SVT Gävleborg has seen several crisis plans written by Furuviksparken.
They aim to first alert and inform. A crisis group is then set up, led by a crisis manager. When the chimpanzees escaped and were shot, it was Furuviksparken CEO Sandra Wilke who was the crisis manager and could make the decision to shoot the chimpanzees.
On Wednesday, December 14, five chimpanzees escaped from their enclosure at Furuviksparken outside Gävle. Two of the chimpanzees also made it out of the monkey house and into the park. Four chimpanzees were shot dead and one was shot.
“Calm, divert or control the animal”
In a safety document that Furuviksparken wrote to the county board, it is partly stated that an animal keeper must try to “calm, divert or steer the animal in a certain direction if possible without getting hurt”. However, it was not possible, says Furuviksparken CEO Sandra Wilke.
Hear Sandra Wilke comment on the action plan and her decision to shoot the chimpanzees to death, in the video above.
SVT Gävleborg has also taken note of internal letters where it is stated that staff must “shield, divert, capture the animal or, if necessary, euthanize the animal”.
– It is absolutely the last resort to euthanize, says Sandra Wilke.
The county board: Is sometimes an obligation to euthanize
Even in two decisions made by the county administrative board in order for Furuviksparken to be allowed to show and have wild animals in enclosures, the possibility of euthanizing the animals that have escaped is mentioned.
– The actual decision how to handle the situation rests with the park. Looking at animal welfare legislation, an animal keeper has the right and sometimes the obligation to make the decision to euthanize an animal.
Was it the right decision?
– We have no such opinion and it is not something for us to have an opinion on either, says Jenny Larsson, head of the agriculture and animal department at the County Administrative Board in Gävleborg.