I cannot imagine how difficult this must be for the staff of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Last night they made the incredibly difficult decision to humanely euthanize Penny, an 8-week old giraffe who was born at CM Zoo. She'd splayed at 9 days old, which means her legs went out from under her. It can be fatal for young giraffes and in this case caused a dislocated hip. She was fitted for casts, but ultimately ended up with infections in her legs and the veterinarian staff made the difficult decision to euthanize.
There will be a memorial service planned for Penny, but out of respect for the zookeepers, the giraffe building will be closed for the next 2 days (Tuesday 7/31 and Wednesday 8/1). There will be a box outside of the building for guests to leave cards for the keepers.
Watch the emotional video below: