City zoo director heads up animal welfare agency
An executive with one of the world’s flagship wildlife conservation facilities has been tapped to lead the agency that sets the standards for animal welfare at Canadian zoos.
Calgary Zoo senior director Lindsey Galloway on Monday was appointed president of Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA), which has accredited only 31 animal care organizations out of hundreds in the county.
Galloway, who joined the Calgary Zoo’s senior management team in 2012 after a stint with the Stampede, said in a release: “At a time when this planet is losing three species a day, there has never been a more important time for accredited zoos and aquariums.
“With about 12 million annual visitors, CAZA institutions are uniquely positioned to make a difference in protecting and saving endangered wildlife. We have the infrastructure and expertise to play a leading role in species conservation, medical and scientific research, rescue and rehabilitation and learning, and to facilitate the transformative power of connecting millions of people to nature.”
Since its formation in 1975, CAZA has boosted its efforts to promote animal welfare by developing standards, creating an accreditation program and finding a marriage between the scientific and ethical demands of keeping animals in captivity.