PETA Statement: Animal Thefts From Zoos Could be Disturbing New Trend

For Immediate Release:
February 3, 2023

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

Norfolk, Va. – Below, please see a statement from PETA Foundation Director of Captive Animal Welfare Debbie Metzler in response to the recent animal thefts and enclosure breaches that have occurred at the Dallas Zoo and the Central Park Zoo:

While the motivation for these crimes remains unclear, it appears that a dangerous trend could be catching on. PETA reminds everyone that removing captive animals from accredited zoos and their familiar surroundings is illegal and could easily turn deadly, especially if they’re left to fend for themselves during these cold winter months.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information, please visit PETA.org, listen to The PETA Podcast, or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

For Media: Contact PETA's
Media Response Team.

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 Ingrid E. Newkirk

“Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights?” READ MORE

— Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA President and co-author of Animalkind