Mayor Lurie and Donors: No More Money for the San Francisco Zoo Without New Leadership.
The zoo is broken—money won’t fix bad leadership.
If San Francisco’s political leaders, philanthropists, and mayor Daniel Lurie truly care about the city’s future—and the animals living at 1 Zoo Road—they must take a hard stance: not a single dollar more for the San Francisco Zoological Society until a new leadership team is in place.
At yesterday’s Joint Zoo Commission meeting, one thing became painfully clear: the San Francisco Zoo’s problems run far deeper than outdated infrastructure. They stem from chronic leadership failure, an absence of bold vision, and a troubling lack of accountability at the top—especially for Zoo Director Tanya Peterson, who has held that position for 16 years.
Commissioner Kat Anderson: “I’d love to see more money go in…”
Commissioner Kat Anderson, president of the SF Recreation and Park Commission, spoke at the meeting about her recent conversation with the Mayor and his policy chief, Alicia John-Baptiste. She emphasized that solving its problems would take “time and lots of money.” Anderson added, “I think our zoo does a fabulous job with our animals. Their welfare is superlative given the situation.”
But is “given the situation” really good enough? Is it responsible—or ethical—to keep pouring money into a broken system without first confronting the root causes of its decline?
Despite her position of influence, Commissioner Kat Anderson has done little to hold the San Francisco Zoo accountable. She has remained silent while the Zoo flouts public records laws, failed to meaningfully engage with the critical findings of the San Francisco Animal Welfare Comission report, and has repeatedly defaulted to defense rather than oversight.
Anderson, who has a background in union work, has even chosen to side with Zoo leadership despite their ongoing failure to collaborate with the zookeepers’ union—a group that has been sounding the alarm on internal dysfunction and safety issues for years. Rather than championing transparency and worker rights, she has instead propped up a leadership team that has presided over stagnation and secrecy.
That is not leadership. And it is certainly not what the animals, the staff, or the citizens of San Francisco deserve.
In the meeting I shared what every serious donor and civic leader should be asking: What is the zoo’s actual plan? Without a compelling, progressive vision, money will be wasted—again.
“There has to be accountability… Money doesn’t solve the thing. Vision is what solves the thing. If you have a grand vision of what the San Francisco Zoo is going to do to impact conservation, to be leading the charge with progressive zoos—if there’s actually a grand vision and accountability, the money will come. But the money just doesn’t solve the problem.”
This is not an anti-zoo message. It’s a pro-zoo reform message. It is an urgent call to finally reimagine what the SF Zoo could become: a center of world-class conservation, education, and ethical animal care. But that transformation will never happen under the current leadership regime.
Tanya Peterson: 16 Years of Stagnation and Neglect
Let’s be very clear: Tanya Peterson is not the leader who will take the zoo forward. She has had 16 years to prove otherwise—and look where we are.
During her tenure:
Animal enclosures decayed, with some enclosures virtually unchanged for decades, even as other zoos across the country have modernized with naturalistic, enrichment-focused designs.
Conservation and education initiatives have lagged, especially in comparison to regional leaders like the Oakland Zoo, which has made bold commitments to biodiversity and climate education.
Public trust has eroded, thanks to years of poor transparency, dismissive responses to community concerns, and a defensive, insular culture that shuts out critique.
Highly talented staff with deep expertise in animal welfare have been fired, pushed out, or left in frustration, citing what many describe as a toxic internal culture—where dissent is punished and loyalty to leadership is valued over science and ethics.
No serious donor, including Daniel Lurie and his civic-minded philanthropic circle, should consider funding the zoo’s capital needs until this leadership vacuum is addressed. Any new dollars without new leadership will only reinforce the failed status quo.
What Needs to Happen
It’s time for a complete reset. That starts with:
Immediate leadership change – A national search for a new zoo director with conservation credibility, public trust-building experience, and a modern, ethical approach to animal welfare.
Restructuring the Zoological Society Board – Bringing in independent members with conservation expertise, local accountability, and diverse perspectives—not just political insiders or wealthy donors.
A public, transparent master plan – A visionary, accountable blueprint for transforming the SF Zoo into a world-class institution, with meaningful community input.
A moratorium on major donor contributions – No more multimillion-dollar gifts until this change begins. Donors must use their influence to demand reform, not perpetuate dysfunction.
A Final Message to Daniel Lurie and Philanthropic Leaders
Daniel, if you want to make your mayoral campaign about reform, equity, and rebuilding public trust—start with the zoo. Show San Franciscans that you're not afraid to challenge entrenched systems. Use your platform to say what others won’t:
No new money until we have new leadership. No more excuses. No more wasted years.
The animals deserve better. So does the city. And so do the donors who expect real impact from their generosity.