THE MOTHER of a Scots zookeeper mauled to death by a tiger at a Cumbria wildlife park says it should be refused an operating licence, despite getting crucial backing from government inspectors.
Fiona McClay, whose daughter Sarah, 24, from Glasgow was killed at South Lakes Safari Zoo in Dalton-in-Furness four years ago, says it should not get any official sanction as there continues to be concerns about how it is being run.
In March, then owner David Gill's claim for a licence to run the zoo was unanimously refused by Barrow councillors after they heard there were some 486 animal deaths at the zoo between January 2013 and September 2016 .
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Since January the zoo has been operated by Cumbria Zoo Company Limited (CZCL) and its application to prevent any future closure will be considered by members of the council's licensing regulatory committee tomorrow (Tuesday).
It is claimed Mr Gill (above) is said to have stepped away from all trading and management activities connected with the zoo in Dalton-in-Furness.
But opponents, including Mrs McClay have questioned this and objected to the prospect of the licence being awarded.
Mrs McClay, who plans to be at the crunch meeting tomorrow said: " These are the same people who are applying for a licence that have been there over the years and have not been doing anything about what has been happening.
"And there appears to be clear evidence that something has been going on with regard to the health and welfare of the animals. It is atrocious.
"I don't think they should be issued with the licence at the moment, because I don't feel there is enough evidence in place to prove they can continue in the proper manner, looking after the animals proper."
Ms McClay from West Lothian who is concerned the new company was being run by exisiting staff, including CZL chief executive Karen Brewer is to go to the zoo no matter what the outcome is.
She said: "It is to show that we are completely unbiased, we don't necessarily want the zoo to close. I just want to see it for myself, so when people ask me, I can say that I have been. Then I can say I am not just commenting just on what's in the press."
Government inspectors are now supporting CZCL's licence bid, subject to it meeting a number of conditions, following their latest site visit.
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Government inspectors conceded there "might be some concern" among councillors given that the present management team and senior staff are similar to the team that worked under Mr Gill and there was no permanent suitably qualified animal manager in post.
But they added they were satisfied a robust management and staffing structure was in place with the loyalty of the keepers noted as "astonishing" and a number of specialist contractors providing assistance in the running of the zoo.
But in a response to the council, the Captive Animals' Protection Society said that many of the changes made "simply provide the bare minimum" and are "too little too late".
It said the changes should have been in place throughout the history of the zoo and since Ms Brewer had been in a management position.
The Born Free Foundation added: "It is important to note that this is not solely a management issue that can be fixed by awarding a zoo licence to another applicant. There are clearly fundamental issues including staffing, infrastructure and resources at the zoo that risk this concerning situation being perpetuated if the zoo continues to be licensed."
One whistleblowing zoo worker claims he was regularly forced to beg for kitchen scraps in order to provide healthy food for animals kept on site.
Barrow Council's licensing officer has recommended that committee members should be minded to grant a licence to CZCL for four years - subject to Mr Gill either withdrawing his own licence appeal or Mr Gill surrendering his licence.
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Councillors will visit the zoo themselves tomorrow morning before later making their decision at Barrow Town Hall.
CZCL said it had advertised for the position of a full-time Animal Director and that a job offer had been made to a candidate, subject to the zoo licence being issued.
The company said it was committed to developing its "passion to make Safari Zoo a zoo that the team here can demonstrate to the world we are a positive force for change - in the care of the animals on our site, the ability to engage our guests with the natural world and our impact to make effective changes through our conservation and educational programmes".
Mr Gill's application was turned down in March after inspectors visited the zoo in January and were "dismayed by the obvious deficiencies in the accommodation, the overcrowding and the lack of proper welfare and husbandry''.
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