WAO Alert

Since I am simply too upset to blog, I thought I'd just post my email to the OAG since it is open to the Public Information Act...

To: James Anthony
Cc: christopher.krhovjak@oag.state.tx.us
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 8:34 PM
Subject: Wild Animal Orphanage - Closing?


Dear Mr. Anthony:

For the last several days I have been working on the WAO Fundraising Report which describes in detail exactly what it will take to improve the WAO's financial situation. As soon as it is complete, I will email it to you right away.

In the meantime, it has become very clear to me the Cryers and WAO Board of Directors have zero interest in fundraising for the animals. In fact, their very actions thus far supports the allegation that they desire to let the WAO wither away, relocating animals to other facilities and those animals not lucky enough to find homes—to be euthanized. The Cryers were ill-equipped to run the WAO and I am appalled that they are still in charge of this sanctuary due to their incompetency.

I was made aware that the Cryers elected to stop the Wal-mart meat program in the middle of an already paid for month. For $100 per month, the animals would have received a variety of meats to include: pot roast, brisket, large fish, shrimp, chicken, cold cuts, steaks, etc, from three Wal-mart stores, with the option to include two more stores for an additional $50 per month. The WAO received thousands of dollars worth of meat each month—while the program did not feed all the animals each day, it did help reduce the cost of meat required to feed the animals daily. I can only assume the Cryers stopped this wonderful meat program because the USDA wrote the WAO up for taking in meat without logging the type and quantity prior to dispensing the meat to the animals. Now it is my understanding the Cryers are having trouble obtaining meat for the WAO animals. I can assure you, if I was still volunteering at the WAO, I would have moved heaven and earth to make sure the Wal-mart meat program continued, for it provided a lot of meat for the WAO animals. If it was a matter of money, I would have paid for the continuation of this program out of my own pocket.

Even more disturbing, and of course confirming my allegations that the Cryers have zero interest in fund-raising for the animals, I received this email today:

---------------------------------------------------------------

Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 3:25 PM

Subject: 200 plus exotic animals need homes IMPORTANT

Hi All,

Just wanted to forward this as I received it from the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians.

Shows how hard it can be to care for these types of animals. Please pass this on if you know of

any one that can house some of these animals.

Thanks,

Suzanne Billiar, DVM

From: aazv-l+noreply@googlegroups.com

To: aazv-l+digest@googlegroups.com

Sent: 8/25/2010 5:14:55 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time

Subj: [AAZV-L] Digest for aazv-l@googlegroups.com - 1 Message in 1 Topic

Today's Topic Summary

Group: http://groups.google.com/group/aazv-l/topics

· Need Help with finding homes for 200 + animals [1 Update]

Topic: Need Help with finding homes for 200 + animals

Wetwildvet@aol.com Aug 23 08:49PM -0400 ^

Hi All

The Wild Animal Orphanage near San Antonio, Texas is having difficulty

caring for their animals. They are now trying to find homes for 55 tigers, 14

lions, 3 cougars, 6 wolf hybrids, 2 old (17 years) leopards, and about

200 primates: 18 vervet monkeys, 2 barbary macaques, 2 patas monkeys, 23 +/-

capuchins, 21 baboons (several infants in group), 16 chimps (5 HIV +may

have homes already) and approximately 134 macaques, all retired research

animals.

We are working on finding homes for many of the animals but if you know of

a facility who would be willing to take one or more of any of these

animals, please contact me at _laurie.j.gage@aphis.usda.gov_

(mailto:laurie.j.gage@aphis.usda.gov) . Also if you or your facility might be able to make

donations of primate or big cat food, or able to help with the transportation

of animals, please let me know. Right now the animals all belong to the

WAO and the transfer would be between the WAO and your facility. Donations

of food or other resources would go to the WAO. USDA Animal Care is trying

to help with the situation. We may be able to arrange for transportation

of some of the animals.

Thanks all in advance for any thoughts, ideas, donations or advice.

Laurie Gage, DVM, DIpl. ACZM

Big Cat Specialist USDA APHIS Animal Care

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No longer is the WAO a permanent home for its animals, as declared on the WAO website since the bobcats were relocated to The Wildcat Sanctuary and Carrie (caracal) and Sebestian (serval) were relocated to Wildcat Haven. I have learned all the bears are going to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado as soon as their enclosures are completed.

The WAO is lying to the public regarding the state of the WAO. Sadly, the Cryers continue to advertise animals on the WAO’s website that the facility no longer has either due to animal relocation or death.

The Cryers also apparently lied to the Texas Workforce Commission – Appeal Tribunal regarding the reason why Nicole Garcia was terminated.

The first reason given as to why Ms. Garcia’s’ employment was terminated was apparently due to the purchase of the copier (authorization approved by Will West as President of the WAO) and because she allegedly opened a “secret” bank account with Bank of America (which was later proven to be co-opened by Michelle Cryer and Will West).

Since the evidence submitted to the TWC Appeal Tribunal along with confirmation from Michelle’s Cryer’s own witness, Kimberly Meyer, that Nicole was not responsible for WAO’s financial matters, the reason for termination changed once again.

Instead, Michelle Cryer claimed Ms. Garcia was terminated because, as a board director, she refused to attend a mandatory board meeting. The TWC hearing officer requested a copy of the WAO’s By-laws so as to confirm whether or not Ms. Garcia’s non-attendance to WAO’s board meeting was a termination offense. The hearing was postponed until the hearing officer received a copy of the by-laws.

When the hearing reconvened this week, Michelle Cryer changed the reason for Ms. Garcia’s employment termination once again. This time, Michelle Cryer apparently told the hearing officer that Nicole Garcia was never a board director/member and she was terminated because she refused, as an employee, to attend the board meeting. I was told when the hearing officer challenged Michelle Cryer’s assertion that Ms. Garcia was never a WAO board director/member; Michelle Cryer repeated that Ms. Garcia was never a WAO board member, despite the evidence submitted to the contrary.

The TWC hearings were taped, and as soon as Nicole Garcia receives confirmation as to the status of her unemployment benefits, she and I intend to obtain a copy of hearing (if allowable).

It is my opinion that the Cryers took over the WAO under false circumstances. I believe the reason why Michelle Cryer wanted to run the facility was not because she “cared about the animals” (for if she did, why did she NOT volunteer her time at either the WAO’s Leslie or Talley Road facilities from January – April 2010?), but because she wanted to be the new “Carol Asvestas” and plus of her apparent dislike for Nicole Garcia. It is my opinion Michelle Cryer took over the facility for her own personal reasons and not for the benefit of the WAO animals.

While I was volunteering at the WAO from January – April 2010, Michelle Cryer NEVER visited the animals and NEVER went through the WAO financial records. According to the email traffic I reviewed between Nicole Garcia and Michelle Cryer, it became quite clear to me that she could not be bothered to help Ms. Garcia with fundraising activities and it was very clear Michelle Cryer had an extreme dislike of working with Ms. Garcia in April 2010.

If Michelle Cryer spent more time fundraising for the animals, and less time apparently lying to a Texas government agency (TWC), perhaps the WAO’s financial situation would not be as dire as it is now.

Since the Cryers have now made it clear they have no intention of fundraising for the WAO’s animals, I appeal to your Office once again to have Ms. Cryer removed from the WAO’s board of directors and install a new board. I have a new board ready to go, and I have a volunteer operations manager (with a proven background in facility maintenance and law enforcement) plus an office manager (retired Bexar County employee) ready to help save the WAO, for FREE. Give my team 90-days to turn this horrible situation around before it is too late. Unlike the Cryers, we have the professional skills and abilities to turn the WAO’s financial situation around. At this point, what does your Office stand to lose? Your Office already removed Ms. Matthes from the WAO’s board of directors. A precedent has been set in this area, and I do not find it unreasonable to give my team a chance since the Cryers have not outwardly done a single thing to raise money for the animals. Your Office has nothing to lose and the animals have everything to gain. For the record, I would only serve on the proposed board of directors as a non-voting advisor—unlike the Cryers, I have no interest in taking over the WAO. I only want to save what animals are left at the WAO.

Later:

I guess I know why no one is answering the WAO phones:

I suppose telling lies to the Texas Workforce Commission, regarding how the WAO director and staff were fired by the Cryers, was too much for her to handle.  I wonder what other lies Ms. Myers uttered while working for the Cryers?