PUEBLO, Colo. (KOAA) — The Pueblo Zoo could close within two to three years if it does not secure stable funding to combat rising costs and city budget cuts.
Zoo leadership is proposing a ballot initiative for a one-sixth of a cent sales tax, which equates to about 17 cents for every $100 spent in Pueblo.
The tax would sunset after five years and help sustain operations, animal care, and facility maintenance across the 20-acre property.
"We are continuing to fall behind if we have continued cuts," Abbie Krause said.
Krause, the executive director of the Pueblo Zoo, said the facility has faced financial cuts for two consecutive years due to the city's financial struggles, with more cuts expected on the horizon.
"We're looking to get the zoo on more predictable, stable funding for the safety of our animals and for the future of the zoo," Krause said.
While the city owns the buildings and grounds, the Zoological Society runs the zoo. Staff members are not on city salaries or benefits.
Closing the zoo would be a difficult and lengthy process, as the animals would still need daily care and feeding while staff searched for new facilities to take them in.
Inflation has driven up the cost of hay, medical care, and wages. Maintaining high accreditation standards also requires significant financial investment to ensure the animals receive the best possible care.
"We can't continue to rely on urgent emergency funding," Krause said.
The zoo has relied on donations, fundraising events, and exceptional grants to cover deficits, but Krause noted that this model is not sustainable long-term.
The zoo provides an estimated $20 million economic impact to the community each year and offers educational programming to thousands of children.
Zoo officials are currently waiting for city approval to begin collecting signatures to get the initiative on the ballot. They expect to need about 1,500 valid signatures from city residents, based on voter turnout from the last election.
Staff and volunteers plan to gather signatures at the zoo, in the community, and at local grocery stores over the next month and a half to two months.
