“They Run it Like a Dictatorship”
Top city official calls for ousting SF Zoological Society after damning revelations
At today’s Recreation and Park Commission meeting, something extraordinary happened.
Commissioner Larry Mazzola Jr., the Chair of the Joint Zoo Committee, broke ranks with the San Francisco Zoo’s leadership and said—on the record—that:
“They run it like a dictatorship.”
As someone who has spent the past year fighting for transparency and accountability at the San Francisco Zoo, I want to explain why that moment matters—and what led to it.
The Pressure Is Working
For months, I’ve been showing up at public meetings, filing records requests, talking to the media, and pushing the City to pay attention to what’s really going on behind the gates of the Zoo. I’ve spoken out about the Zoo’s refusal to turn over documents, the lack of a strategic plan, and the disturbing reality for animals and staff at the SF Zoo.
I’ve filed formal complaints and urged city leadership to step up. Hundreds of workers and community members have done the same. Plus the SF Chronicle has done an amazing job reporting all of the drama unfolding at the zoo.
Despite all this — It’s been a constant uphill battle.
So when Commissioner Mazzola said today that he’s “tired of taking bullets for them” and publicly called for the City to terminate its relationship with the San Francisco Zoological Society, it was a massive moment.
“I’ve asked them for records. I’ve asked them for a simple subcontractor list, and I was told, ‘You can’t have that.’ And I’m the chairman of the Zoo Committee. If I can’t get it, who can?”
“We need to get rid of the Zoological Society. Gone. Put out an RFP and get somebody new in there.”
It was the most direct and honest statement I’ve heard from any city official since this all began (other than the amazing work the folks at the City Animal Commission have been doing speaking up about the issues at the zoo).
What I Said Today
During public comment, I was nearly blocked from speaking. Staff tried to stop me, saying I’d already commented earlier in the meeting I clarified that I was responding to Commissioner Mazzola’s remarks and thanking him for his leadership.
Then I laid out the facts for the commission:
The Zoo submitted internal financial spreadsheets that don’t align with their IRS Form 990s.
There’s no strategic plan—the only thing that comes close is a PowerPoint from 2016.
When auditors asked for animal care protocols, the Zoo provided a 2002 employee handbook—and nothing more.
“The Zoo is seemingly operating without any formal safety, welfare, or animal care procedures. It’s unacceptable.”
I told the commission they don’t need to wait for the Budget and Legislative Analyst’s audit to act. The problems are already obvious.
A Better Way Is Possible
I urged the commissioners to visit the Oakland Zoo, which is run by the Conservation Society of California—a nonprofit widely recognized as a national leader in progressive zoo management.
“Just across the bridge is the most progressive zoo in the country. It is night and day. I believe the Conservation Society of California should run the San Francisco Zoo. That is the next natural step.”
What Happens Next?
Today’s comments didn’t happen in a vacuum. They happened because we’ve kept the pressure on.
The public is watching. The media is reporting. Workers are speaking up. And now, even commissioners are starting to say what many of us have known for a long time: the current zoo is broken and the non-profit running the zoo must be replaced.
This fight isn’t over. But today felt like a turning point.
I’ll be there every step of the way.