A plea for help for the animals trapped in the Bayamon Zoo went out via the Puerto Rico Forum for Animal Rights (Yahoo Group) on Friday. Apparently conditions in the zoo are quite deplorable with what appears to be generally very small, dirty, and poorly maintained enclosures.

An animal activist group has created a video (shown below), a mySpace page showing photos and videos, and a online petition with the goal of getting the animals moved to another animal sanctuary with better facilities.

Watching the video left me with a sad feeling for the animals locked up there, especially as it highlighted facts about the animals preferred socialization/living conditions in the wild. This particular zoo in Bayamon reportedly has inadequate facilities and is not well maintained.

If we could get inside the minds of animals anywhere in the world where they are locked up in man made enclosures, we would probably understand just a little bit better their state of desperation and sadness. People get locked up when they do wrong. Animals get locked up for our viewing pleasure.

The source (Julia Felix) has stated that the mayor/alcalde of Bayamon (Ramon Luis Rivera Cruz) responded saying he "plans to let the animals simply die off one by one because he feels they are too old to do anything with" and now "he plans to open a petting zoo". The appeal, in its entirely can be seen here (requires login).

While the group seems to be no fan of the Mayaguez zoo either, it seems like an interim solution may be transporting the animals to that location and directing the resources offset by Bayamon into the construction of new enclosures there. These animals have to go somewhere.

One thing is very clear in my own opinion based on personal observation. The last place in the world an animal would want to be is in Puerto Rico. Abandoned dogs are everywhere with no real solutions other than limited resource volunteer groups trying their best, there certainly seems to be a deemphasis on the value of life itself, and the people choose to live in what are often deplorable conditions in their own neighborhood.

If they don't care about man's best friend and their own living environment, how much hope do a bunch of forgotten zoo animals really have?

Watch the video. If it bothers you, please sign their petition and share the video to your Facebook page to help gain them some exposure.

The activist group has been fortunate enough to get the attention of some media. Susan Soltero will run the video and story on Univision PR. Please help them keep the momentum going.

The Insider