Dear : I am very concerned after learning that [name of sponsor] will be hosting a petting zoo. Animals used in these spectacles are often subjected to abuse in order to provide "entertainment" to patrons. Even under the best of circumstances, captivity can be horrible for animals meant to roam free. Kept in small, barren cages, forced to sleep on concrete slabs, forced to travel in weather extremes, and imprisoned behind iron bars, these animals often suffer from malnutrition, loneliness, the denial of all normal pleasures and behaviors, loss of freedom and independence, even lack of veterinary care, and filthy quarters. Even when the mere display of the animals themselves is the "draw," the animals rarely receive proper care and almost never the socialization and stimulation they crave. Confined to tiny cages and gawked at by crowds, animals in exhibits and acts endure constant stress. They may suffer from temperature extremes and irregular feeding and watering. Without exercise, they become listless, their immune systems are weakened, and they become prone to sickness; many resort to self-mutilation in reaction to stress or boredom. Mental illness is rampant among confined animals. Torn from their families and deprived of all dignity, every part of their lives is controlled by their captors. The Animal Welfare Act (AWA), the federal law that is supposed to protect animals used in exhibitions, merely sets minimum housing and maintenance standards for confined animals. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) currently even interprets the Act to exclude certain species used for certain purposes, such as equines used for entertainment, and all birds and reptiles. The AWA requires that animal exhibitors be licensed with the USDA's Animal and Plant Heath Inspection Service (APHIS), which is charged with ensuring that very minimal animal care standards are met. However, there are only about 85 APHIS inspectors to cover the nearly 8,000 facilities nationwide. In a 1992 audit by the USDA, it was determined that "APHIS cannot ensure the humane care and treatment of animals...as required by the Act. APHIS did not inspect facilities with reliable frequency, and it did not enforce timely corrections of violations during inspections." It is even more difficult to monitor an exhibit that travels from one location to another, such as a petting zoo. You should also be concerned about the danger posed to public health. According to an April 20, 2001 press release, "Thousands of children are being exposed to dangerous E. coli bacteria at petting zoos and county fairs, the government said releasing new warnings about farm animal exhibits. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cited E. coli outbreaks last year that sickened 56 people, including dozens of children, at a dairy farm in Pennsylvania and a petting zoo in Washington state." Please, for the sake of the animals and the safety of the public, implement a formal policy against the use of animal acts as promotions, and schedule only cruelty-free events. Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Sincerely, [Your Name] [Address - optional]