In the search for new homes for Cherry Brook zoo's animals, big cats are a big concern
Cherry Brook will consider accredited zoos in Canada and United States first, then non-accredited
Hadeel Ibrahim· CBC News· Posted: May 01, 2020 5:42 PM AT
The Cherry Brook Zoo will permanently close its doors, but it's not clear exactly when the animals will be moved to new homes. (CBC)
Now that the Cherry Brook Zoo is closing its doors, operators are trying to figure out exactly what will happen to the animals living in the facility at Saint John's Rockwood Park.
Martha McDevitt said the zoo has already contacted Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums, an organization of accredited facilities that could help match their tigers, lions and zebras with zoos that could take care of them.
"That community is very supportive, we're all in this together," she said.
She said the zoo is compiling a list of places that could take in the animals, but the COVID-19 pandemic is making it unclear when facilities can receive any animals, and whether the animals can even cross New Brunswick's borders.
She said people might think it's easy to rehome the big cats, but it's actually the most challenging part. The zoo has two tigers and two lions, and McDeivitt said they need very specialized care.
"They need proper homes, and, you know, the space," she said. "Not many facilities just have open areas to take in dangerous animals."
Cherry Brook Zoo executive director Martha McDevitt says she hasn't received any expressions of interest in the tigers or lions from zoos as of Friday morning. (CBC)
She said the zoo still has no leads on who could possibly take in those cats.
She said it costs $20,000 a month to pay the staff and feed the animals at Cherry Brook.
"To be able to move these animals, it could be up to four months," she said.
Jim Facette, executive director of CAZA, said McDevitt shared complete lists of the animals, species and medical background, which were distributed to 29 other accredited zoos and aquariums in Canada, hoping to find new homes.
He said the zoo members were given until yesterday to express interest.
Our message is to all concerned, including the provincial government, is to give the Cherry Brook Zoo some time.- Jim Facette, CAZA
If none of the 29 accredited zoos in Canada can take in the cats, Cherry Brook will look at accredited facilities in the United States, he said. If none of those are interested, the animals could be moved to non-accredited zoos, but only if the zoo is convinced the animals would be safe.
"Is it possible that you're doing more harm for the welfare of the animal? These kinds of hard questions will need to get asked and examined," he said.
If the search is unsuccessful, five or six months from now, Facette said " a difficult decision" could have to be made.
"Look, nobody wants to euthanize any of the animals," he said. "It may - hopefully not - come down to a choice of do we euthanize or do we try something else after we've exhausted all the options?
"Every option will be examined before that, and that will be someone else making that decision."
He said it won't be easy to move the dangerous animals, especially since COVID-19 is restricting most travel, but it's still quite possible the animals could be moved safely.
"Our message is, to all concerned, including the provincial government, is to give the Cherry Brook Zoo some time," he said. "It could take four months or five months or six months."
He said there are some animals that can be moved out to local farmers very soon.
He said last year a non-accredited zoo in Quebec closed, and many zoos took on the animals, so capacity might be limited. Reaching out to other zoos is the first step.
"There's a whole process that has to be followed, it's not a light switch that can be turned on and off."
George Smith "They need proper homes, and, you know, the space," she said. "Not many facilities just have open areas to take in dangerous animals." Yes they need space, a lot more than they've had in the Cherry Brook Zoo. Where ever they end up it will still be a Zoo and animals shouldn't be captive in Zoos anymore. Even in Toronto ( a Zoo with massive space) it's not correct anymore to pen what should be wild animals.
David Amos
Reply to @George Smith: Methinks the Tiger in me did his best to growl at old Norm as loud as I could in order to see that Higgy and the Feds may feel guilty enough to find some money for the Zoo It was the least any us of can do and that includes Dan Lee his Speculating buddy and their tiggers too N'esy Pas?
The Cherry Brook Zoo will permanently close its doors, but it's not clear exactly when the animals will be moved to new homes. (CBC)
The Cherry Brook Zoo in Saint John is shutting down for good after nearly 46 years.
The lack of visitors caused by COVID-19 restrictions, not being able to raise money for the zoo, and a history of financial struggles have put the zoo under "severe financial pressure," Norm McFarlane, the chair of the zoo's board of trustees, said Thursday.
He said the zoo will keep taking care of the nearly 60 animals there until it becomes clear when and where they can move. The animals include a tiger, two lions, a zebra, turtles, snakes, ponies and goats.
Cherry Brook Zoo executive director Martha McDevitt says COVID-19 restrictions will make it difficult to relocate the animals in the coming weeks, but she hopes to get exemptions. (CBC)
Executive director Martha McDevitt said the uncertainties caused by the pandemic mean the zoo can't have an exact timeline for finding the animals new permanent homes.
"It's terrible timing and, you know, you've got restrictions on your borders provincially and, you know, across the United States as well," she said. "It's not going to happen overnight."
The zoo employs six people, who will stay on site in Rockwood Park until the animals are moved. She said the zoo wasn't expecting the financial toll of COVID-19, so the situation is "surreal."
The most challenging animals to relocate would be the big cats, McDevitt said, as well as the geriatric animals who have lived at the zoo all of their lives.
She said locals can fill out forms and gain custody of the domestic animals at the zoo such as goats and ducks.
She said the zoo is in communication with the government to see if the non-profit can apply for any assistance to keep taking care of the animals until they can be moved.
Saint John councillor Gary Sullivan has been a supporter of the zoo for 12 years. He mentions the zoo in his opening remarks in every council meeting he attends. He says the news of the closure is sad.
"There have been many people over the years who worked very very hard for not a lot of money," he said.
He understand how the prospect of not being able to have people visiting this summer could mean the demise of the zoo.
"When the bulk of the revenue comes in within four months in order to operate for twelve, and for those four months you're shut down ... I was sad but not surprised."
He said the closure leaves him at a loss after years of knowing what he's going to shout out in his opening remarks.
"I don't know what I'm going to do next meeting," he said.
The zoo would have celebrated its 46th anniversary this summer.
David Amos Methinks the Tiger in me will do his best to growl as loud as I can in order to see that Higgy and the Feds may feel guilty enough to find some money for the Zoo Its the least any of can do N'esy Pas?
Dan Lee
Reply to @David Amos: is it tiger or tigger in you??
Brucejack Speculator
"the least any of " WHY aim for the "least" ??? If there were any reason to spend tax money on this it should be to send the surviving animals to some kind of old animal sanctuary and get rid of the zoo idea completely
George Smith It may be sad but it is time that it closed. To many problems and too little money. Besides Zoos have become politically incorrect for all the right reasons. Caged animals for Human entertainment is no longer okay. There is no scientific reason to cage wild animals it's not about research it's just entertainment.
Brucejack Speculator
Reply to @George Smith: agree completely. If there were any "good" solution it would be some way to send the animals to an old animal sanctuary but I am sure those are very expensive
An electric connection: A classic Fender guitar finds its way home by chance
Musician John McLaggan finds a family artifact in his neighbour's home
Steven Webb· CBC News· Posted: May 02, 2020 9:00 AM AT
This '64 Fender Stratocaster belonged to John McLaggan's late uncle in the 1960s. By chance, it has come back into the McLaggan family 46 years after David McLaggan's tragic death. (John McLaggan)
When John and Lisa McLaggan moved back to John's hometown of Saint John a decade or so ago, they couldn't have known how close they were to a piece of family history.
They settled in Grand Bay-Westfield, a suburb of the city, and moved in next door to Mike Lee. The neighbours shared a common interest: music.
John and Lisa would soon build a career for themselves as folk music duo Tomato/Tomato. Lee had played in local bands around Saint John in the 1960s and '70s and still dabbled with his collection of guitars.
And as they got to know each other, conversation turned to John's last name.
"It turns out I bought a motorcycle a few years ago from John's father, Wayne," Lee said, "So we got talking family things and somehow I asked him if he knew David."
David McLaggan is John's uncle, who died tragically before John was born.
Lisa and John McLaggan have built a career in music as Tomato/Tomato. (Submitted Tomato/Tomato)
"And then I told him I had a surprise, and I took him up to my music room and showed him my guitar."
It all started with the Woodstock music festival and Mike Lee's desire to own a Fender Stratocaster.
"I was a young guy just learning to play guitar and saw Jimi Hendrix up there with a Stratocaster and thought I could play like him," Lee said.
"So I started looking for a Stratocaster and I found one I could buy from a young fellow named David McLaggan."
David McLaggan, who was killed at the age of 19 when his grandfather's service station exploded on Jan. 4, 1974. He is pictured here with his grandparents, Lois and Ed McLaggan. (McLaggan family)
David had purchased the 1964 Strat but lost interest in playing it. He sold guitar and amp to Lee, who admits he never achieved his dream of playing like Hendrix.
Since then, it's been part of his guitar collection.
Lee said John McLaggan seemed to have an immediate connection to the instrument.
"I could feel the pull of the guitar towards him."
"He seemed to know a bit about it and was quite excited about it, especially since it had been in his family and had been in the possession of his uncle, who he had never met."
In this postcard from the early 1970s, the McLaggan gas station is visible. It is the white building on the cliff, upper right, on the far side of the river gorge. It exploded on Jan. 4, 1974, killing five people and injuring six others. (E. Otto)
On the evening of Jan. 4, 1974, a Friday, 19-year-old David was working at his grandfather's Irving gas station, on the eastern end of the Reversing Falls Bridge.
A transport truck driver attempting to manoeuvre his truck and trailer in the service station lot struck one of the gas pumps, knocking it over and causing gasoline to spill out.
Somehow, the gas and vapours ignited.
Newspaper reports of the day say witnesses from across the city saw a sheet of blue light that flashed upward hundreds of feet in the air. Then the place erupted in a fireball.
People reported cracked and shattered windows, cracked plaster and objects knocked off shelves and tables from the shockwave.
Windows shattered at the General Hospital, about three kilometres from the blast.
The fire continued to burn well into Saturday as rubber and petroleum products fuelled it. A harbour fire boat was brought up to pump seawater onto the site to help firefighters get control of the blaze. Five people were killed, including David McLaggan.
Hard to process
John McLaggan said he has only been able to learn small details about his uncle over the years. His death was a tragedy for the family and evokes painful memories.
So finding himself in Mike Lee's music room, holding his uncle's guitar, was a strange feeling. "It definitely took me a second to process," he said, "It wasn't something I was expecting at all."
"You know, the guitar was something my dad had spoken of when I started playing the guitar. He had mentioned a few times 'You know, your Uncle David used to play guitar, a Strat and an old Fender amp.'
"So I was pretty blown away. Speechless is probably the word."
The Strat goes home
McLaggan said there wasn't any talk of the guitar changing hands at that point. That didn't come until a little bit later.
"John had a Telecaster, another Fender guitar that he had souped up … and I had asked him, 'if you ever decide to sell that, I wouldn't mind adding that to my collection,'" Lee said.
"And a little smile came across his face and we started talking about how big my collection should be."
Lee is happy with the trade, and that the old Stratocaster is in the right hands.
"It's where it should be, and the story is about the guitar and about family, friends. It's found its right home."
John is happy, too. The '64 Stratocaster was built just before the Fender company was sold to CBS, which led to a decline in quality of the famous brand, so it's a classic Fender.
Nine-year-old Lucy McLaggan with the 1964 Fender Stratocaster that once belonged to her great uncle. Her father says Lucy already 'has her eye on it.' (submitted John McLaggan)
McLaggan said this one sounds like the guitar you'd hear on Buddy Holly tracks.
And all it really needed was a bit of rewiring and a refurbishing of the body. He has already used it on some songs on the duo's new album currently in production.
It looks like it will be staying in the family, as well.
"Lucy already has her eye on it," McLaggan said of his nine-year-old daughter.
McLaggan said early on in the lockdown, his wife looked over all his instruments and gear and in a moment of dark humour said, 'You know, if you die I'm selling all this stuff.'
To which Lucy replied, "But not Uncle David's guitar, right?"
is it tiger or tigger in you??