The Cherry Brook Zoo in Saint John, N.B. has started a crowdfunding campaign in an attempt to make up for a significant loss in funding from the city.
The effort began shortly after council voted to discontinue much of its funding for the zoo, amounting to about $40,000 in 2017. The zoo was counting on the money for the lean winter months.
The goal of the GoFundMe page is to raise $50,000.
“To say that as a community can make that decision ourselves to keep supporting this place and to sort of own it,” Zoo executive director Martha McDevitt said.
Former Saint John mayor Norm McFarlane sits on the zoo’s board of directors. He can see the situation through both lenses but was hoping council would at least continue funding in the short term.
“To give us a couple of years just to get on our feet,” Mcfarlane said. “Then look at reducing funding and making sure that we have to produce the funds to run it, if we want to continue it.”
READ MORE: Saint John’s Cherry Brook Zoo faces possible funding cut by city
The zoo says animal care will, in no way, be compromised in the meantime.
McDevitt says she expects the GoFundMe page to remain active until about June.
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