After a government minister in southwest Albania viewed MailOnline’s report from the ‘zoo from hell,’ Albanian police have rescued malnourished and diseased animals.
At the Safari Park Zoo located in Fier, Albania, horrific pictures were captured of the animals showing them cooped up in concrete cages too small and most animals, with untreated injuries.
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Blendi Klosi, Albania’s Minister of Tourism and Environment, immediately had the animals rescued after reading MailOnline’s story, according to Albania’s Top Channel.
Klosi stated:
“In response to the news published in the Daily Mail and dozens of messages on the unacceptable situation where some animals live in a private zoo in Fier, I urgently ordered the launch of an action by the Environmental Inspectorate, which in cooperation with the Fier Police and the Animal Protection Association have decided to displace the animals in order to protect them.”
Allegedly, the photos were captured by an anonymous photographer who wanted to make sure the conditions the animals were living in — were exposed to the world.
Freshwater or shade is nowhere to be found in most of the images, and most animals are surrounded by their own excrement.
The anonymous photographer said after visiting the facility said they saw “some of the worst animal welfare conditions they have ever seen.”
The photographer continued…
“All the animals are kept in tiny, unhygienic concrete cages with no possibility to retreat from the elements or from the prying eyes of visitors to the zoo. The animals suffer from a range of physical and psychological issues caused by the miserable conditions, improper veterinary care and lack of an appropriate diet.”
Four Paws, the international animal welfare organization, said the situation was ‘absolutely unacceptable’.
They have been very active in Albania the past few years.
“The conditions at the Safari Park Zoo do not even come close to being appropriate, particularly for large wild animals like lions and bears which have very specific environmental and dietary needs,” head of Four Paws’ Wild Animals Department, Ioana Dungler, said.
“Signs of the mental and physical impact of being kept in such abject surroundings can be clearly seen on each of the poor animals at the zoo. It is undoubtedly very far from most peoples’ understanding of a ‘safari park’ and represents an animal welfare emergency. Put simply, if something is not done soon these animals will continue to suffer and most likely die in these unspeakable conditions.”
Thank goodness the minister was able to see the article and sent help as soon as he did. Thanks to the anonymous photographer, the rescue may not have been even possible and I am sure those animals are in much better care then what they have been subjected to.
To view the heartbreaking photos, click here, courtsey of MailOnline.
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