Where are the Permits

To: ramiro.carrillo@sanantonio.gov
Cc: christopher.krhovjak@oag.state.tx.us ; James Anthony ; Robert.M. Gibbens ; mstory@tceq.state.tx.us
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2010 8:02 PM
Subject: ASUS Additional Information - Building Permits - June 2010


June 28, 2010

Dear Mr. Carrillo:

Approximately two years ago I contacted your Office regarding the alleged illegal plan to destroy the Wild Animal Orphanage "clinic building" at 9626 Leslie Road, San Antonio, Texas 78251. At that time, the Asvestas (former operators of the facility) planned on building a new "spay/neuter clinic" on-site, but the first building needed to be removed. Your Office was able to verify the Asvestas planned to destroy the unlicensed building, and advised the operators the need to obtain proper permits before removing the old building and permits approved prior to the start of any new construction.

It was brought to my attention today the WAO's "clinic building" was destroyed and the old building materials can be found at the WAO's "creek side" lot located on the left side of the road as one approaches the WAO facility, next to a creek bed (which overflows almost every year due to flood waters) at the base of the small incline leading to the WAO's parking lot--this piece of property has a chain link fence and gate facing the front of the lot. I checked the 'Plan Reviews/Permits/Inspections For An Address' website and found only one permit request on file (March 2010 - WAO's fundraising event). http://epay.sanantonio.gov/bipi2/permitsforaddress.aspx

The former clinic building was used to house sick or injured animals, to include macaques. It is my understanding the WAO no longer has an animal "clinic" on property.

From what I recall when I was last on-site, May 1, 2010, the old building contained a lot of rat feces and urine marks, which led me to believe the building had a rather large rat infestation. No doubt the rats relocated to a new building--either the WAO's main office or the animal feed warehouse (or both). Several attempts to remove the rodents failed.

I respectfully request your Offices (1) ascertain whether or not the WAO new operators (Jamie and Michelle Cryer) obtained the required permits to destroy the WAO's animal clinic, (2) properly stored the waste and old building materials at the 'creak side' lot and (3) verified whether or not the rat population relocated to the last two main buildings on the property.

For TCEQ: I respectfully request your Office to check on the Talley Road bears' quarantine area to verify whether or not the workers resumed disposal of the captive bears' feces by spraying the waste down a drain pipe leading to the adjacent neighbor's property instead of bagging the waste as previous agreed in the 2009 TCEQ agreement with the WAO. I learned some of the animal caretakers may have elected to resume disposal of the bears' waste by washing the waste down the drain pipe, instead of bagging the feces and other animal waste, and property disposing the waste bags in the trash. This practice is also not uncommon for at the Leslie Road facility the USDA/APHIS inspector found the WAO in violation of failing to provide proper drainage for the bear enclosure on May 5, 2010 (http://acissearch.aphis.usda.gov/LPASearch/faces/pdfpage.jspx?inspid=125101517050922)


Your kind attention to this matter is greatly appreciated. Please feel free to contact via email if you require additional information pertaining to this request.