Drama and Finances

I am still saddened by the death of Jasmine the tiger. When I asked one of the workers what happened to her, he seemed rather hesitant to share details as we were around others. He mentioned a couple of names, but that was all the details given.

The employee drama continues at the sanctuary. One animal caretaker walked off the job last week because she allegedly refused to provide her work restrictions to the director. This employee, a young single lady, was pregnant and she decided to keep the baby. Needless to say, the office required the doctor’s work restrictions so as not to violate the doctor’s orders pertaining to the employee’s work limitations.

There is a rumor that another single female employee is pregnant by one of the single male workers—whom she apparently argues with often. Now both workers are supposedly leaving the sanctuary to go back home to be with family. The new director is stressed out from all the workers’ “drama and childish games.” How did the new director find out that the two employees were leaving? From Facebook, of all places!

The new director welcomed my offer to help her write a job announcement for two separate positions so as to help her recruit quality employees, so I guess I will get started on both position announcements.

Sadly, all this is happening right before the Big Open House on Saturday, March 27, 2010! I keep praying for excellent weather and lots of people. My biggest fear right now is that it will rain and no one will show up.

The radio commercials are running this week and lots of fliers were given out regarding this BIG event.   The web site statistics are still running strong as there have been a lot of people hitting the sanctuary’s website.

I’ve been updating the web site often, putting up fresh and new text/pictures of folks to read/see. It takes about 2 hours just to get a webpage just right with all the links working properly! Good news is the former directors have been laying low for the last couple of weeks, but I have a feeling they are up to something—perhaps they are planning on ruining the Saturday event? I don’t know, but I am keeping my eyes and ears opened for any rumors or strange web postings.

Last week, Spring Break, the web site received a lot of traffic! And the tour guides were slammed with tours, taking folks around (20+ per tour) for about six hours each. That left only two hours to clean and feed the animals. But I believe it was worth it because instead of making only $200 per day, the sanctuary made $1,000 per day! Next Spring Break I plan to go all out and advertise this event! Spring Break would have been a great time to have folks come out and visit the animals. This year we simply were not ready.

It took forever to clean the grounds this year, removing a mountain of dead brush, fixing the fences, mulching the animal enclosures, and landscape. Now we are ready, and next years should be an even better year for the animals & staff.

Thank goodness a group of local high school student showed up last Saturday to help prepare the grounds. It was raining earlier that day and I honestly thought there would only be the juvenile probationers available to help me. Fortunately, the juveniles and the high school students showed up and boy did we kick butt! The grounds look a zillion times better now due to the hard work and I can never thank them enough for all their hard work!

Now, more drama – last week the sanctuary needed to open a new bank account with a different bank so IFAW funds could be deposited. The board president went to the bank to open the account, but instead of establishing a new account, he was asked to leave the bank and never to return (he was banned from the bank). Apparently, he got very upset with one of the bank officers when this person asked for sanctuary financial papers so as to establish a legitimate account. When he started hooting and a hollering security was called and he was asked to leave the building and never return. Embarrassed, the new director went back to the bank to apologize and she was able to open an account with the bank. Needless to say, the new director is not happy with the sanctuary’s board president. This is just one of many major faux pas this director has made in conducting business for the sanctuary.

The money situation is dire—so far payroll this month was missed twice, causing employee some hardship (cell phone turned off etc). Apparently the workers are screening calls because the bill collectors are calling constantly. I believe some of the IFAW money will be used to pay off bills and the employees.

I just pray this event will help raise money for the animals this weekend. I don’t know where the sanctuary will get the money if folks simply do not donate…