NNY Community Foundation, Zoo New York announce Animal Wellness Fund

WATERTOWN — Zoo New York and the Northern New York (NNY) Community Foundation announced they are partnering to establish a new charitable fund to provide animal care and habitat revitalization at the Watertown zoo.

The Zoo New York Animal Wellness Fund has been created at the Northern New York Community Foundation. The fund is designed to help support medical-care costs for zoo animals and enhance animal habitats, per a news release about the effort. The Community Foundation recently awarded a $25,000 matching commitment to encourage charitable gifts from the community toward this meaningful fund.

“Zoo New York is committed to the highest quality veterinary care and overall wellness of the animals in our care” Larry Sorel, Zoo New York executive director, said. “This new partnership with the Northern New York Community Foundation will ensure our ability to continue to do just that into the future. The Community Foundation’s support of the Zoo over the years has been significant. This is just one more example of how the Foundation makes Northern New York a great place to live and raise a family.”

The Zoo New York Animal Wellness Fund was developed after one zoo animal developed complications from a preexisting injury. Beaker, the great gray owl, came to Zoo New York after being hit by a truck in Alaska. After the accident, Beaker suffered a lost wing and some damage to his eye. The eye injury came to a head in the summer of 2020.

Zoo New York staff and the community quickly collaborated to ensure that costs were covered for the owl’s procedure, per the release. Zoo New York engaged the NNY Community Foundation to create a charitable fund that supports future costs to help animals and their habitats at the zoo.

The creation of the Zoo New York Animal Wellness Fund is an extension of the organization’s long-standing partnership with the NNY Community Foundation. The foundation will match any gift made directly to the fund, dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000.

“The Zoo has a long history of public-private partnerships and we have been a part of protecting that investment over the years,” said Rande Richardson, Community Foundation executive director.

Zoo New York is a 32-acre zoo in Watertown that says it is home to abundant threatened or endangered animals, including wolverines, bears, eagles, mountain lions, and more. The zoo attracts nearly 50,000 visitors per year, is supported by more than 600 member households, and reaches more than 30,000 people through education programs.                               

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