Creating the Nation's first BioPark 
National Zoological Park: Smithsonian Institution? Washington, D.C. 20008 
Letter from the Desk of David Challinor
 
September 1, 1990
 
In previous letters I have discussed the excitement and careful 
work necessary to breed animals successfully in zoos. Recently, 
while touring the excellent Dallas Zoo with Warren Iliff, the 
director and an old friend, I noticed the happy mien of the 
entire zoo staff, easily attributable to the birth of a baby 
okapi the previous night. However, just as life so often begins 
in zoos, it sadly often ends there, as when Smokey, our popular 
black bear at the National Zoo, died of liver cancer last week. 
Occasions arise, however, when an animal is so diseased or so 
seriously injured that the odds of recovery are judged remote 
enough to warrant "putting the animal down." Euthanasia, even 
when applied to animals, is an emotional and controvesial 
sUbject, and zoo administrators are particularly sensitive to 
this issue which they must regularly face. 
Rather than give graphic examples of incidents at the zoo where 
euthanasia has been used, it might be more useful to explain the 
careful procedure that is rigorously followed whenever an animal 
is being considered for such an action. 
First, there are the guidelines prepared by a special committee 
of the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria 
(AAZPA). This is the accrediting body to which all major U.S. 
zoos and aquaria belong, and it sets standards for its members 
covering such myriad issues as animal health, disposition of 
surplus animals, eXhibiting conditions, and, in close cooperation 
with the American veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) , even the 
sensitive subject of euthanasia. 
The goal of the AAZPA and the reason for these standards and 
recommendations is, of course, to insure the welfare and humane 
treatment of the animals concerned. Thus the AAZPA's Code of 
Professional Ethics forbids the sale of zoo animals to 
inappropriate and unqualified recipients, such as roadside zoos 
and shooting ranches. Not only do the AAZPA guidelines set the 
tenor of zoo procedure, but each reputable zoo has its own more 
detailed course of action to follow in cases of injured, sick or 
suffering animals. 
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september 1, 1990 Page 2 
At the National Zoo, for example, permission for euthanasia is 
normally initiated by the relevant curator, who submits a 
standard form through the Associate Director for Biological 
Programs and the head veterinarian to the Zoo Director, who gives 
the final authorization. Any request arising from especially 
unique or unusual circumstances must also have the approval of 
the Assistant Secretary for Research, and I assure you that when 
I held that office, such requests received my very careful 
scrutiny. 
From the above information, it is clear that euthanasia is 
exercised as a last resort and only when the animal's condition 
warrants such action. Zoos are thus caught on the horns of a 
dilemma. If their breeding programs are successful, it is often 
difficult to place surplus stock. Space for nonbreeders is at a 
premium, as those of you who have been to Front Royal have seen. 
To control breeding in polygamous animals, such as zebra and some 
antelope species, requires segregating males not being used as 
herd sires. These males in turn frequently have to be kept in 
separate paddocks to avoid fighting between them, yet we never 
had to use euthanasia to reduce a surplus of nonbreeders. 
The 'p r ob l ems of trying to manage the size of animal populations 
will always remain whether in the wild or in zoos. The eventual 
solution to contentious disputes on animal policy is an 
understanding and informed pUblic. To achieve this goal requires 
a continuous dialogue between zoos, humane societies and the 
public. Such an exchange seems the best way to achieve the goal 
of preventing animals from being inhumanely treated. 
Conversations can be strained when discussing such emotional 
topics as euthanasia, spaying or vasectomies for mammals, but it 
is clearly worth the effort when conditions are calm, rather than 
waiting for a crisis to be highly pUblicized in the press. The 
public media may not be the most ideal vehicle for such sensitive 
discussions, but I think it may be one of the best ways we have 
of educating the public.