Leaders of the Chattanooga Zoo presented an informational request July 1 seeking city support for a new on-site veterinary hospital, which they said would bring animal treatment and surgeries on premises and help meet Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation requirements.

Donor and Friends of the Zoo representatives said early estimates for the veterinary hospital were “maybe somewhere under $4,000,000,” and that a modernized facility would allow more on-site care and reduce recurring third-party veterinary contracts. Jake Cash, director of marketing and communications, described a recent emergency surgery for an African pygmy hedgehog as an example of the care the zoo’s current veterinary staff provides and said the existing space is “good, but it’s really not adequate for the amount of animals that we have now.”

Why it matters: The zoo says a new veterinary hospital would support animal welfare and education programming and could save money over time by replacing external contracting for surgeries and treatments. Councilmembers asked whether the hospital would treat non-zoo animals in emergencies; zoo staff said that possibility had not been fully explored but was “not off the table.”

The presentation was informational; no formal vote or funding commitment occurred. Zoo representatives said they would continue to refine cost estimates and share details with council ahead of ARPA allocation deliberations.