Dublin Zoo has said it “vehemently disputes” allegations of animal mistreatment, financial misconduct and sexual harassment of staff made by People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy under Dáil privilege.
Introducing legislation seeking an emergency inspection at the zoo, Mr Murphy raised what he described as “very serious issues at the zoo”, reports RTE.
Speaking in the Dáil today, Mr Murphy alleged “credible allegations of harassment, including sexual harassment, of zoo workers by managers” as well as “financial irregularities” within the organisation.
He also claimed there were serious animal welfare failures that had led to the deaths of several animals and the disappearance of entire species from the zoo, reports RTE.
In a statement released this afternoon, Dublin Zoo said more than 50 similar anonymous complaints had been independently investigated over the last three years and were “found to be either unfounded or historic and already resolved”.
The zoo said the accusations formed part of an ongoing pattern that had caused “wholly unwarranted reputational harm”, reports RTE.
Mr Murphy told the Dáil that one such incident involved the death of cheetah cubs after their mother, pregnant at the time, was transferred from Fota Wildlife Park to Dublin Zoo.
He said: “She gave birth the next day and all the baby cubs are now dead,” reports RTE.
“She should never have been moved when pregnant and also had inexperienced people looking after her,” reports RTE.
Addressing harassment claims, Mr Murphy told the Dáil that a female staff member had repeatedly reported being harassed by a male manager who was later suspended for four months, but said: “During that time, he was, at least on one occasion, sitting outside her house in a car late at night,” reports RTE.
He said the man remains a senior staff member while the woman was made redundant, reports RTE.
Mr Murphy also alleged that the woman had a brick thrown through her window and her car tyres slashed.
He continued: “In another incident, three female members of staff were sexually harassed by a male manager at a conference,” reports RTE.
“A subsequent HR investigation confirmed three instances of harassment. He is still a senior manager at the zoo,” reports RTE.
Mr Murphy also said he possessed “documentary proof” of financial irregularities at the zoo, reports RTE.
He claimed these involved “the misallocation of funds” to construct an extension to the zoo director’s house.
“To cap it all, there is a lack of concern and a total lack of proper oversight by the State over any of this,” reports RTE.
In its statement, Dublin Zoo said: “Dublin Zoo vehemently disputes the allegations made today in the Dáil and objects, in the strongest possible terms, also to the manner in which these claims have been raised without any prior engagement with the zoo,” reports RTE.
“The assertions are either wholly misleading, completely false, or contain inaccurate and unsubstantiated clinical assessments,” reports RTE.
Mr Murphy said zoo workers are “outraged at the neglect and mistreatment of animals” at the facility, attributing the issues mainly to understaffing and inadequate training.
He said a recent example was the “deaths of all the African wild dogs”, an endangered species that had been the subject of previous concerns raised by the National Parks & Wildlife Service (NPWS) three years ago, reports RTE.
“This time, welfare concerns raised by experienced zookeepers weren’t investigated in time and all the dogs died,” reports RTE.
“One dog had cancer in the mouth that was left untreated and had to be put down. Before it died, it got no medication or medical intervention,” reports RTE.
“Another was pregnant and became very swollen. Her lungs and heart became filled with fluid. She never recovered after being administered an anaesthetic and died. That species is now gone from the zoo,” reports RTE.
Mr Murphy added that all the wolves in the zoo were also “put down after a health check,” reports RTE.
“Other animal deaths have included four bongo antelopes and a black buck or Indian antelope whose leg was snapped in half and left hanging on by a ligament after being inappropriately transported in a horsebox,” reports RTE.
“This is a very small, fragile antelope who should never have been moved so roughly,” reports RTE.
He also raised concerns about the deaths of elephants following sedation.
“Two of them died from stress, and the rest of the remaining herd developed herpes, reactivated by stress,” reports RTE.
Mr Murphy said none of the issues he raised had been “properly investigated”, despite repeated reports to management, HR, the charity regulator, the NPWS and the gardaÃ, reports RTE.
He told the Dáil that journalists who inquired about the allegations had “been met with legal letters,” reports RTE.
He added: “One journalist received no fewer than 11 legal letters, including a letter sent to their entire workplace,” reports RTE.
Responding to media queries, Dublin Zoo denied the animal welfare allegations and said it had been recognised for its quality of care.
It stated that animal welfare remains its “highest priority” and that it operates under rigorous regulation and oversight, with frequent inspections, reports RTE.
The zoo also said NPWS inspectors had questioned the credibility of the main allegations.
Dublin Zoo rejected claims of charity fund misappropriation, insisting it functions “within a robust governance framework with clearly defined internal financial controls,” reports RTE.
It said it could not discuss individual HR cases but stressed that any concerns raised “are addressed in accordance with best practice,” reports RTE.
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