SF Zoo Leadership Crisis: Why Tanya Peterson Must Resign
Years of neglect, nepotism, and mismanagement have pushed the SF Zoo to the brink—can it recover without a change in leadership?
Today, I called for the resignation of Tanya Peterson during the Joint Zoo Commission meeting. This demand is based on an extensive pattern of mismanagement, animal neglect, and an entrenched culture of favoritism at the San Francisco Zoo. Each day brings new revelations about the harm caused by Peterson’s leadership—harm to both the animals in the zoo’s care and the dedicated staff who work there. With admissions plummeting and donors revolting, it’s clear that the SF Zoo urgently needs fresh, ethical, and visionary leadership.
A Toxic Workplace Culture
The toxic environment fostered under Peterson’s leadership has taken a devastating toll on zoo staff. I regularly receive calls from staff who are still struggling with or recovering from their experiences at the zoo, highlighting the pervasive dysfunction within the institution. Recently one former employee shared their experience of enduring over two years of bullying from a supervisor protected by ties to Peterson—a manager named in an SF Chronicle investigation into nepotism at the zoo. This supervisor was said to spread malicious gossip, made false accusations, with HR ignoring repeated complaints.
This pattern of harassment was not an isolated case. Just read the leaked report that reveals the true extent of the San Francisco Zoo staff concerns leading to a second 97% no confidence union staff vote against Tanya Peterson.
Animal Welfare and Public Trust at Risk
The failures of Peterson’s leadership extend beyond staff mistreatment to egregious neglect of animal welfare. A scathing report by the San Francisco Animal Control and Welfare Commission, based on an independent inspection and staff interviews, labeled the zoo as "outdated and unsafe for animals and visitors."
The report highlighted several alarming issues:
Dilapidated Enclosures: Many animal habitats are "extremely outdated," with some dating back to the Works Progress Administration era, lacking significant updates beyond minimal standards.
Safety Hazards: The deteriorating conditions pose risks not only to the animals but also to employees and visitors, with enclosures failing to meet modern safety requirements.
Management Failures: The zoo's leadership has been criticized for neglecting necessary maintenance and failing to implement a comprehensive strategic plan to modernize the facilities.
The San Francisco Zoo’s track record of neglect under Tanya Peterson’s leadership continues to unfold, with alarming examples of mismanagement and cruelty surfacing regularly. These incidents represent systemic failures to prioritize animal welfare, undermining the zoo’s mission and eroding public trust.
The Cost of Inaction
The San Francisco Zoo has long struggled to meet its potential, but under Tanya Peterson’s leadership, it has spiraled into a state of dysfunction. Preventable animal deaths, a toxic workplace culture, and declining donor and public trust have become the norm. Instead of striving to improve, the zoo has been run into the ground by poor decision-making and mismanagement.
When employees are harassed into leaving and animals suffer due to neglect, the zoo cannot fulfill even the most basic aspects of its mission. The institution’s reputation is in tatters, and without immediate action, it risks becoming an irreparable failure.
A Resignation and a Path Forward
Recently, Deputy Director Vitus Leung resigned, a sign of instability within the zoo’s leadership. This further highlights the need for a complete overhaul at the top.
The San Francisco Zoological Society must now find a progressive leader with a strong background in animal welfare who can align with the city’s values of accountability, transparency, and compassion. Enough is enough. Tanya Peterson’s resignation is the first critical step toward healing the zoo and restoring its reputation.
The time for change is now.