"Where Did LA Zoo Donations Go?" by Daniel Guss
GLAZA, the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association, has made serious allegations against Denise Verret, Karen Bass's Zoo Director.
And the gloves are off!
According to a press release this morning from Judie Mancuso, CEO of Social Compassion in Legislation, the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association (GLAZA), accuses Denise Verret, who is the Director of the LA Zoo under Mayor Karen Bass, "of self-dealing involving public funds GLAZA raised to be used for the animals.”
Mancuso’s blast includes these alleged GLAZA claims from the battle involving Verret’s unilateral decision in recent days to move Billy and Tina, the last two pachyderms at the deadly Griffith Park-based LA Zoo, to the insufficient Tulsa Zoo under cover of night, rather than to an infinitely better sanctuary:
“The following information is taken from sworn testimony of the Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association’s (“GLAZA”) Interim President Dawn Petersen-Amend. A copy of that declaration is attached here: Paragraphs 1-62, Paragraphs 63-118, Paragraphs 118-159
As One of Her First Actions as Zoo Director, Verret Diverted Over $22,000 in Funds to Pay for a Private Party In Her Honor
Verret directed GLAZA to divert more than $22,000, raised for the Zoo animals, on a private party to celebrate her appointment as Zoo Director. ¶¶ 62-65.
Verret Then Diverted Over $27,500 for Office Upgrades
Verret directed GLAZA to spend over $27,500 of donor funds, raised for the Zoo animals, on personal office improvements—$13,123.66 for her own office, and $14,386.72 for her assistant’s office—including purchasing new office furniture and new patio furniture. ¶¶ 66-67.
Verret Diverted Over $365,000 for Her and Her Staff’s World Travel
Verret used her position as Chairman of the Board of the AZA to direct GLAZA “to pay for her travel each year to attend meetings of AZA’s board of directors.” ¶ 74. Verret has used the money that GLAZA raised for the animals to pay for Verret and her staff to travel to Buenos Aires, the Canary Islands, Sydney, Australia, and a “familiarization trip” to Botswana, among other places. ¶¶ 73-83.
Verret Directed Over $1.7 Million to Outside Organizations, Including Approximately $450,000 to Organizations Where She Sits on the Board of Directors
Verret repeatedly asked GLAZA to use donor money to support organizations and causes that are separate and distinct from, and not for the benefit of, the LA Zoo, despite the fact that the LA Zoo is in need of significant improvements. Verret diverted at least $1.7 million to non-LA Zoo organizations, including $449,500 paid to the AZA and other organizations where Verret sits on the board of directors. ¶¶ 68-72.
Verret Underreported Funds To The City During Budget Hearings
"[T]he Zoo under Ms. Verret's direction has submitted a budget to the City for approval that does not contain the full scope of funding that the Zoo receives including the most recent proposed budget submitted to the City. This underreporting of the funds available to the Zoo is particularly troubling given the City's reported $1 billion deficit. As of March 31, 2025, these "off the books" funds total $1,725,902 (ZSDF) and $162,473 (ZAF) [totaling $1,888,375]." ¶ 87
As a Result of Verret’s Unilateral Decision to Move Billy and Tina to the Tulsa Zoo, Donor Money Raised for Elephants May Have to Be Returned
“GLAZA will likely have to return approximately $97,000 to donors who donated funds to be used for the elephants” if elephants are moved to Tulsa Zoo. Moreover, “the zoo's decision to relocate the elephants a short time after asking GLAZA to raise funds for the elephants will lead to donors losing confidence in the zoo, that will in turn discourage them from future giving to the zoo.” ¶ 35.
Donors Have Already Pulled Funding
Under Verret's leadership, "[d]onors have rescinded donations because the City has failed to use the donated funds for their intended purpose.” Donors have also said they intend to change their estate plans to eliminate funding the LA Zoo “because while they would be comfortable giving to GLAZA, they would not be comfortable with that money now going to the City.” ¶¶ 58-59.”
According to Last Chance for Animals, which had offered to transfer Billy and Tina to a sanctuary for free, elephants who are free live considerably longer than those kept in zoos.
Misuse of donations intended for the comfort, healing and welfare of animals in Bass’s deadly administration is a familiar theme, as I have repeatedly reported.
I will discuss all of the above on “The John Kobylt Show” on KFI-AM 640 today at 2:30pm. Join us live on the radio or the iHeart app. If you still miss us, catch the whole show later when it is posted to John’s podcast library.
(Daniel Guss, MBA, won the LA Press Club’s “Online Journalist of the Year” and “Best Activism Journalism” awards in June ‘23. In June ‘24, he won its “Best Commentary, Non-Political” award. He has contributed to the Daily Mail, CityWatchLA, KFI AM-640, iHeartMedia, 790-KABC, Cumulus Media, KCRW 89.9 FM, KRLA 870 AM, Huffington Post, Los Angeles Daily News, Los Angeles Magazine, Movieline Magazine, Emmy Magazine, Los Angeles Business Journal, Pasadena Star-News, Los Angeles Downtown News and the Los Angeles Times in its sports, opinion, entertainment and Sunday Magazine sections among other publishers.)