The San Francisco County government meeting on July 4, 2025, highlighted a significant push for a performance audit of the San Francisco Zoo, a move that aims to enhance transparency and accountability in its operations. This discussion comes after more than 25 years without an audit, raising concerns among community members and officials about the zoo's governance and animal welfare practices.

Several speakers, including animal welfare advisors and commissioners, expressed strong support for the audit. They emphasized that the audit is not a punitive measure but rather a necessary step to ensure the zoo operates effectively and meets its obligations to the public. The call for an audit was framed as an opportunity to revisit and potentially update the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the zoo and the city, which some officials believe is outdated and insufficient.

Timothy Matthews, a resident of District 5, underscored the importance of the audit for the community, stating that it is vital for ensuring the zoo's accountability to San Francisco residents. Michael Angelo Torres, chair of the San Francisco Animal Commission, clarified that the report prompting the audit was created by animal welfare advisors who have faced challenges in their advisory roles, including limited access to essential documents.

However, not all feedback was supportive. Some zoo staff members voiced concerns about the report's accuracy, arguing that it contained misinformation and did not reflect the zoo's commitment to animal welfare. Deborah Maron, an animal care specialist at the zoo, criticized the report for lacking scientific backing and for being biased against the zoo's practices.

The discussion also touched on the zoo's visibility and promotion within the community, with some speakers noting that many residents are unaware of its existence due to insufficient marketing efforts.

As the meeting concluded, supervisors expressed their commitment to moving forward with the audit, framing it as a standard practice that should be routine for city partnerships. The outcome of this meeting signals a potential shift towards greater oversight of the San Francisco Zoo, with implications for its future operations and relationship with the community.