Item - 2014.ZB33.2

The Board:

1.         Declared its satisfaction with the standards of care and the enforcement of the guidelines by Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA);

2.         Directed the Chief Executive Officer to immediately apply to the CAZA Accreditation Commission for re-inspection to continue the Toronto Zoo's status as an accredited institution; and

3.         Directed the Chief Executive Officer to work with the City of Toronto and AZA to satisfy the requirement for acceptable governance structure to permit re-application to AZA for accreditation.

This report is intended to advise the Board of Management in relation to the request by City of Toronto Council to conduct a comparison of animal care standards between the zoo accrediting bodies and the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.  Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) have each undertaken a standards comparison and both organizations provide convincing arguments that their standards are appropriate and in our case exceed the standards of the animal sanctuary community.  The report will also deal with the impacts of the loss of AZA accreditation in 2012 and address how these impacts will be more detrimental to the Toronto Zoo as time goes on if this issue is not addressed.