THUNDER BAY -- City of Thunder Bay officials have started the search for new homes for the 23 animals that comprise the wildlife exhibit at Chippewa Park. But any animals that cannot be relocated will remain under the city's care, if necessary, until they die naturally.
On Tuesday night, council ratified the plan to close the exhibit by the end of April in conjunction with passage of the city's 2017 operating budget.
Acting Parks Manager Gordon John said he has already reached out to a company that specializes in relocating wildlife for facilities across Canada.
"This gentleman that I've been dealing with, I've just sent him an e-mail saying it's been finally confirmed that the wildlife exhibit is closed...and these animals on the list are looking for a good home," John told tbnewswatch.com.
John said the process of moving animals across provincial boundaries can involve a fair bit of red tape, but the city has worked with the man in the past.
"He picks our animals up and transports them to other places. When we go and get other animals, they have to have all their shots, all the paperwork has to be done. You can understand there's a lot of red tape that goes on. This is his livelihood."
John said the city will also be contacting some facilities directly in the coming days. "We will be going out to other refuges, who have a better handle on" taking care of animals. Some animals, he said, "get stressed out when they move, and so we want to make it as painless as possible. A lot of them will be going to even better homes than where they are right now."
The Chippewa exhibit currently is comprised of a wolf, a bobcat, two coyotes, a fox, three Arctic foxes, a deer, a mouflon sheep, three elk, a bear, three red-tailed hawks, four horned owls, a bald eagle and a caribou.
Some of the animals have been at Chippewa for as long as 20 years.
John said the city is committed to ensuring they are looked after properly, and if homes can't be found for any of them immediately, they will continue to be cared for by the city "right up until they either pass or we find a better home."
