Zoos & Aquariums

When life support systems fail,
you have hours—not days
to protect animal welfare.

Your HVAC systems, automated feeders, water quality monitors, and temperature controls all run on technology that could be compromised. Most cybersecurity consultants have never thought about what happens when these systems go down.

"I started my career working with zoo commissaries. I understand what's at stake when these systems stop responding—and what it means for the animals depending on them."

Kristin King — AnzenSage

The systems keeping your animals safe are also your biggest vulnerability

Your operations depend on interconnected systems

HVAC failures during heat waves. Water quality monitoring going offline. Automated feeding systems refusing to respond. Access control systems locked during emergencies. Medical refrigeration losing power.

These aren't hypothetical risks. When the Dallas Zoo faced security breaches in 2023, it highlighted how vulnerable animal facilities are to both physical and digital threats. Your facility likely has similar dependencies—and similar gaps.

And most contingency plans don't account for cyber-caused failures

Your emergency plans likely cover power outages, equipment breakdowns, and natural disasters. But what happens when ransomware locks you out of building automation systems? When a contractor's remote access becomes an entry point? When "the system just won't respond" and nobody knows why?

These cyber-physical scenarios require different responses than traditional emergencies—and most facilities haven't thought through the implications for animal welfare.

Regulatory Requirement

USDA Animal Welfare Act Contingency Planning Requirements

Since January 2022, all licensed facilities must have documented contingency plans

The USDA Animal Welfare Act Contingency Planning Rule requires that all licensed zoos, aquariums, and animal exhibitors develop, document, and follow plans to safeguard animal welfare during emergencies.

What most facilities miss:

Your contingency plan should address cyber-physical risks—from HVAC failures caused by ransomware, to access control breaches, to automated system disruptions. Most don't.

How AnzenSage helps you meet requirements while building real resilience

We bridge the gap between USDA compliance and actual operational security. You get a plan that satisfies regulators and actually works when you need it—not just a document that sits on a shelf.

Your plan must include:

Identification of emergencies specific to your facility and location

Specific tasks to ensure animal welfare during identified emergencies

Clear chain of command and responsibility assignments

Training for all personnel on their roles and responsibilities

Annual review and documentation of plan updates

Our contingency planning support helps you identify cyber-physical vulnerabilities, document plans that satisfy USDA requirements, train staff on both traditional emergencies AND technology-dependent risks, and conduct tabletop exercises that meet training requirements.

Understanding cyber-physical risks in animal care environments

Four areas where technology failure becomes an animal welfare crisis

Life support systems

Hours to crisis

HVAC systems maintaining temperature and humidity for reptiles, amphibians, and tropical species. Water filtration and quality monitoring for aquatic animals. Oxygen systems for marine life. Humidity control for sensitive habitats.

Critical

Automated care systems

Health deteriorates rapidly

Automated feeding schedules and dispensers. Medical refrigeration for vaccines and medications. Behavioral enrichment systems. Monitoring cameras for animal observation and welfare checks.

High Risk

Access & security systems

Public & animal safety at risk

Electronic locks on animal enclosures and holding areas. Visitor management and ticketing systems. Security cameras and alarm systems. Staff credentialing and area access controls.

Critical

Operational dependencies

Operations grind to a halt

Vendor remote access for system maintenance. Third-party services for ticketing, point-of-sale, and donations. Cloud-based animal records and breeding management systems. Interconnected building management systems.

High Risk

How we support zoo and aquarium operations

Every engagement is grounded in your operational reality—not a generic cybersecurity playbook.

Service 01

USDA-Compliant Contingency Planning

Your plan becomes a working document, not just a compliance checkbox.

We help you develop documented contingency plans that satisfy USDA Animal Welfare Act requirements while actually addressing the cyber-physical risks your facility faces.

This includes identifying technology-dependent systems critical to animal welfare, documenting response procedures for cyber-caused failures, establishing clear chains of command that account for IT/OT dependencies, and creating training programs that meet USDA requirements.

We walk your facility to understand how your operations actually work—not how policies say they should work. We identify critical systems, their dependencies, and failure scenarios that could impact animal welfare.

We map out what happens when HVAC, water systems, feeding automation, or access controls fail due to cyber incidents—and explain it in plain English.

Service 02

Cyber-Physical Risk Assessments

You get plain-English explanations of what could go wrong and what to do about it.

Service 03

Tabletop Exercises & Scenario Testing

Your team learns what works before lives depend on it.

We design and facilitate exercises that combine animal emergencies with cyber-physical scenarios. What if ransomware hit during a heat wave and your cooling systems were offline? What if access controls failed during a dangerous animal incident?

We test your response in a conference room, not during a real crisis—and the exercises satisfy USDA training requirements.

We train your animal care staff, facility managers, and operations teams to recognize cyber-physical threats in language they understand. No jargon about "phishing" or "malware."

Instead, we focus on what happens when systems behave unexpectedly, how to tell the difference between mechanical and cyber failures, and when to escalate concerns.

Service 04

Staff Training for Animal Care Teams

Your first line of defense becomes your animal care team.

This work is for facilities that take animal welfare seriously

Zoo directors

balancing USDA compliance with operational realities and stretched budgets

Facility managers

worried about aging systems, vendor dependencies, and the question of "what do we do when this breaks?"

Animal care directors

who know something isn't quite right with the technology setup, but aren't sure who to ask

Operations teams

stretched thin and unsure where to start when it comes to cyber-physical risk

You don't need to be technical to understand that your animals depend on systems that could fail. You just need someone who can help you prepare for that reality.

Let's talk about protecting your animals and meeting your obligations

Whether you need help with USDA contingency planning, want to understand your cyber-physical risks, or just need someone who speaks both animal care and technology. I'm here to help.

Schedule a conversation