Dublin Zoo 'vehemently disputes' allegations of sexual harassment of workers and mistreatment leading to deaths of animals

"People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy highlighted a range of "very serious issues at the zoo" as he introduced legislation to call for an emergency inspection at the site. Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday, Mr Murphy said there were "credible allegations of harassment, including sexual harassment, of zoo workers by managers" as well as "financial irregularities" within the organisation. He also said very serious animal welfare issues had culminated in the deaths of numerous animals and the disappearance of whole species from the zoo."

""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. "The assertions are either wholly misleading, completely false or contain inaccurate and unsubstantiated clinical assessments." "Over the past three years, more than 50 similar anonymous allegations have been made. All have been fully investigated through independent reviews carried out by the relevant authorities and found to be either unfounded or historic and already resolved."

Paul Murphy called for an emergency inspection of Dublin Zoo, alleging very serious issues. He alleged credible harassment, including sexual harassment of zoo workers by managers, financial irregularities, and animal welfare failures that he said led to numerous deaths and disappearance of species. Dublin Zoo vehemently disputed the claims, objected to the lack of prior engagement, and called the assertions misleading, false, or containing inaccurate clinical assessments. The zoo said over 50 similar anonymous allegations had been independently investigated and found unfounded or historic and resolved, and that NPWS questioned the credibility of many claims.

Read at Irish Independent