San Francisco Zoo director who forced staff to listen to cheesy love song her husband wrote about her and made it the menagerie's official jingle slapped with allegations of nepotism

A zoo head who made her husband's cheesy emotion opus for her nan business' charismatic jingle has been slapped pinch allegations of nepotism by her staff. 

Tanya Peterson, nan lawyer-turned-director of nan San Francisco Zoo, paid her blues vocalist hubby Greg Dayton almost $10,000 successful 'entertainment fees' to execute nan opus which was written successful 2021 and plays during nan zoo's power commercials.

Dayton, who was her fellow astatine nan time, made nan opus 'See My Baby' for Peterson which features nan lyrics: 'She spends her days astatine nan section zoo, knows what nan monkeys do. Nothing's gonna' extremity america from misbehavin' erstwhile I spell to spot my babe tonight.'

Although nan non-profit zoo said that Dayton was not paid for nan usage of his opus that appeared successful play power ads, officials told The Chronicle that he was paid for aggregate concerts that took spot location successful 2022 and 2023. 

Staff are now calling for her to beryllium fired amidst different concerns complete her hiring practices and financial mismanagement.

A euphony video featuring his person was published to nan zoo's YouTube page successful May 2021 arsenic Peterson, dressed successful a multi-print sweater, was seen feeding animals pinch a look disguise on. 

Vitus Leung, nan lawman head of nan zoo, told nan outlet that Dayton was fixed a  $5,000 'event intermezo fee' that included talent, sound, rentals. Leung said nan magnitude was reimbursed by a sponsor astatine nan event. 

Leung continued that nan adjacent summer, Peterson's hubby was paid an further $3,750 by nan zoo for performing 5 concerts successful July and August during nan summertime arena series. 

Following nan merchandise of his song, nan national claims that nan zoo promoting Dayton's euphony was 'extremely inappropriate.' 

In summation to his galore concerts, nan euphony video and ads, 'See My Baby' is besides featured connected the zoo's website, on pinch Dayton's medium screen 'Here to Stay.' 

Even though nan opus was produced and released erstwhile nan mates were dating, now that they are married, nan advertizing for it could beryllium considered 'excess benefits,' Lloyd Mayer, a professor of rule astatine nan University of Notre Dame, told The Chronicle. 

Dayton and Peterson sewage joined successful April 2024, according to an Instagram station he shared of them smiling, showing disconnected their rings.  

In summation to promoting her husband's philharmonic career, Peterson has besides been accused of hiring galore relatives to activity astatine nan zoo she runs. 

A full of 8 family members and friends reportedly received benefits while employed there, including 2 men who are straight related to Peterson, The Chronicle reported. 

The outlet recovered that some men received much than $1.4million successful zoo contracts complete 3 years. 

Other relatives that person been employed astatine nan zoo see Peterson's daughter, Dayton's nephew, a family friend who has connections pinch her father, and nan hubby of a friend she went to rule schoolhouse with. 

It is unclear if hiring relatives and loved ones is considered to beryllium a usurpation against nan zoo's policy.

Some 97 percent of nan union's rank voted no-confidence successful nan CEO successful April. Employees person antecedently expressed interest for unsafe moving conditions and animal use astatine nan zoo. 

Peterson quickly defended her hiring choices and told The Chronicle: 'For 16 years, I person worked tirelessly to make nan San Francisco Zoo a thriving destination for Bay Area families.

'During my tenure arsenic some a committee personnel and executive director, my family and I person donated sizeable resources to nan zoo, including important financial gifts arsenic good arsenic pro-bono services,' she said. 

The embattled head went connected to mention that an anonymous online petition made past twelvemonth that called for her resignation, besides questioned nan zoo's hiring practices.  

According to Peterson, nan committee decided nan petition, which highlighted her 'mismanagement', was recovered to beryllium 'without merit.' 

Melinda Dunn, nan caller chair of nan zoo board, said that an investigation is underway connected nan zoo's hiring practices. 

'We are committed to an independent investigation of nan allegations brought by nan union, and that is presently underway,' Dunn wrote. 

When asked astir nan specifics of hiring astatine nan zoo, Dunn replied: 'We judge that each hiring and contracting decisions astatine San Francisco Zoo are made pinch a beardown accent connected merit.' 

These caller allegations person travel astir nan aforesaid clip nan zoo is expected to person a important sum of money for a fundraising run led by San Francisco Mayor London Breed.

Private donors are group to thief nan zoo hole to big 2 elephantine pandas from China. The location for nan animals is group to costs astir $25million. The metropolis gives nan zoo astir $4million a year.

DailyMail.com contacted Peterson, Dayton and nan San Francisco Zoo for comment.