Curb Asked on Zoo Sale of Animals

Sen. Dan McCorquodale (D-San Jose) sent a letter to Mayor Maureen O’Connor Monday urging her to forbid the San Diego Zoological Society from selling surplus animals to any person other than another zoo.

The letter explicitly asked that the city of San Diego forbid the zoo from selling animals to Earl Tatum and Jim Fouts, two animal dealers who were featured in a recent “60 Minutes” segment that alleged they have sold zoo animals to private game farms, where they were shot by hunters.

The letter also lauded Mayor Tom Bradley of Los Angeles, who last week ordered the Los Angeles Zoo to stop doing business with Tatum and Fouts, and urged O’Connor to “expeditiously follow suit.”

Paul Downey, a spokesman for the mayor, said that, by close of business Monday, O’Connor had not yet received a copy of the letter. But he said that, because O’Connor does not have any formal authority over the zoo, there is likely little that she can do.

“If I’m not mistaken, the L.A. Zoo is a city facility,” Downey said. “In this case, the zoo is not a city-run facility, so there is nothing the mayor or the City Council can do.”

The city of Los Angeles does run its zoo.

Mary Shallenberger, a consultant to the State Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Wildlife, which McCorquodale chairs, said she understood that the San Diego Zoo is a private institution.

“But I think, if the mayor of one of the largest cities in California calls on their zoo to stop a practice, they certainly have a tremendous influence,” Shallenberger said.

Downey responded, “They may not understand the system of government here. We don’t have a strong mayor-type of government.”

Downey said that, when the mayor receives the letter, her office will forward it to the zoo and ask them to respond. He noted, however, that last week the San Diego Zoo announced that it had severed its ties with Fouts, although it continues to employ Tatum.

“It’s really a moot point,” he said. “If there’s any reason to look into their response, we will.”