UPDATED: Miller Park Zoo sought to keep flamingo’s death under wraps

Posted on June 5, 2019
flamingo
A flamingo at Miller Park Zoo was euthanized in May after suffering injuries when a child threw a rock at the bird. (Miller Park Zoo photo)

 

By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – If Miller Park Zoo Superintendent Jay Tetzloff had his way, the public would not have known about the flamingo put down last month after a child threw a rock and hit the bird.

As it turned out, Tetzloff said he heard from about 60 national and international news outlets, including CNN, The New York Times, and Los Angeles Times, as he told Greg Halbleib Wednesday on WJBC’s Afternoon Show.

“When the initial story broke, I asked the news organization not to send it out, just because no one wins,” said Tetzloff.

“The bird was already gone, nothing I can do about that, and then the family that is affected. We had many conversations with them. They feel horrible about it. We feel horrible about it. It’s just a no-win situation.”

Tetzloff won’t say how he resolved the situation with the second grader’s family. Tetzloff said he received hate mail about what happened to the flamingo, and for his decision not to press charges against the child or the family.

He hopes Bloomington’s zoo will someday get national and international acclaim for its exhibits instead publicity for an unfortunate incident.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

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