Zoodoo team working for free and calling for public donations

The close-knit team at a beloved Tasmanian zoo are asking the public to donate anything they can to help care for the animals, who are being looked after by laid-off staff.

THE close-knit team at a Tasmanian zoo is working for free and asking the public to donate anything they can to help care for its animals.

When Bri Adams recently lost her job at ZooDoo, she decided to stay on as a volunteer and do “absolutely anything” to help her favourite animals and fellow staff.

Bri Adams at Zoodoo. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

She said she understood why the organisation had no choice but to lay off several workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

“In my opinion, zoo keeping isn’t for the money, it’s for the animals,” she said.

“We’re not going to just leave Donna to deal with this herself, we’re going to be there.”

ZooDoo director Donna Cuttriss said it was “extremely heartwarming” to see Ms Adams and other laid-off workers rally around the company to care for the animals.

Zoodoo director Donna Cuttriss. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

“I always knew we had such a dedicated team,” she said.

“90 per cent of our team is no longer here, but I’ve still got small teams volunteering.”

Ms Cuttriss said she was “crunching numbers” in an effort to keep ZooDoo open beyond the COVID-19 period.

She said between now and reopening, ZooDoo needed public support.

“People are really keen to help and drop off food, but the best way they can help is to give financial donations so we can get exactly what we need for each species with dietary requirements and veterinary care,” she said.

She said animal welfare workers “must” be listed as essential services by the Government to ensure the animals were cared for.

Ms Adams said it was important volunteers like her lifted the spirits of the animals, who were missing the company of customers.

“The whole unknown is a bit worrying, but right now all my head is thinking about is those animals,” she said.

Donations can be made at gofundme.com/manage/fight-not-flight-ongoing-positive-welfare or via the Facebook page @ZoodooZoo