Rabbit Advocacy Animal Matters

Guzoo shut down after failure to meet provincial standards

April 30, 2015 Metro News

Alberta’s controversial Guzoo is ceasing operations after failing to meet provincial standards surrounding issues like animal welfare. Jamie Hanlon with Alberta Environmental and Sustainable Resource Development (ESRD) said Guzoo management informed ESRD on April 30 that they would be ceasing operations. “Under provincial zoo standards, they (Guzoo) are required to submit and execute a decommissioning plan,” Hanlon said.

Metro’s call to the Three Hills-area zoo met with a voice message stating Guzoo’s disappointment in having to close and that they will be dispersing all licenced and wildlife animals. “We had wanted the public to come and say their last goodbyes to their favourites, but the government will not allow the public here until all the licenced and wildlife animals are gone,” the voicemail relayed. “Once that happens, we hope to re-open again.”

Starting March 31, the province gave Guzoo 30 days to bring their facility up to appropriate standards after an inspection of the facility revealed concerns regarding animal care and protection as well as public and staff safety.

Rob Laidlaw, executive director of Zoocheck Canada, said he was happy to hear Guzoo is ceasing operations after years of advocating to the owners to make much-needed changes to their facility. “It’s been a long time coming,” Laidlaw said. “We’ve always been a critic of Guzoo and felt they should either make massive improvements or close.”

With the number of concerns brought forward over the years — including images and video footage showcasing maggots in a dish of cat food and carcasses around animal enclosures — Laidlaw said, “it’s a nice time to close that chapter of the book.”

“I think originally people wanted to give Mr. Gustafson (Guzoo owner) the benefit of the doubt and hoped things would dramatically change,” Laidlaw added. “Since those improvements weren’t forthcoming over the years, we’re very pleased that they’ve been ordered to decommission.”

ESRD’s Hanlon said as part of the decommissioning process, Guzoo will be required to disperse all wildlife and controlled animals to registered or licenced facilities able to accept the animals. ESRD is currently waiting on a final animal distribution list from Guzoo.

Read more: GuZoo: Alberta’s shame