to deal with the ongoing problems at Guzoo. January, 1993 - The Alberta SPCA president calls for Guzoo’s permit to be revoked stating that “the well-being of the animals is being seriously compromised by problems with lack of disease control, dirty conditions, inadequate caging and inappropriate winter shelters. There is also a real concern for public safety”. February, 1994 - Mr. Gustafson, is convicted of illegal possession and trafficking in exotic animals for a second time. July, 1994 – Mr. Gustafson is designated the animal control officer for Three Hills, Alberta, despite the convictions of failing to relieve the distress of an animal and illegal possession and trafficking of animals. June 21, 1995 - A representative from Drumheller Health Unit reportedly inspects Guzoo after a complaint about Salmonella at the facility. No further details were available. July 1, 1995 – Drumheller Occurrence 055M19995 document reports that Fish and Wildlife representatives visit Guzoo to investigate the escape of fawns and lynx. No further details are revealed.
June, 1996 – A District Occurrence Report issued by Alberta Environmental Protection notes the following conditions: animals without water, dirty cages, lack of nesting for birds, no adult supervision at the zoo, and “dead animals, all over, even in empty cages”.
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November 27, 1998 – A memorandum to Al Cook of the Commercial Wildlife Branch, from Fish and Wildlife Officer, Byron Jensen, notes “In particular, complaints of animal care (sick looking animals, elongated hooves, chained animals, lack of protection from summer heat and winter cold, etc.) the presence of flies from rotting flesh left in the enclosures, associated smells from rotting flesh and unfit or lack of drinking water are encountered every year.”
August, 1999 - Health Authority 5 orders Guzoo’s owner to implement changes to address ongoing public health and safety issues (including stopping the practice of allowing the public to have direct contact with dangerous animals).
1999 - Fish & Wildlife establishes a multi-agency task force to inspect Guzoo. The team consists of representatives from the zoo industry, the Alberta SPCA, the Alberta Health Authority, Alberta Fish and Wildlife, and Guzoo’s veterinarian. The team reports Guzoo to be substandard in the following areas: sanitation, feeding standards, public safety, physical comfort and well-being of animals, handling and isolation facilities and record keeping. Guzoo’s owner is reportedly given until March, 2000 to develop a plan to address its deficiencies within a 12 month period.
January, 2000 – Zoocheck Canada and WSPA commission retired zoo professional, Marilyn Cole (20 years experience with Toronto Zoo), to perform an inspection of Alberta and Saskatchewan zoos and document her findings. Cole comments about Guzoo as follows: “By all rights, this zoo should be closed. In addition to the numerous animal welfare concerns, there are many public heath and safety concerns as well.” The report goes on to describe sick animals, filthy cages, rotting food in cages, uncontrolled public feeding of zoo animals, abnormal behavior in animals and an overall lack of attention to their physical and psychological needs.
January, 2000 - Sustainable Resources Development (SRD) Minister Gary Mar calls for stronger zoo regulations to deal with the problems at Guzoo.
February, 2000 – CTV’s W-Five airs an expose on Guzoo called Cruel Cages. The show includes footage of Lynn Gustafson feeding animals Dr. Pepper soda pop and Twinkies, as well as, children interacting with carnivores at Guzoo.
April 1, 2000 – SRD issues Guzoo’s permit with special conditions regarding sanitation, public feeding and interaction with zoo animals, fence repairs, shelter for animals and the general well-being of animals at the zoo. In addition, the zoo owner is told to develop a plan to address the concerns raised in the task force report. Before this, zoo permits have been issued annually to Guzoo.
May 31, 2000 – A Fish and Wildlife memo states that the “development plan did not fully satisfy the concerns identified by the inspection committee.” It suggests that a temporary permit valid for six months be issued. “This permit will, under stipulated conditions and department supervision, allow continued operation of a six-month period (from the time of the permit issuance), and provide the permittee an opportunity to wind down the operation. The permittee will be advised that no permit will be issued after the six month period”.
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July 1, 2000 – Another 3 month permit is issued to Guzoo with an additional condition prohibiting the zoo from adding new animals to the collection.
July, 2000 – Representatives from the Animal Welfare Branch of Alberta Agriculture visit Guzoo and note concerns about a paralyzed cougar cub and an ostrich that had a skin condition that had been also observed the prior year. “This lack of attention to animal care needs to be addressed and should be impressed upon Lynn Gustafson.”
September 27, 2000 – A Fish and Wildlife inspection report documents dirty water, a primate trailer swarming with flies and cages coated with dried feces and food, no shade in the bear enclosure, animals still being fed off of the ground, enclosures littered with scraps of meat or other food and visibly overgrown hooves of barbary sheep among other things.
October 1, 2000 – A six month permit, still containing special conditions, is issued to Guzoo.
October, 2000 - Zoocheck Canada commissions veterinarian and animal behaviorist, Dr. Samatha Scott, to inspect Guzoo and document her findings. Dr. Scott’s report reveals that little substantive change has been made since the Cole inspection. The report describes lack of enrichment for animals, cages in various stages of decay and disrepair, empty and dirty water containers, inappropriate feeding practices, stereotypic behavior in many animals, as well as public health and safety concerns.
April 1, 2001 – Guzoo’s permit is renewed for one year with an additional condition to provide enrichment for the animals.
April, 2001 - A report prepared by Fish & Wildlife staff indicated that Mr. Gustafson was advised that “failure to meet the conditions of the short term permit will result in no further permit being issued.”
April 27, 2001 - Fish & Wildlife Officer Byron Jensen reports that permit conditions are not being met at Guzoo. Examples include, bread still being fed to animals (Condition 6 of permit) and stand off barriers are still not in place around all relevant enclosures.
May, 2001 – Fish and Wildlife turns over 2 orphaned black bear cubs to Guzoo.
July, 2001 – An internal government e-mail reveals that monthly inspections of Guzoo are ordered by Kevin Stalker, which he notes are “due to ongoing concerns surrounding the operation of Guzoo Animal Farm.”
August, 2001 – A Fish and Wildlife Area Manager for Camrose / Red Deer Management Areas notes in an e-mail to Kevin Stalker that he has concerns about the public contact with wildlife at Guzoo and advised that the Edmonton and Calgary Officers do not allow public contact.
November, 2001 - Wildlife rehabilitator, Sian Waters and conservation biologist Clio Smeeton visit Guzoo and document filthy conditions, a monkey with an open wound, frozen water in some cages, a Himalayan tahr that had escaped the enclosure and began to attack a mouflon, as well as various health and safety concerns.
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January, 2002 - the Alberta Health Authority sends a list of health recommendations to Fish & Wildlife Officer B. Jensen to address the ongoing public health and safety concerns at Guzoo.
February, 2002 - the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) publishes the report of Sian Waters and Clio Smeeton.
March, 2002 - Health Authority 5 produces a report outlining 10 injuries suffered by visitors to Guzoo who have been bitten by animals between 1997 and 2002. Fish & Wildlife representatives reportedly meet with the Public Health Authority to discuss the biting incidents at Guzoo.
April, 2002 – Guzoo’s permit is renewed for six months with an added permit condition to address public health and safety risks as were outlined by the Public Health Authority.
June, 2002 - Zoocheck Canada and WSPA commission a report by zoo professional, J. Long to inspect the Guzoo facility and document her findings. The Long report describes inappropriate caging, build up of feces in cages, fly-infested carcasses, injured animals, dirty water, stereotypic behavior, and public health and safety risks.
May, 2003 – The Calgary Sun publishes an article which reports that Alberta Fish and Wildlife are launching an investigation into the Guzoo petting zoo in Three Hills after dozens of animal carcasses were found decaying on the property. The article includes some photos but notes that other photos of the facility are “too graphic to print.”
April, 2004 – Guzoo’s permit is renewed for two months with added conditions to address carcass handling, vet care and requires a new zoo plan be developed.
May 10, 2004 - The issue of poor conditions at Guzoo and the lack of zoo standards is raised by MLA Laurie Blakeman in the Alberta legislature. SRD Minister Mike Cardinal promised to visit the facility personally to inspect, but he reportedly never did.
June 1, 2004 – Guzoo’s permit is renewed for a six month period.
June, 2004 - Zoocheck and WSPA commission Richard Farinato, former zoo professional and Captive Wildlife Expert for the Humane Society of the United States to inspect Guzoo and document his findings. The report outlines filthy conditions, lack of enrichment, rotting food and dirty water, contact between children and wolf cubs and poorly maintained enclosures among other things.
August, 2004 – The Calgary Herald publishes a 2 ½ page article which describes poor conditions at Guzoo.
November, 2004 – Zoocheck publishes Richard Farinato’s report from his June visit. Observations documented in the report included many apparent permit violations. An official complaint is filed by Zoocheck Canada.
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December 1, 2004 – Despite Fish and Wildlife having received reports of apparent permit violations including video tape, photos, etc. Guzoo’s permit is renewed for another 4 months. Once again new permit criteria are added which require a quarantine area be provided for zoo animals, a prohibition to farm dogs running throughout the zoo to reduce the risk of spread of disease and keep the dogs from harassing the zoo animals and a requirement for zoo staff to be on hand at Guzoo at all times.
December, 2004 – The renewal of Guzoo’s permit sparks controversy in media reports across the country. The question arises as to why a facility that has apparently been violating permit conditions, and thereby violating provincial law for years, is allowed to continue to operate in the Province of Alberta.
January 3, 2005 – A Zoocheck Canada staff person visiting Southern Alberta stops by Guzoo to look at the facility. Her visit revealed that most animals have no water, cages are filthy and dogs were still running throughout the zoo.
January 11, 2005 – Alberta SPCA Constable Terry Wagman visits Guzoo and reports having observed the farm dogs in the zoo and indicated that there was no staff person on site during his inspection, both of which are apparent violations of Guzoo’s current permit.
January 21, 2005 - Fish and Wildlife issued written warnings to the owner of Guzoo for contravention of permit conditions 6, 7, & 8. These were resulting from complaints received from Zoocheck and members of the public.
February 16, 2005 – A visitor to Guzoo files a complaint to Fish and Wildlife which included photos of farm dogs running throughout the zoo, another apparent violation of Guzoo’s current permit.
March 23, 2005 – Zoocheck Canada issues a media release questioning who is calling the shots at SRD. The national zoo watchdog group criticizes the government for lack of enforcement of the Wildlife Act.
But every little bit helps! Humans will destroy all. I too am an animal lover. I am on fb and will go to the page. SHIT I've probably been there already as I am always advocating. For all nature.
