But first, she needs to get the Board of Supervisors to temporarily lift restrictions on City Hall officials seeking private donations. Breed announced Tuesday that she was introducing legislation to do just that, a move her office described as a pivotal step in delivering on the panda agreement she secured during her trip to China last week.
The panda deal is dependent on the renovation or construction of a new enclosure at the zoo that’s set to be paid for using private dollars, not taxpayer funds. But a local law that limits the ability of government officials to solicit private donations is preventing city officials from advocating for the funds, according to the mayor’s office. Breed’s legislation would suspend the restrictions for the sole purpose of raising money to bring the promised pair of pandas to San Francisco.
Breed said in a statement that the agreement she reached in China last week was “just a first step” to get the pandas to the city.
“We have a lot of work ahead to raise the funds and build the enclosure at our Zoo that will serve as their home and thrill residents and visitors,” Breed said in a statement. “We are hitting the ground running in our fundraising efforts and I’m confident we will have strong philanthropic support from the community.”
Breed’s office said the city doesn’t yet know how much the panda enclosure will cost, in part because it’s still being designed. Chinese officials are set to visit San Francisco in May to meet with Breed’s administration and the zoo to discuss next steps.
U.S. zoos must pay an annual fee to China to have the animals on loan. That cost has generally been $1 million per year, and China is supposed to use those funds on the animals’ conservation efforts, according to a 2022 report by the U.S. Congressional Research Service.
Building a new facility for pandas at the zoo would cost an estimated $25 million, ABC News reported in a February interview with San Francisco Zoo CEO and Executive Director Tanya Peterson.
The city doesn’t know exactly when the pandas will come but over the weekend, Breed said it could be as soon as the beginning of next year.
Breed secured the pandas just after the Chronicle published an investigation into concerns about animal welfare and worker safety at the zoo, including an incident last year when a zoo keeper was chased by a grizzly bear whose den door had been accidentally left open.
Breed has vowed to work with Chinese officials to make sure the pandas are afforded a secure and safe living environment.
The mayor announced her fundraising legislation shortly after she went on a charm offensive in Chinatown Tuesday morning to drum up excitement about her reelection bid by touting the incoming pandas as well as her China visit. Some Chinese community leaders said they think her successful acquisition of the pandas could boost her campaign.
“We are getting two!” Breed said to Shirley Cen, owner of One Global Travel Agency on Stockton Street, during her campaigning.
“Very good,” Cen responded. “I will support you.”
Ko Lyn Cheang and Tara Duggan contributed reporting.
Reach J.D. Morris: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com; Twitter: @thejdmorris
