The only zoo in the Dominican Republic has become a safe home for wild animals that people kept illegally. The government is now working harder to stop people from owning exotic animals. Because of this, the number of rescued animals keeps growing, and the zoo may soon have too many. "It's a burden," said Alfonso Ferreira, the deputy director of the National Zoological Park in the capital, Santo Domingo.

The country rescued 188 animals in 2025, far more than the 30 it took in 2023. Flamingos are saved most often, explained Nelson García Marcano, the head of the country's wildlife department. People catch these protected birds and sell them to hotels, which use them as garden decorations. Now some homeowners have started to do the same thing.

When rescued flamingos arrive at the zoo, their bright pink feathers have turned white. Their owners often feed them white bread instead of the natural food their bodies need. The zoo gives the birds carrots and bird food. After a few months, some of them return to the wild.

The zoo also takes in crocodiles and parrots that were taken from nature. Vets test each animal because the wrong food has left many of them weak and sick. People keep breaking the rules, so officials warn that the work never really ends.