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Is there anyone who does not remember their childhood visits to a zoo? Mine remain clear memories, but not all of them are good. The excitement of seeing real animals instead of just pictures in my books is a fond memory. Yet, even as a child I remember seeing so many of the animals that looked bored, listless, and that conveyed a feeling of hopelessness. Seeing those animals made me feel sorry for them.

The zoos when I was a child were not even close to the quality of accredited zoos today, yet many of the people who ran them were well-intentioned. In those days, animals were considered entertainment. Even feeding time was entertainment. I can remember running to get a good view when the boisterous seals were fed, or the lions in their barren, foul smelling cages.

In modern zoos, cages have become habitats, with native trees and plants indigenous to each species used to create an authentic "in the wild" experience. While there are many animal handlers who are responsible and loving caretakers of the animals, no one should forget that the bottom line for every zoo is to make money. That is the problem, is it not? Is it humane to allow wild animals to be entertainment for a price?

In my younger days, no one even thought about "animal rights". Shining the spotlight on those zoos or animal parks that are unable, or simply refuse, to care for their exotic animals in even the basic humane conditions, is long overdue. Intense regulations and restrictions must be placed upon any zoo or animal park with on-going inspections of these facilities after they are accredited. Abuses will stop when people understand that they are accountable for their actions with steep fines and possible jail time.

Who has not read or seen on television heart-wrenching stories, especially about lions and tigers, who have been starved to death, restricted in small cages for long periods of time and can no longer walk, or that have been beaten in order to control them. In cases like this, where are these animals supposed to go? Of course, to whatever reputable zoo will have them. Many zoos offer rehabilitation programs for injured animals and give them a second life. It may not be the perfect life, but it IS a humane life.

Some people argue that animals are actually safer in a zoo than in their natural environment. This could possibly be true of gorillas, and a few other species, being hunted into extinction. Should man just watch while these creatures are eliminated from the face of the earth? Some zoos are actively involved in breeding programs for endangered species. However, long-term captivity in a zoo is not the ultimate answer for any endangered species. Only better control of their natural environment, and protection against humans who would hunt them, will keep them from extinction.

The debate around zoos and captive animals is a complex one. There is no "yes" or "no" answer on either side of the debate that does not have exceptions that must be addressed. No one wants to learn of animals that are so stressed in their confinement that they develop abnormal habits, such as head bobbing. Sadly, for many of these animals, there is no alternative.

Our best hope is regulation and high standards imposed on zoos. For those animals born in captivity, or abandoned by unscrupulous breeders and irresponsible, exotic pet owners-where else will they go?

Learn more about this author, Diane Quinn .
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