A Word for Wayne Pacelle

Well, yesterday we get our first listen as to what Human Society of the United States leader Wayne Pacelle had to say to the assembled ranks of the AZA annual conference.  Among many rank and file keepers and aquarists, the message was... not especially well received.  Instead, there is the sense that the fox has been invited into the hen house, and that Mr. Pacelle and his organization will work to chip away at the zoo and aquarium community, remaking it in their image.

Just by virtue of being there, Mr. Pacelle was guaranteed to offend a fair number of his audience members.  His speech, seen by many animal care professionals as an attempt to pit AZA and non-AZA facilities against one another, has let many of the later feeling bitter.  The result is likely to be a hardening of feelings and a deepening of mistrust between AZA and other zoological facilities.

Here is what I wish Mr. Pacelle had chosen to say.  It's a much shorter speech than the one that he gave, but I feel like it would have had the potential to have made a more positive impact.

"I'd like to thank the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for having me here today to speak with all of you.  I know that in the past my organization has not always been a friend to the zoo and aquarium community.  Too often, we've been fueding as two opposing sides, with neither of us winning and the animals that we all say that we care about being the losers.  Today, I would like to end that feud.  From now on, it is the policy of the Human Society of the United States to work in support of any organization that works towards better animal welfare.  Whether you are a zoo or an aquarium or a sanctuary, accredited by the AZA or the ZAA, or by no one at all, as long as you provide for the physical and mental well-being of the animals under your care, constantly striving to raise your standards, you have our support.  It's time to stop fighting against one another and start fighting for improved animal welfare, treating each other as partners, not adversaries."

Or something to that effect.  Who knows?  Maybe he'll have a chance to make a better speech later.