Shelby McDonald used to work at a zoo. She was shocked by the number of announcements they received about animal deaths and transfers.
鈥淚 really didn't have a personal relationship with any of the animals, and yet each announcement still had some type of emotional impact on me,鈥� McDonald said. 鈥淏ut some work with animals for years, others for decades. So I was just curious about what that felt like on the other side.鈥�
McDonald turned to research to find some answers, but she couldn鈥檛 find much on formal recommendations on how to cope within the zoo setting. That鈥檚 when McDonald got together with researchers from Colorado State University, and the school 鈥� in partnership with the Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance 鈥� to find out how zoos handle animal loss and grief.
The first of three surveys given to workers was quantitative. The majority of workers reported experiencing an unexpected animal death in the last year. Half of those experienced a death within the last three months.
Around a third reported high levels of depression, and around half of the workers reported high levels of anxiety and burnout. But only 17% said their zoo had a formal process for handling that loss.
McDonald said the lack of a ritual is primarily due to funding and resources, but also presentation.鈥淶oos鈥� cultures are very rooted in certain dynamics in which serving the public and public image comes first,鈥� they said. 鈥淪o a lot of times that is prioritized over the well-being of employees.鈥�
The other two surveys were qualitative, of around 200 of those zoo workers. Respondents expressed how there was a lack of empathy and direction from leadership when a death would occur.
鈥淭hey had to go right back to work after an animal had died,鈥� Jen Currin-McCulloch, a researcher from CSU who analyzed survey responses, said. 鈥淭hey shared how challenging it was for them to have to describe, to tell a story as to where the animal was without saying they had died.鈥�
Respondents also said leadership would transfer animals without notice or overlook the deaths of smaller animals. When participants wanted to speak about their grief, Currin-McCulloch said they felt as if they couldn鈥檛 do so.
鈥淚f they brought it up, they were, you know, either whisked off, like 鈥榃e don't talk about that here, go back to work and what you're doing,鈥� or they felt a sense of shame or guilt,鈥� Currin-McCulloch said.
She added that the value zoos place on animal loss can be different than that of a human life. 鈥淚've worked in healthcare systems for 20 years, and it is embedded in our culture 鈥� we recognize, we stop, we pause,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his is part of our own, I think, our ethical responsibility for each other is our peers within health systems. So I think it's (zoos) just a very different culture.鈥�
The overarching study also listed recommendations to zoos on how to better take care of their employees. Some of the ideas include grief training for leadership and in-person check-ins with volunteers and staff after an animal has been transferred or died.
Respondents also asked for time off to grieve or time for memorial services for the animals as a way to continue a bond with an animal that is no longer there. That could be in a physical form, too, such as hair clippings, paw or nose prints, or planting trees in honor of an animal鈥檚 life.
Lori Kogan, another researcher on the study, said most ideas can be implemented in the short-term and should be talked about as soon as possible.
鈥淚 want to believe that for many people that they just weren't aware of the incredible need of the workers and volunteers, and that these studies really highlight the significance that these losses have for these people,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y hope is that these studies that come up in budget meetings or meetings with donors where they say, what do we need to prioritize?鈥�
McDonald believes if zoos want to create a better guest experience, making these changes will benefit zoos overall.
鈥淲e know that zookeeper well-being is linked to animal welfare,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o I think by investing in these initiatives, not only are you supporting the wellbeing of employees, you're supporting the wellbeing of animals and a better guest experience for everyone.鈥�
