and for the video: http://www.ksat.com/news/25775220/detail.html#video
Lion, Other Animals Depart Closed Sanctuary
Orphanage Shuts Down Amid Poor Management Allegations
April Molina, KSAT 12 News Reporter
POSTED: Friday, November 12, 2010
SAN ANTONIO -- San Antonio's Wild Animal Orphanage is shutting down and on Friday, volunteers said goodbye to a 250-pound lion, the first of many animals preparing to leave.
The lion's departure is a bittersweet farewell for at least one of the organization's board members.
Michelle Anthony-Cryer said the animals at WAO, which was once home to more than 300 animals, are not just moving on, they're moving up.
"These animals deserve a lot more than what they've had and it would be very selfish to try to hold on," Anthony-Cryer said.
Anthony-Cryer said working with other sanctuaries in an attempt to relocate them has been an eye-opener for her.
"Here, looking back, I realize that these animals were coming in and not getting the full care and the intake," Anthony-Cryer said.
She also said the sanctuary was mismanaged.
"I think there was just misappropriation of funds," Anthony-Cryer said. "I do think too many animals were taken in without consideration (of the) long-term goal of what it's going to cost to care and house these animals."
She added that if other shelters could properly care for the animals and give them the proper veterinary care, lab work and medications they need, they should go to those shelters.
On Thursday, the orphanage bid farewell to three tigers, one of which needed to be tranquilized.
On Friday, 12-year-old Jinx, the lion, got up and walked into the transporter without any problems. Getting the lion from one cage to the other, however, proved a little more trying.
Sixteen African Green primates are also scheduled to be in their new home by Thanksgiving.
Jinx is headed to Insync Sanctuary in the Dallas area.
So far, 140 animals have been placed and there are 156 still needing new homes.
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"Here, looking back, I realize that these animals were coming in and not getting the full care and the intake," Anthony-Cryer said.
"I think there was just misappropriation of funds," Anthony-Cryer said. "I do think too many animals were taken in without consideration (of the) long-term goal of what it's going to cost to care and house these animals."
Well, well, well. It only took Michelle Cryer four years to finally admit I was telling the truth when I alleged to the board of directors during the Emergency Board Meeting on January 7, 2006 (to which she sat silently across the room making faces at me during the meeting, but was not added to the board until after I left the property [see BB Notebook, January 7, 2006 blog entry for the startling details]) there was no financial oversight of the books, the WAO was taking in too many animals and the Orphanage did not have the long-term resources to care for these animals!
Let's recap for those of you just now reading this blog about the WAO for the first time.
During the emergency board meeting, the board agenda covered, among other topics, the following items:
1. Board Member Roles: The Vice President/Treasurer does not oversee daily organizations, or oversee all financial transactions as described on the Wild Animal Orphanage website. The Vice President/Treasurer is not informed in advance of animal rescues or events affecting the Wild Animal Orphanage (WAO). The Secretary does not maintain all correspondence, assist with record keeping, or oversee educational programs and public relations. The Corresponding Secretary does not assist the Secretary. The By-Laws, which the President refers to for guidance, the San Antonio Wildlife Emergency Center (SAWEC) (placed in affect when the SAWEC incorporated), are currently used by the WAO. Article Four (Board of Directors) outlines the number and board positions: “The number of Directors shall not be less than five (5) and shall consist of the President, Vice-president, Secretary, Treasurer, and Corresponding Secretary.” Article Four does not have an “Exotic Animal Rescue Coordinator” as a valid board position.
VP/Treasurer’s Recommended Motion: For the President to turn over all financial books of the WAO, to include all recent transaction dealing with WAO payroll, loans, vehicle purchases, home rental, and credit cards to the Treasurer. For the President to discuss in advance any changes to the daily operations of the WAO with the Vice President. For the President to work with the Secretary to develop a proper animal record keeping system and assist the Secretary with educational programs and public relation events. For the Corresponding Secretary to assist the Secretary in the performance of her duties. Also, the SAWEC by-laws need to be revised by the Board of Directors. Since the number of Directors shall not be less than five (5), an individual may only hold one office on the Board of Directors at any time. Until such time that the by-laws are revised, the “Exotic Animal Rescue Coordinator” will not be entitled to vote, but may put forth suggestions to the Board of Directors for a final vote by the Board of Directors.
Motion Approved: Ms. Asvestas put forth the motion to allow the Exotic Animal Rescue Coordinator to vote as an Officer of the Board and to revise the By-Laws. Ms. Maxfield seconded the motion.
2. Taking in Animals: The WAO is at full capacity and cannot take in any additional animals. Seven tigers are in quarantine at the Leslie Road location and all quarantine cages are occupied by rescued tigers dating back as far as two years (November 2003) at the Talley Road location. There has been no completed construction work at the Talley site for approximately six months. Also, a baboon and several monkeys have been in quarantine at the Leslie Road location since August 2005. In addition, a baboon, Judy, currently residing at the Leslie Road location, is scheduled to relocate to the Peaceable Primate Sanctuary (PPS). The WAO, in advance to accepting the baboon, entered into an agreement to house Judy while the PPS raises money to build the animal’s new enclosure.
Discussion: The President, Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Exotic Animal Rescue Coordinator did not want to place any limits on future animal rescues at this time without further research or discussion. The President confirmed Peaceable Primate Sanctuary is planning on taking Judy and Baby, both Baboons, to a new enclosure in Indiana. She was unsure when the enclosure would be completed and whether the animals would actually relocate. Baby resided in a small metal transporter from August 2005 until January 6, 2006. The President indicated Baby and Judy now live in what used to be the Patas Monkey enclosure and the Patas now live in what used to be Judy’s enclosure. The President also indicated a tiger enclosure (construction started approximately six months ago) is under final construction and should be completed within the next two weeks. Several tigers will be moved at that time. The President indicated the tigers at the Leslie Road quarantine location have been under medical care (since spring 2005) and two tigers (originally from Talley Road) will be returned back to Talley Road once the tigers at that location are moved into their new enclosure which is currently under final construction. Ms. Asvestas stated that Bubba, the white tiger, will have his hip operated on by veterinarians from A&M sometime in the spring.
[My] VP/Treasurer’s Recommended Motion: Suspend any additional animal rescues (exotic or domestic) for duration of two years or until such time all quarantined animals are enclosed in large natural areas. Quarantined animals must have new enclosures built immediately.
Approved Motion: No vote or motion made on this topic.
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Throughtout the entire board meeting, Michelle Cryer just sat there. She heard the truth, but chose to ignore it.
Too bad Michelle Cryer's "education" and "revelation" four years later came at such a high price because now the WAO animals have to leave their homes, their friends and companions, while the Asvestas and the Cryers get away scott-free without any consequences.
Does that seem fair to you?
Shame on you, Michelle Anthony-Cryer. Shame on you.
Later:
Later:
Newstalk 930 KLUP reported that three Bengal tigers at a private animal facility in San Antonio will be moved to a new home in North Carolina. The tigers, named Bali, Titan and Java, will be moved from the Wild Animal Orphanage in San Antonio to the Carolina Tiger Rescue sanctuary in Pittsboro, N.C. The Wild Animal Orphanage board of directors voted back in August to close the sanctuary due to overpopulation, little funding and inadequate housing. http://www.210tv.com/blog/?p=167Mmmm...inadequate housing? What??? Wasn't that something I brought up during the Emergency Board Meeting? And wasn't Michelle Cryer present for this meeting? How could she have NOT see how inadequate the animals' housing were over the last several years? Is she blind too?
Aren't these people so very special and, you can tell, no one thinks so more than themselves.
ReplyDeleteI would love to know why no one from IFAW went to the WAO to check on the condition of these animals and the ones who are now dead years ago when they were told of horrible conditions at the sanctuary, of animals senselessly being killed for no good reason, including my 100 little potbellied pigs. Why did they wait until the sanctuary was totally bankrupted by the people who ran the sanctuary and who IFAW not only funded but highly praised for all those years? It almost makes you think they were laundering money. Why would an internationally known organization gives hundreds of thousands of dollars specifically earmarked for the care of certain animals and buildings and enclosures and never go to make sure the money, donated by the general public, was used for the intended purposes and that the animals were receiving the best of care? If they didn't care how they threw away hard earned donated funds, being an 'animal rescue' organization, you'd at least think they would have been concerned enough to check on the animals they so richly sponsored with money entrusted to them by the generous public.
I have told people for years, if anyone says there are problems with caretakers or facilities and animals, human or nonhuman, are in trouble or at risk, it is our responsibility to check out the allegations first hand. If it's nonhuman animals or children or the elderly or anyone who has no voice or defense of their own, it is our responsibility to make sure they are protected. And that DOES NOT mean to ask those in charge if the allegations are true or not as so many have done in this and many other cases.
For the last 11 years I have lived with the guilt and shame knowing that I sent 100 helpless potbellied pigs who I promised to save and place them in a protected, healthy environment to live out their natural lives, and that an entire community put their hearts and donations into saving, only to learn that they were killed in a very short time after arriving at the Wild Animal Orphanage in San Antonio. I don't believe they lived 2 months past their arrival time on January 30, 2000. I still do not know how they were killed, whether it was outright slaughter, or they were turned out and hunted, or what. I simply know they are dead. Needless to say, I could not rescue another animal other than those I could afford to keep and take care of myself after the deaths of those babies. We may never know how many other animals died at the hands of the people at the WAO.
It also makes me sick to see Mary and Michelle in those videos when they were there the whole time, including when my babies arrived and were killed, and they did nothing to help save the animals. They really have some nerve (no conscience, but a hell of a lot of nerve) appearing to the public now to being wonderful saviors who loved the animals so much. I don't know how any of these people could look themselves in the mirror any more, much less live with themselves....from the board members to the workers to IFAW and anyone else who aided and abetted Ron and Carol Asvestas to do all the horrible things they've done over the years. I can only hope and pray that the Texas Attorney General's Office is dilligent in upholding the duties of their office and bring forth criminal charges against each and every guilty party and allow justice be served. It won't bring back any of the innocent, voiceless, helpless animals who lost their lives, but it might deter others from doing the same.
I pray for foregiveness from my babies, but I can never forgive myself.
If IFAW had gone and checked out the situation at the WAO when they were told a number of years ago, many of the animals who are now dead might still be alive. If IFAW cared so much about the animals and thought so much about the WAO evidenced by hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to the WAO from IFAW, and by IFAW singing praises about Carol Asvestas and the WAO for so many years, had IFAW gone and checked things out years ago, the WAO might still be a functioning home for homeless animals today.....but under the care and direction of decent, honest, and truly caring people.
ReplyDeleteHow will you live with this, IFAW?