The BC SPCA says it will be recommending charges against the Mountain View Conservation Centre after the third giraffe in as many months died at the facility on Friday.
Jerome the giraffe died at the zoo, located east of Vancouver in Fort Langley, after being sedated for an emergency hoof-trimming procedure.
SPCA animal protection officer Eileen Drever said the procedure could have been avoided if the animal's hooves had been trimmed regularly.
"This giraffe did not need to go through what he went through," Drever said. "He could barely walk, and he was in a great deal of distress."
A facility spokesman told ctvbc.ca that the animal had been cared for at the facility for more than 10 years, and that its hoof problem may have been genetic.
The two other giraffes, and adult and a baby, died during a cold snap in December.
The SPCA has been investigating the zoo for animal cruelty and neglect since November, when the organization received a number of complaints from Mountain View employees and volunteers.
Many of the allegations would be difficult to prove, Drever said, because they go back as many as four or five years -- but charges are being considered based on present concerns surrounding the care of giraffes and other species.
"We will definitely be recommending charges in the next few weeks," she said.
Mountain View will be releasing a detailed statement on Jerome's death on Monday.
The facility spans more than 250 acres and is home to 50 species of rare and endangered animals.
