Provide financial help to zoos, aquariums, & rescue centres during the pandemic.
135,481 people signed this petition to the UK Parliament after it opened on 30 April 2020; it closed on 30 October 2020. The Government responded on 28 July 2020. MPs debated it in Westminster Hall on 25 June 2020.
The petition
The petition's creator is not named in the Petitions site's published record. Quoted in full from the UK Parliament petitions site.
Provide financial help to zoos, aquariums, & rescue centres during the pandemic.
Zoos, aquariums, and similar organisations across the country carry out all sorts of conservation work, animal rescue, and public education. At the start of the season most rely on visitors (who now won't come) to cover annual costs, yet those costs do not stop while they are closed. They need help.
If zoos are forced to close there may be nowhere to rehouse the animals since all zoos are in the same position. Some zoos have set up charity funding pages, but with many people on reduced incomes (or zero income for many self-employed) while they self-isolate there is little hope of all zoos recouping the sort of money they need, even to keep a skeleton staff on to feed and care for the animals. Only a significant grant from government can prevent a disaster.
The Government's response
The Government published its response on 28 July 2020; the petitions site lists the HM Treasury as responsible. Its summary:
The outdoor areas of zoos can now reopen. Government financial support schemes are available to zoos, including the Zoos Support Fund. We are keeping the situation under close review.
The opening 389 words of the 562-word response:
The Government recognises that organisations such as zoos, aquariums and animal welfare charities are working tirelessly during this challenging time to safeguard the health and welfare needs of animals in their care. The Government also recognises that many of these organisations in the UK, as well as providing high welfare standards for their animals, contribute significantly to both conservation work and education, helping both sustain endangered species but also teaching people about animals’ natural habitats - as well as how at risk that species may be.
As announced by the Prime Minister on 10 June, outdoor animal attractions, including safari parks, the outdoor parts of zoos and animal attractions on farms, are now open following strict social distancing guidelines. This includes keeping indoor exhibitions, such as reptile houses and those in aquariums, closed, and ensuring other amenities like cafes offer take-away services only.
The move follows close work by the Government with the zoo industry to ensure visitor numbers can be managed and safeguards are put in place. Allowing zoos to reopen is an integral step towards supporting an early financial recovery.
The decision to relax restrictions on these select outdoor attractions is part of the Government’s careful approach to easing the lockdown in phases, guided by the advice of scientific and medical experts and the fact the risk of transmission is much lower outdoors.
A number of schemes have been made available to businesses and charities to help them during this emergency. Organisations are eligible to apply for a range of support schemes including the Job Retention Scheme, VAT deferral, Business Rates Relief, the Business Interruption Loan schemes, the option to reclaim the costs of Statutory Sick Pay and grant funding of up to £25,000.
The Government launched a Zoos Support Fund on 4 May worth £14 million in direct response to the concerns raised by zoos and aquariums as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Licensed zoos or aquariums in England that are experiencing severe financial difficulties because of lost revenue can apply for a grant of up to £100,000. The fund is intended to help zoos at immediate risk to protect the welfare of animals living on site or by rehoming.
The funding is available to cover animal-care costs that cannot be lowered such as keepers’ wages, animal feed and bedding and veterinary care and medicines.
Read the full response on the petitions site.
Where the signatures came from
Signatures came from 650 constituencies on the boundaries used until the 2024 general election. The largest number, 1,711, came from Waveney.
134,863 of the signatures were from the UK and 618 from elsewhere, by the location signers gave.
| Constituency | Signatures |
|---|---|
| Waveney | 1,711 |
| Bosworth | 1,176 |
| South West Bedfordshire | 1,119 |
| Tamworth | 995 |
| North West Leicestershire | 960 |
| South Derbyshire | 929 |
| Great Yarmouth | 918 |
| North Warwickshire | 770 |
| Stafford | 739 |
| Nuneaton | 735 |
| Region | Signatures |
|---|---|
| East of England | 21,817 |
| South East | 20,467 |
| West Midlands | 19,941 |
| East Midlands | 17,246 |
| North West | 15,061 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 10,403 |
| South West | 8,864 |
| London | 5,757 |
| Wales | 5,602 |
| Scotland | 3,388 |
| North East | 2,806 |
| Northern Ireland | 275 |
Debate in Parliament
MPs debated the petition in Westminster Hall on 25 June 2020. Read the debate in Hansard. House of Commons Library debate pack.
Source and receipt
- https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/308733.jsonUK Parliament Petitions API · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
fb028f7cc0b43543… - The petition on petition.parliament.uk
The petition's words are its creator's and the response is the Government's; this site quotes both and gives no view on either. Signature counts can still change while a petition is open. To report an error, send a correction request.