Loro Parque, the first zoo in Europe to achieve Global Humane Certified™ status, is celebrating almost 10 years with this certification
The Global Humane Society, the international arm of the American Humane Society — the first national animal protection organisation in the United States and the world’s largest certifying body for animal welfare practices — announced today that Loro Parque has been recertified through the ‘Global Humane Certified Zoos and Aquariums’ programme.
“We are proud to continue recognising Loro Parque as a Global Humane Certified facility and as a true leader in promoting global animal welfare standards,” said Dr Robin Ganzert, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Global Humane Society. “This recertification is a testament to Loro Parque’s enduring commitment to placing animal welfare at the heart of its mission. By continually raising the bar in animal care, Loro Parque is not only creating a better future for the animals in its care, but is also inspiring zoos, aquariums and conservation centres around the world to fulfil their responsibility as champions of animal welfare.”
Loro Parque was the first zoo in Europe to achieve Global Humane certification in 2017 and has maintained its certification without interruption ever since.
“Achieving this recertification almost ten years after Loro Parque became the first zoo in Europe to obtain Global Humane Certified™ status is a source of great pride for us. It confirms that the principles guiding our work are reflected every day in the way we care for the animals under our care, through the highest standards of animal welfare,” said Wolfgang Kiessling, chairman and founder of Loro Parque.
Strict certification standards:
To retain its Global Humane Certified status, Loro Parque has passed a rigorous independent assessment which analysed the welfare of the animals living there. This unique process is based on the latest scientific advances and best practice, and is advised by renowned vets and experts in the fields of animal welfare, animal science, zoology and ethics, who have decades of experience in animal protection.
The independent validation process offers visitors a guarantee that the organisation meets a high standard of care. The process involves submitting a pre-audit application, followed by an on-site audit that assesses animal welfare. Factors taken into account during the audit include, amongst others, housing, food, water, lighting, shade, noise, activity levels and the training of staff who interact with the animals. The benchmark criteria are species-specific.
The Global Humane Certified™ programme is the first certification initiative dedicated exclusively to helping verify the welfare of animals living in zoos, aquariums and conservation centres around the world. The programme applies rigorous, science-based and comprehensive animal welfare criteria, which are reviewed by an independent Scientific Advisory Committee comprising world-renowned leaders in the fields of animal science, animal behaviour and animal ethics. The audit helps to verify good practices in zoos and aquariums that meet the standards and offers visitors greater assurance that the institution they are visiting is worthy of their support.
