National Zoo Animal Investigation

TV broadcast package script

Anchor intro: AT THE NATIONAL ZOO IN WASHINGTON, CONGRESS HAS ORDERED AN INVESTIGATION INTO NUMEROUS ANIMAL DEATHS. DENA GUDAITIS REPORTS...

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VO: ALLEGATIONS OF POOR ANIMAL CARE, NEGLECT, MISDIAGNOSIS AND RUNDOWN FACILITIES ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.

CONCERNS BECAME PUBLIC AFTER TWO RED PANDAS DIED AFTER EATING RAT POISON BURIED IN THEIR YARD.

THE VETERNARY RECORDS WERE CHANGED AFTER DEATHS OF DOZENS OF OTHER ANIMALS AND A ZOO PATHOLOGIST HAS ACCUSED THE ZOO OF TRYING TO COVER UP MISTAKES.

ACADEMY SPOKESMAN BILL KEARNEY SAYS THAT THE ZOO NEEDS TO FIX THESE CONCERNS TO SAVE ITS TARNISHED REPUTATION.

Bill Kearney: 12 "The committee would like to see this zoo as the nation's zoo moving towards being a zoo of excellence."

BUT A VISITING PRIMATE RESEARCHER IS SEEING IMPROVEMENTS.

Barbara King: 13 " I think that the zoo has acknowledged some problems and is working to correct them. But, meanwhile what's been lost are the many research successes and the positive contributions of the staff."

Out cue: NATIONAL ZOO OFFICIALS DECLINED TO BE INTERVIEWED.

YET, ZOO DOCUMENTS INDICATE THE INSTITUTION IS WORKING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEMS CITED IN THE ACADEMY'S PRELIMINARY REPORT. THE FINAL REPORT WILL BE RELEASED THIS SUMMER.  

REPORTING FROM NORTHWEST WASHINGTON, DENA GUDAITIS.