Good fences make good neighbors; zoo should build its own

To the Editor:

This letter is in response to the July 11 front page article regarding the proposed apartment complex in Minocqua and the unusual requests from Wildwood Wildlife Zoo and Safari. How can anyone suggest that an adjacent property owner should be responsible for creating a buffer that you didn’t create within your own boundaries? Concerns for security also are your responsibility.

To think that the town should force the much needed apartment complex to meet all of your requirements because you are operating such an important facility is ridiculous. You are concerned about the “welfare and well-being” of the animals housed at your property when you have chosen to use cages and enclosures to imprison animals when many of them are not even native to this part of the world, yet alone to this climate. A for-profit petting zoo that subjects animals to constant exposure to humans and denies them their freedom should be appalling to everyone. Certainly many of them were bred in captivity, available for sale to “zoos” like yours, but that does not make it any more humane.

Read the books by Rory C. Foster, who started the Northwoods Wildlife Center — “I Never Met An Animal I Didn’t Like” and “Dr. Wildlife” for some insight. Time for Wildwood to take responsibility for their own. Just because we can doesn’t mean we should. 

George and Marie Adams

Eagle River