WAO Relying On OAG's Goodwill Not To Prosecute!

The following account is my opinion of the events that transpired in the last two days. I am writing this account from a broken heart because there was no justice for the WAO animals and sadly, those that died from 2005-2006, died for nothing.

Yesterday was the second worse day of my life.

It started like any other day. I reviewed the WAO’s web statistics and checked to see if there was any news regarding the WAO possibly closing its doors on the OAG’s website. I knew something had to give soon because the workers have not been paid in weeks and it is my understanding many of them have left the organization. I also noticed a decrease in web traffic after the initial announcement that the WAO had to relocate its animals. Needless to say, these developments left me wondering who was feeding and caring for the animals.

Later that evening, as if things could not get worse, I learned Carol and Asvestas wants to "settle out of court" and they made the following demands:

Asvestas Settlement 2010

I am so freaked out because the Cryers and the rest of the idiots may actually accept this ludicrous offer just to get away from the entire mess. The WAO could win this lawsuit, but unfortunately, it no longer has a lawyer to represent the organization. AAAAAHHHHH...What a nightmare!

Oh, but the nightmare was just about to begin. For you see, last night I decided to call Sumner Matthes, the original board member that “sat” on the board from before 2004 and up to mid-May 2010. As you recall, Sumner and his wife QUIT the board when the OAG objected to the inclusion of Ms. Matthes to the BOD and demanded she be removed immediately, just as Nicole Garcia predicted would happen.

In any case, Sumner notified me that the James Anthony, attorney for the OAG Charitable Trust Division, decided to close the WAO down, permanently. Apparently, the board met today to sign the official paperwork closing the facility. Both Sumner and I are concerned that the animals that cannot be re-homed will be euthanized. Some of the animals cannot be placed due to age and possible health risk to others (macaques).

I have worked for 4 ½ years trying to save the animals, and all along the way, there were so many people who refused to save the WAO and its animals:

1. Sumner Matthes refused to listen to what I had to say from January 2006 - 2010;

2. Karen Maxfield refused to listen to what I had to say from January 2006 – 2009;

3. Laura Mireles refused to listen to what I had to say from January 2006- 2009;

4. The Texas Office of the Attorney General and the his Charitable Trust Division refused to act upon the overwhelming evidence of wrongdoings submitted to its Office from 2006-2010;

5. USDA/APHIS refused to act upon the overwhelming evidence of wrongdoings submitted to its agency from 2006-2010, instead their cries of “we were deceived by Carol Asvestas” was their excuse for their failure to act and save the WAO and worse, they made a "deal" to reduce the AWA charges against the WAO in summer of 2009;

6. The workers, Mary & Michelle Reininger, Michael Dereadt, Jenny Spellman, Jenna Peters, Kelsey Dyer, and Henry Newman, refused to listen to me regarding what was going to happen to the WAO if they did not do everything in their power to learn and adhere to AWA standards and stop their childish bickering and destructive behavior;

and of course, I’m saving the worst offenders for last:

7. The Asvestas’ and Cryers’ refused to comply with law, refused to operate the organization in a lawful manner and instead elected to run the facility straight into the ground for their own person ambitions and greed. It was never about the animals to these people—it was only about power and control and because of these two families (Asvestas & Cryers), they are , in my opinion, directly responsible for the WAO closing and the deaths of many WAO animals.

I spoke with Dr. Pannill,  the USDA/APHIS vet, this morning and she claims the Cryers were not at fault for what happened to the WAO – that this disaster was the fault of the Asvestas' rein over the Orphanage. I corrected her immediately—Michelle Cryer was on the board of directors since 2006; I read the board meeting minutes and the numerous emails showing that Michelle Cryer and Carol Asvesetas supported each other, not to mention all the “wonderful” things Cryer said about me during the WAO board meetings (yeah, I’m being sarcastic). She and her husband made MONEY from the WAO by illegally transporting animals across state lines, claiming the husband; Jamie Cryer was just a paid “contractor” when in reality, the 2009 DOT investigative report listed him as the WAO’s employee. All four of them should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, but since this is JUST an animal case, no one will ever be held accountable for their actions. Not the BOARD, not the STATE and FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS, and not the WORKERS. I just pray that none of them are ever allowed near animals ever again. Clearly, they have the innocent animals’ blood on their hands. And knowing these losers; they will no doubt feel little to no guilt or remorse what-so-ever for their participation in the demise of the organization.

In any case, I had a long conversation with the group helping place the WAO animals. Today the board signed the OAG paperwork closing the WAO. The WAO has 60 days to find homes for all its animals. The various animal groups are working to place the animals and have thus far placed approximately 140 animals. Needless to say, the commitments or locations of the animals listed below may change within the next 60 days, but this is where some of the animals are going:

Lions (IFAW and Kovo) will go to Safe Haven

Tigers (Mac & Shirley) will go to Wildcat Haven

Cougar (Noel) will go to the New Mexico Zoo

6 female rhesus macaques from Lehman College will go to Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation

Tiger (Zeus) will go Wildcat Sanctuary

All the capuchins will go to Jungle Friends

The 5 tigers will go to Joe Taft in Indiana

Tiny and Natasha will go to Montana Grizzly Encounter

All the chimpanzees will go to Chimp Haven and Chimp Sanctuary Northwest (Changed later to Save the Chimps)

Tigers (Ekatrina and Sierra) will go to Wildcat Sanctuary

The 2 Barbary Macaques are going to In Memory of Mindy

The rest of the animals are up for adoption. I was saddened to learn that Mindy, the last female black-spotted leopard died in her sleep on September 1, 2010. I am grateful she is in Heaven and will not have to move to another sanctuary as she had a large tumor on her abdomen. I just pray Maverick, her brother, will find a really good home. May God Bless Mindy’s soul into Heaven forever.

I will write more on this subject. Right now my heart is completely broken because all this could have been avoided in 2006 if everyone had just listened to me. Now the animals have to pay for the sins of the humans. Unless there are criminal charges filed against the Asvestas, Matthes, Cryers, Maxfield, Mireles, Behaine, and the Reiningers, then there truly will be no justice for the animals and once again the government failed in its fiduciary responsibility to protect the general public from scammers and protect the animals from being used for money. This entire case has been about scamming the public for money and not about its core mission to protect and properly house displaced animals needing a loving home where they could have lived, loved, and thrived. My faith in state and federal governments have been destroyed forever.

Later:  And if things couldn't get worse, I learned that the OAG made a DEAL not to prosecute the WAO Board of Directors if they voluntarily close the WAO.  No one is going to be held accountable for all the money stolen and all the animals' deaths.  NO ONE.

Truly there is NO justice for the WAO animals.

WAO Relying on OAG Goodwill Not to Prosecute Ltr - 090510