A zookeeper is badly mauled by a coati that was taken in without concern for proper housing or protection of staff. An excerpt from "Turmoil at the Austin Zoo":

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"It also included the story of Sookie the coati, a member of the raccoon family, who attacked and injured a zookeeper so badly the zookeeper needed surgeries for infections in her hand, according to keepers and the zoo. Zookeeper notes show the incident happened days after keepers warned that Sookie was attacking people and should be moved to an enclosure where keepers could be protected."

An Administration House for offsite offices is purchased. Zoo staff (and board members at the time) argue that money should be used for improving animal enclosures and finding space onsite for admin staff. The purchase is complete before staff or the board can announce any concern.

Annie, the elderly patas monkey, has a major stroke that leaves her unable to walk or feed herself. Zookeeper requests for her to be humanely euthanized are ignored.

The Head Zookeeper resigns from his position. The Zoological Association of America inspection takes place. 

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Annie is still unable to walk or feed herself. A new Head Zookeeper is hired.

Babs, the 33-year-old black bear, is found lying on her side flailing when she attempts to move. She must be sedated and brought into her den because she is not able to get up on her own. She will remain laying on her side for about six weeks while crews use two-by-fours to turn her over in an attempt to avoid bed sores and assist with cleaning her waste. 

Excerpt from "Turmoil at the Austin Zoo":

That’s when the zoo’s longtime veterinarian, Dr. Leanne Jakubowsky, decided she’d had enough. Jakubowsky told the Statesman she couldn’t talk about specific animals but confirmed she had left the zoo partially in response to Babs, as well as general frustrations that her advice wasn’t taken.

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“Essentially, I quit over that,” said Jakubowsky, who lives and practices in Austin. “I was in the same boat (as the zookeepers). I had some concerns and I felt like, ‘If you guys can’t trust me’ — one of the basics of a client-veterinarian relationship is trust, to trust me to make good decisions for the animals.”

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Annie still cannot walk or eat on her own. 

Annie, the patas monkey, dies three months after having a stroke which leaves her unable to walk or eat or drink. Despite efforts by zookeepers to clean her and prop her on stuffed animals, she develops bed sores all the way to the bone.

Five keepers meet at a restaurant to craft a letter to the zoo's board of directors, listing problems they've seen over the years and demanding a change in leadership.

Despite being a “non breeding facility”, the first of two prairie dog litters are born. Prior to the prairie dog births, zookeepers had expressed concerns about whether or not the prairie dogs were altered. Concerns were disregarded by management. After the first litter is born, zookeepers express concern that the other female prairie dog is probably pregnant. These are disregarded as well. A few weeks later, a 2nd litter is discovered.

For close to a year, work was done to create an enclosure for capybara. Zoo management then had to find capybaras to fill the enclosure. Other projects necessitating those resources and manpower are ignored. In April of 2018, four capybara are brought to the Zoo from a Texas ranch. 

Austin Zoo is granted Zoological Association of America (ZAA) accreditation.

Austin Zoo Revue takes place. Patti Clark gives a speech to donors announcing the number of “rescued animals” that includes both litters of prairie dogs who were born at the Zoo and the capybara.

Babs, the 33 year old black bear, dies. The Compliance Manager (a previous zookeeper) submits notice of resignation. The Compliance Manager is fired and escorted off property.

The Annual unannounced USDA inspection takes place. The zoo does not have running water this day and an area housing 17 mammals is completely skipped. No deficiencies are reported. Only 2 infractions are cited - both for cleanliness.

The Board of Directors receives a 54-page letter from anonymous animal care staff. Staff will end up waiting over 50 days for the Board to meet with the authors.

Two extremely sick and elderly animals are put down in direct response to the desperate please made in the letter from the zookeepers. An excerpt from the letter: 

“Below we have highlighted two animals who are currently living in irreversible states, with very poor qualities of life. Veterinarians and the animals’ zookeepers have expressed their desire for humane euthanasia. We urge you to come to the zoo and visit Tabby and Cheyenne.”

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Tabby and Cheyenne are humanely euthanized on August 15th and September 5th, respectively. 

Three Board Members are chosen to investigate the claims made in the 54-page letter from animal care staff. Patti Clark and Carl Alberty are recused from the investigation. An excerpt from "Turmoil at the Austin Zoo":

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"Part of that committee’s role was also to examine Clark’s leadership, King told the Statesman. Emails obtained by the newspaper show King forwarded the committee-only emails, as well as communications with the still-anonymous letter writers, to Clark.

In one mid-August exchange about a bobcat and a wolf the zookeepers believed to be in pain, King reminded the three committee members to keep emails between themselves. Copies of emails show he then forwarded the thread to Clark, warning her not to tell then-board member Tammy Greenblum.

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Emails show tensions were rising quickly between King and Greenblum, who began defending the zookeepers and echoing some of their animal care concerns. Greenblum generally declined to discuss zoo politics with the Statesman but said the investigation was supposed to be independent and she did not know King was sending the committee's communications back to Clark."

The Head Zookeeper that started in January resigns. Matt Miklaw, an Austin Zookeeper of 6 years is promoted to Head Keeper. The General Curator is terminated.

Newly appointed Head Zookeeper Matt Miklaw meets with the Board to discuss the concerns presented in the letter. He is assured that his testimony is confidential and will not be given to Patti Clark. However, committee member Rick King forwards the transcript of the confidential meeting to the Executive Director Clark.

Patti Clark's office assistant begins working with large carnivores despite not having zoo keeping experience. Numerous staff concerns are brought forward to the Executive Director.

The Austin Zoo Board makes an announcement:

“Board reviewed and evaluated alleged conflicts-of-interest and financial mismanagement issues and found these accusations to be legally and factually untrue.”

Less than a month after talking candidly to the committee about his concerns about animal care and management, Head Zookeeper Matt Milkaw (promoted in August) is reprimanded in writing by Patti Clark. He steps down as Head Keeper.

Authors of the letter request copies of the Zoo’s bylaws and are refused by Rick King.

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Two new zookeepers and a new Director of Animal Care, all from out of state, are hired on September 17th.

The Board meets with the authors of the letter. During the 2 hour meeting with 4 of the 5 board members (Patti Clark is recused), Rick King leaves the room twice: once for a phone call and another to visit the convenience store for a refreshment.

Excerpt from "Turmoil at the Austin Zoo": 

"The day Miklaw was fired, the zoo's employment attorney drafted a suggested response to the letter writers that said the board had investigated the letter’s claims thoroughly, found no improper conduct and planned to make no changes to Clark’s role. The board did not send the response, but the investigation ended.”

A new Deputy Director of Animal Care/Veterinary Care with extensive zoological experience is hired. However, they report only to Executive Director Patti Clark. 

Nearly two years after four juvenile male ostriches arrive at Austin Zoo, construction begins on a new habitat. Note: It took two years of zookeeper complaints, an OSHA complaint, a vet recommendation, and a letter to the Board of Directors for the Zoo to improve the housing for ostriches. For two years the ostriches have been housed on rocky sandy soil of which they are prone to eating and becoming impacted. Males are normally not housed together due to aggression. They show daily signs of extreme stress by plucking each others feathers and air gulping. The ostriches now have permanent bare backs due to this stress plucking. 

The New Deputy Director of Animal Care/Veterinary Care implements zookeeper management meetings, occurring 1-2 times per week. Discussions include animal husbandry care improvements and expectations, exhibit updates and repairs, and communication topics for veterinary care.” Zookeepers are encouraged to openly discuss issues with the Deputy Director of Animal Care.

Influenced by the letter to the board, the Zoo expands frequency of the Zoo Veterinarian’s consultations with the Deputy Director and veterinary technicians. Expands onsite visits from quarterly to monthly. The veterinarian will now be onsite two day out of the month. Patti Clark maintains authority over medical decisions.

A new animal care/veterinary technician is hired. The previous full time vet tech position left the zoo November of 2017.

Board Member Tammy Greenblum resigns after alleged relentless bullying and harassment from Executive Director Patti Clark, Volunteer Coordinator Toni Alberty, and Board Member Rick King.

Patti Clark terminates the administrative assistant that she directed to be trained on large carnivores in August of 2018, 3 months earlier.

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The Administration Manager (staff member of six years) is questioned by Executive Director Patti Clark and Board Member Rick King regarding loyalty. She is then removed from her position and given the new title of Administrative Assistant. She is instructed not to actively teach or train and is allowed only to perform website edits. 

...

Ostrich barn is completed. It has electricity for heat or cooling fans and water, allowing for complete separation and keeper care without direct animal contact. They continue to be housed as pairs

Both administrative assistants give their formal notice of resignation and resign on January 16th.

A Zookeeper meeting is held with the Deputy of Animal Care about not talking to the media.

The Austin American Statesman article “Turmoil at the Austin Zoo: Documenting a Zookeeper's Revolt” from Elizabeth Findell is published online. The in depth and disturbing article details multiple cases of animal cruelty, employee intimidation and retaliation, and overall management corruption.

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The article is based on interviews with 24 current and former Austin Zoo staff members, 17 of them zookeepers, who have worked at the zoo in the past six years. Most request not to be identified for fear of career repercussions. Patti Clark, the zoo's director and board president, declines to answer questions. Instead, a board member and public relations consultant contribute comments from the zoo.

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The American-Statesman also obtains a recording of a board meeting and copies of documents, including zookeeper letters to the board, emails between zoo board and staff members and some animal care records and notes.

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After the story is published, six other former keepers who worked at the zoo between 2007 and 2016 contact the Statesman to say they had experienced similar cases of what they considered poor animal care and mismanagement. 

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(Click here to see the article)

“Turmoil at the Austin Zoo: Documenting a Zookeeper's Revolt” is the front page article of The Austin American Statesman's Sunday Paper.

Citizens respond to the article

(Click here to see article)

Kris Ledoux, Austin Zookeeper of 9 years, is suspended with pay for talking on the record to the Austin American Statesman reporter Elizabeth Findell.

A petition titled “Hold Austin Zoo Accountable” requests five specific changes at Austin Zoo that would forbid someone from simultaneously holding both Director and President of the Board positions, ensure a humane end-of-life policy for all zoo animals, decrease the chances of board member corruption, and bring in new independent and responsible leadership.

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(Click here to see the Petition)

The Zoo responds to the article.

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(Click here to see the response)

The Author or “Turmoil at the Austin Zoo” gives an update on the situation at the zoo. 

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(Click here to read the interview)

Austin Zoo Board member and lawyer Rick King contradicts himself over the “independent investigation” at zoo. More evidence of veterinarian advice being ignored emerges.

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(Click here to read the article - Read for free on your phone)

Major non-profit publication NPQ condemns the actions and management style of Austin Zoo's inadequate leadership.

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(Click here to read the article)

Kris Ledoux, senior Austin Zookeeper employed by the facility for nine years, is terminated over the phone after refusing to meet with the Zoo's lawyer unless she may bring her own legal representation.

Two more zookeepers are fired by letter after speaking to Zoo management and lawyers.

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It is expected that prior statements and opinions may soon flip in the near future due to alleged legal threats and intimidation tactics from Zoo leadership.

A new Statesman article from Elizabeth Findell details the three firings within the past week as well as a starkly contrasting statement from the Vet quoted in the original article. 

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(Click here to see the article for free on your phone)

Executive Director Patti Clark steps down as President from the Austin Zoo Board of Directors. She still maintains the position of Zoo Director and selects four new Board Members to add to the remaining three: Rick King, Carl Alberty, and Tracie Monroe. These three are the Board Members who backed Patti Clark over the keepers when presented with the 54-page letter. Bernie Tejada, a newly elected Board Member, now serves as the interim chairman. 

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(Click here to see the Statesman Article for free on your phone)