South Lakes Safari Zoo 'has shortfalls' in vet records

The inspection found all animals "appeared healthy"

A zoo "appears well" but has shortfalls in its veterinary records, an inspection has found.

An informal visit to South Lakes Safari Zoo, near Dalton, was conducted in May.

The inspection report said a "brief" walk round the site found "all animals appeared healthy".

Current zoo operator, Cumbria Zoo Company Limited, said it was "doing everything possible" to ensure animals had veterinary care when needed and that this was appropriately documented.

Past inspections at the zoo have raised welfare concerns although improvements have been noted.

It was fined after a keeper was killed by a tiger in 2013 and has been under new management since 2017.

The inspection report, written by Westmorland and Furness Council veterinary advisor Dr Matthew Brash and council officer Ivor Churcher, said: "On the whole the zoo appears well."

It noted there had been a "deliberate decrease" in the number of animals and "significantly less evidence of rodent activity" since the last inspection in November last year.

Councillors are due to discuss the report on Thursday

However, the inspectors noted many animals were on loan and cared for by the International Zoo Veterinary Group (IZVG), the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Those owned or managed by the zoo's landlords, Zoo Investment Company, were cared for by Dr Kate Hornby on site, with "incomplete and basic" records.

"It is essential that Dr Hornby understands clearly the requirements under the Zoo Licensing Act and laid out in the Secretary of State's standards of modern zoo practice regarding the keeping of suitable records on-site and available for inspection," the report said.

Cumbria Zoo Company Limited said IZVG and zoo inspector Dr Karen Archer had an "overriding eye on the whole animal collection and the veterinary care being administered and recorded and are responding immediately to any potential shortcomings or gaps".

The council's regulatory committee will discuss the report and whether to make any changes to the zoo's licence on Thursday.