TORONTO, ON, Tuesday, November 30, 2021: This GivingTuesday, the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy is hoping you’ll give back and scratch their back. By making a donation in support of their “Itch to Enrich” fundraising campaign, you’ll be helping your Toronto Zoo purchase new, stationary brush enrichment devices for some of the animals in their care.

“GivingTuesday is a global giving movement and a day that has inspired generosity in Canada and in countries around the world since 2012”, says Beth Gilhespy, Executive Director of the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy. “We are thrilled to be participating once again, and this year we are hoping to raise funds to purchase new brush enrichment devices for our wood bison, goats, alpacas, yaks, miniature donkey and cougar to enjoy”.

“This GivingTuesday, your donation will go even further”, says Hollie Ross, Behavioural Husbandry Supervisor of your Toronto Zoo. “Our friends at Norwell Dairy Systems, who specialize in large animal comfort and care, will be supporting our Itch to Enrich fundraising campaign with a matching gift!”.

“Enrichment at your Toronto Zoo is very important and something that our animals receive every day”, says Dolf DeJong, CEO of your Toronto Zoo. “Ensuring the animals in our care can express their natural behaviours is essential to their overall health and well-being, just like the world class nutrition and medical care we provide.”

Enrichment at your Toronto Zoo aims to enhance our animals’ environments by providing them with opportunities that stimulate their natural behaviours. The new, stationary brush devices will serve as a unique sensory enrichment and will have a positive effect on the animals’, allowing them to interact with one another in a very natural way. The devices can be used as large rubbing posts, will stimulate our animals’ minds and provide them with physical and mental exercise.

To join the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy’s GivingTuesday initiative or learn more about enrichment at your Toronto Zoo, click here.

GivingTuesday was created as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good, GivingTuesday continues to gain traction across the country in its ninth year, with thousands of partner organizations and millions of Canadians expected to take part. Since 2013, GivingTuesday has united millions of Canadians to support and champion the causes they believe in and the communities in which they live. At a time when we are all experiencing the continued effects of the pandemic, GivingTuesday is an opportunity for people around the world to stand together in unity – to use their individual power of generosity to remain connected and heal.

The Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy is a dedicated partner with the Toronto Zoo in the fight against extinction, established in 2019 to secure increased financial resources and support for the wildlife conservation work being done by the Toronto Zoo. Extinction is forever, and the Zoo’s work in fighting extinction – through research, public engagement and education, breeding and reintroduction programs – is vital to wildlife, to us, and to our world. You can donate to the Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy anytime at wildlifeconservancy.ca or over the phone at 416-392-9114.

To learn more about GivingTuesday, click here.

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Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy Media Contact:
Beth Gilhespy
Toronto Zoo Wildlife Conservancy Executive Director
bgilhespy@torontozoo.ca

Toronto Zoo Media Contact:
Katie Gray
Manager of Strategic Communications
kgray@torontozoo.ca

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR OUR MEDIA CONTACTS: Please note that all media visiting the Zoo as of Monday October 25, 2021 will also be required to show proof of full vaccination in order to gain entry to the Zoo.

For full information and details on our new vaccination policy and implementation please visit our website at Toronto Zoo | TZ Vaccine Policy

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The Toronto Zoo’s mission is to connect people, animals and conservation science to fight extinction and our vision is a world where wildlife and wild spaces thrive.

An iconic tourist attraction and Conservation organization, the Toronto Zoo boasts a number of leading programs for helping wildlife and their natural habitats – from species reintroduction to reproductive research. A world-class educational centre for people of all ages, the Toronto Zoo is open every day except December 25 and attracts approximately 1.2 million guests each year.

Toronto Zoo is accredited by Canada's Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The Zoo has also achieved the Canadian Council on Animal Care (CCAC) Certificate of Good Animal Practice® and is inspected by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA).

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