Fejervary Zoo takes another circular course

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By Times Staff | Monday, May 19, 2008 11:19 PM CDT | () comments

Here we go again. The well-intentioned Fejervary Zoo task force seeking to end the history of animal abuse and neglect at the city-owned zoo came up with a plan that plows no new ground. Instead, it circles around to a path Davenport trod once, then abandoned: a petting zoo. The task force recommends the city “begin this transition immediately by contracting with local petting zoo,” to “end the city’s ownership of animals.”

Interestingly, about half of the 94 animals owned by the city are farm animals: 24 chickens, seven ducks, four turkeys, two geese, two goats, two rabbits, two pigs, a miniature pony and a miniature cow. This menagerie, along with 18 reptiles and a handful of more exotic species haven’t drawn much of a crowd. Clearly farm animals alone won’t bring

people to the zoo.

We commend the task force’s suggestion to quickly end the city’s ownership of animals. Davenport has a abusive record of zookeeping over the past decade. Animals died because of poor care. This first recommendation is humane, cost-effective and responsible.

We wish it was the only recommendation.

Instead, the task force seems to have cobbled together a mish-mosh of hopeful notions, none of which addresses the longstanding problem with the zoo: sustainable private support and funding. The zoo enjoys a small, but vocal group of supporters who never have mustered any kind of reliable funding beyond a taxpayer appropriation. Despite good intentions, zoo supporters haven’t been able to provide the care that keeps animals alive, let alone healthy.

Without any substantive history of public support, no recommendation stands a chance of being anything but fully taxpayer supported.

The task force dreams of creating “an eco-centered, animal themed, educational focused facility that creates a destination on the ‘Hill.’” We’ve no idea what that might be, though we suppose anything is possible with unlimited taxpayer funding.

We simply cannot support launching another Davenport initiative that relies first on taxpayer support.

Davenport has tried to reinvent Fejervary countless times. Each attempt seems to reach the same end: a lack of attendance and public financial support.

Museum Hill has wonderful attractions that have earned broad public support. Please do not ask taxpayers to recreate another that has proven, time and again, cannot.

Meeting Wednesday

The Fejervary Zoo task force will present its report to the Davenport City Council at Wednesday’s Committee-of-the-Whole meeting at

5:30 p.m. at City Hall.