Unsafe and Cruel : Exposing the San Francisco Zoo and China's Panda Program
Scathing City Report Uncovers Unsafe Conditions and Animal Cruelty Amid New Panda Program Revelations
This week marked a major breakthrough in exposing the dire situation at the San Francisco Zoo. The Animal Control and Welfare Commission’s scathing report called the 95-year-old facility “extremely outdated” and “unsafe for visitors and animals.” And the media took notice.
Every major Bay Area outlet—and even international media—covered the findings:
SF Chronicle: San Francisco Zoo described as ‘unsafe for visitors and animals’ in scathing city report
NBC Bay Area: Report finds San Francisco Zoo ‘extremely outdated,’ unsafe for animals
SF Gate: ‘Imposing and dreadful’: Report alleges SF Zoo is unsafe
ABC 7 News: SF Zoo slammed in scathing report that claims it is unsafe for animals, employees, and visitors
Sky News Australia: ‘Unsafe for visitors and animals’: New report paints bleak picture of San Francisco Zoo
Watch KTVU:
This report isn't just a wake-up call—it’s a mandate for urgent modernization, stronger safety measures, and prioritizing animal welfare.
I recently joined an hour-long conversation on KQED’s Forum, where I discussed the zoo’s challenges with Tara Duggan, the SF Chronicle reporter, and Joel Parrott, former director of the Oakland Zoo. We dove into the stark realities of what’s happening behind the scenes and what needs to change:
Meanwhile, the looming arrival of giant pandas from China is being hyped as the zoo’s golden ticket, just as a New York Times investigation today ripped open the ugly truth of panda programs, exposing them as profit-driven spectacles where animal welfare is sacrificed for financial gain. Pandas, subjected to brutal and sometimes deadly breeding practices, are paraded as symbols of conservation, but the reality is far darker.
The panda program isn’t about conservation—it’s about cruelty, and San Francisco should not be complicit in it.
Despite this, the zoo and the mayor continue to cling to pandas as a quick fix, while the animals already in the zoo’s care remain trapped in cramped, decaying enclosures— denied the dignity they deserve.
We are pushing for real systemic change at the San Francisco Zoo. This isn’t about minor adjustments—it’s about ending the abuse once and for all.
A fresh coat of paint or a flashy new exhibit won’t solve the deep-rooted problems plaguing the zoo. It’s time to stop the PR stunts and take meaningful action. The city must sever ties with the Zoological Society and bring in a new organization to run the zoo. Only with new leadership and a full redesign—focused on animal rescues and real conservation—can we end the suffering and create a facility that truly respects the animals it claims to care for.
The time for excuses is over. The public, the media, and city leaders are pushing hard for change, with a Board of Supervisors audit likely. San Francisco must decide: will it continue to settle for mediocrity, or will it demand a zoo that truly prioritizes animal welfare and public safety?
The future of the zoo—and its animals—depends on it.