History Repeats Itself

Yesterday, I received word from a friend that what happened at the WAO is happening again at ASAP.  You may recall that ASAP, founded and operated by Carol Asvestas, was created after she QUIT the WAO in 2009.

Facebook Information: 

Description

A 501 (c) 3 non profit organization.

Address

9488 Leslie Road, San Antonio, TX 78254 · Get Directions

Phone

1 210.688.3343

Website

http://www.animalsasap.org

Animal Shelter Assistance Program Inc. was founded by Carol in 2010 and is operated from her own home (note her home address above).  From what I understand, the 13 cats and 3 dogs live in metal cages (allegedly stolen from the WAO years ago) are located outdoors, rain or shine.  Apparently, there is quite a bit of feces piling up around the cages.  This is very reminiscent of when Carol first started a sanctuary with bears, wolves, a monkey.  The pictures from the "early years" was very disturbing.

_________________________________________________________________

I am told the animals are covered in fleas, no doubt infected with tapeworms, and are rarely allowed outside their enclosures because Carol "frowns" on letting them out of their cages.

I also heard that Carol has a copy of the WAO mailing list and is using it to solicit funds from folks she knows is sympathetic to her being "ousted" (as she tells it) from the WAO.  Organizations, such as the Tissue Foundation (donating around $2500 recently), is apparently paying for Carol Asvestas' bills such as county taxes for their personal homestead (heck the animals must pay rent for living on the property right?) and the electric bills (the animals benefit from the use of electricity, right? [wink wink]) Does any of this sound familiar?

It should, as Carol Asvestas pulled this same stunt as seen in the February 21, 2009 board meeting minutes, where she claimed that the "Katrina" rescue cats were housed in their personal house (yeah, right---NOT!) and that the WAO should pay "rent" for the animals along with the Asvestas' electricity (after all the cats needed A/C too...NOT!).  It was just another scam to get money out of the WAO, simply because the Asvestas' knew that their time at the WAO was coming to an end.

By my calculations, the Asvestas' are probably not  receiving unemployment checks from the government anymore as their time expired.  And no doubt Carol requires cash since she refuses to seek legal employment (after all who wants to hire an alleged thief!), and with the ASAP piggy bank so close at hand, I guess she has little fear that anyone from the OAG will touch her if she dipped into the dogs and cats' donated monies.  After all, they never stopped her from dipping into the WAO piggy bank, right?  Right.

So what is Carol's ASAP asking for on their wish list besides money? 
Dry Cat food

Dry Dog food

Chainlink fence

Building materials

Dog and Cat carriers

Office equipment: Computer

Lap top

Inkjet Printer

Truck, enclosed trailer

RV and garage sale and auction items

At one time, Carol was asking for "land" on her wish list site, but I see now it has been removed (as according to her divorce paperwork she has land somewhere), along with the monkey chow.  Instead she's looking for the stuff listed above.  The sad thing is I've heard she's not even willing to use ASAP donated funds to buy dry dog and cat food for the animals on her property; instead relying on others to buy  food for the domestic animals, while she allegedly continues to spend the ASAP donated-funds on her personal expenses.

Why the heck didn't the OAG stop this nightmare from starting up all over again?  Have they no shame for putting more animals' lives at risk all over again.  I have lost all faith in the Texas OAG.  As far as I am concerned, they are Carol's enablers and she will never stop fundraising for animals that she has no intentions of saving; instead using them to raise money so she can live off their backs while they suffer in silence. 

Sickening.

Now the question is what do I do?  Do I get involved, try to save the dog and cats, or do I turn away, like so many other people have done so in the past?  I think you already know the answer to that question.

Later:
I decided it was talk to discuss the situation with the City:

From: Kristina Brunner

To:Vincent.Medley@sanantonio.gov

Cc: Kristina Brunner

Sent: Fri, March 9, 2012 3:55:24 PM

Subject: ASAP Dog/Cat Shelter and WAO Feral Cats

Dear Mr. Medley:

I am hoping for an opportunity to meet with you next week (Thursday or Friday) to discuss the growing problem of a local "domestic cat/dog shelter" called the Animal Shelter Assistance Program Inc. (A.S.A.P.) based here in San Antonio. A.S.A.P. was established by Carol Asvestas (also founder of the Wild Animal Orphanage) in 2010 and has been operating as a domestic animals shelter at her personal homestead (domestic animals are forced to live outdoors, rain or shine).

Plus, I am also very concerned with the ferals that may still be living at the Wild Animal Orphanage's Talley Road property, located in San Antonio. Very soon the last group of animals (non-human primates) shall be moving to Born Free, leaving the remaining ferals behind. Since the WAO's exhibitors USDA licence expires at the end of this month, and because the ferals are domestic and not exotic wild animals, Dr. Robert Gibbens of the USDA will not have the legal ability to ensure these animals are not left behind or needlessly destroyed when the WAO closes its doors forever at Talley Road.

I believe Jessica Saucedo may have given you an idea of the WAO feral cat situation and I am following up to find out whether or not the WAO ferals can be saved before they are destroyed/left behind.

Your kind consideration of my request is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,

Kristina Brunner

After waiting almost a week, I thought I should follow-up on the above email:

From: Kristina Brunner

Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 3:49 PM

To: Vincent Medley

Subject: Re: ASAP Dog/Cat Shelter and WAO Feral Cats

Dear Mr. Medley:

Last week I sent you an e-mail (below) requesting a meeting to discuss A.S.A.P. and the feral cat situation at the closed WAO property located off of Talley Road.

Thus far, I have not received a response. Therefore, I must conclude you are not interested in discussing these topics with me. If this is correct, please show me the courtesy by responding in the negative to this e-mail request. 

Thank you,

Kristina Brunner

Finally, now this email actually garnered a response!

From: Vincent Medley

To: Kristina Brunner

Sent: Wed, March 14, 2012 4:14:30 PM

Subject: RE: ASAP Dog/Cat Shelter and WAO Feral Cats

Ms. Brunner,

My apologies for not responding sooner. With all due respect, I’ve had quite a few high priority projects and cases that take precedent over the situation described below. Remember, from my perspective this issue was resolved and while I understand you are concerned, the fact remains that all I’ve been told is that there is a fear the cats won’t be cared for, which is different from them not being cared for. As far as your meeting request, Thursday or Friday is fine. Tomorrow anytime before 12 or anytime after 330 is fine for me. Let me know what will work for you.

As I feared, Mr. Medley had no intention of taking any of my concerns seriously.  In government, when someone says "With all due respect" we are basically putting a person in "their place" -- you know, letting that person know they have more important issues to deal with than with you.  The minute I saw this second sentence, I knew this person did not have the ferals or the ASAP cats' well-being at heart.  He's just too busy to deal with this case.  Sounds familiar.  USDA and OAG didn't have the "time" to deal with the tragedy at the WAO.  And now Mr. Medley doesn't have the time to stop another tragedy from happening.

My response to him:

From: Kristina Brunner
To: James Anthony ; Vincent.Medley@sanantonio.gov
Sent: Wed, March 14, 2012 5:59:56 PM
Subject: Formal Complaint Pertaining to the Animal Shelter Assistant Program, et al

VIA E-MAIL:

">TO: James Anthony

 Vincent Medley

>March 14, 2012
Dear Sirs:

Please accept this email as a formal letter of complaint pertaining to the Animal Shelter Assistance Program, Inc., d/b/a Auction for Animals, established and operated by the former President and CEO of the Animals Sanctuary of the United States, d/b/a/ Wild Animals Orphanage, Ms. Carol Asvestas:

In order to update the San Antonio Animal Control Services department, I have provided a brief timeline of events outlining my concerns relating to the remaining WAO feral cats and the operation of A.S.A.P’s dog and cat shelter in San Antonio, Texas:

·I was the former WAO Vice President and Treasurer from 2004-2005;

·In 2006, I confronted the Board of Directors with allegations of misappropriation of funds and violations of the AWA;

·Board refused to address the allegations, so I voluntarily resigned from the WAO board of directors on 01.07.12;

·Filed formal complaints against WAO’s board of directors with the Texas OAG and USDA/APHIS;

·In 2009, Carol Asvestas and her spouse, Ron Asvestas voluntarily terminated their positions with the WAO;

oInexperienced board of directors did not accept their resignations, but instead placed them on administrative leave pending an investigation into their activities;

oBoard was forced to terminate both Asvestas’ for cause in Sept 2009;

oThe Asvestas’ received unemployment benefits up until 2012;

§Apparently, neither Carol Asvestas or her spouse have found legal employment;

·WAO ceased operations in 2010 and re-homed its exotic wild animals over the next two years;

·WAO at one time operated an illegal “Feral Cat Rehabilitation Center” at Talley Road (2000 - 2009);

oThere was no “center.” Cats were dumped at Talley Road and left to fend for themselves;

oCarol Asvestas received $200+ per feral cat that was released at the Talley Road facility;

oAccording to WAO’s own 2006 website, WAO took over 500 cats to the “Feral Cat Rehabilitation Center;"

§Former WAO employee reported that the majority of the feral died from exposure, lack of food, or were killed by the wild animals living on the property.

oIn 2011, it was reported that there were still 30 surviving ferals left living at Talley Road requiring placement;

oIn 2012, WAO refused assistance from Feral Cat Coalition, saying they would “keep them in mind” if they need help placing the cats;

oI have grave concerns that the remaining feral cats will be abandoned once the last non-human primates depart from the facility within the next two months;

§USDA/APHIS no longer has jurisdiction over the WAO animals as WAO relinquished its exhibit license;

§WAO has a terrible track record of protecting feral cats in its possession.

·Carol Asvestas started animal shelter called >Animal Shelter Assistance Program Inc. (A.S.A.P.);

oA.S.A.P. was established in January 2010 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization;

§ASAP Mission statement on the Facebook page states http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Animal-Shelter-Assistance-Program-Inc-ASAP/157794590938573:

·To build a wonderful facility where animals can live a quality comfortable life until they are adopted into responsible loving homes. To offer a safe place for as many animals as possible. To provide children with a means of helping animals through the Kids Caring for Critters program.

oA.S.A.P. operates a dog and cat shelter (approximately 23 animals thus far) at Carol Asvestas’ personal residence located at 9488 Leslie Road, San Antonio, TX 78254.

oWebsite address: http://www.animalsasap.org - Mission statement changed since its inception, 2010

oTelephone number: 210.688.3343

§Caller-id displays A.S.A.P. telephone number as “Animal Shelter”;

oA witness came forward alleging that Ms. Asvestas is actively fundraising for the animals, receiving thousands of dollars that are supposed to go towards animal care;

§Ms. Asvestas allegedly uses the donated funds to pay for her land taxes which is currently in arrears and to pay for her electric bills;

·Ms. Asvestas allegedly claimed the “shelter” owes her “rent” plus the cost of electricity to maintain the animals' comfort level (please note, there are allegedly no heaters or A/C in the enclosures).

·For OAG: This may sound familiar as Ms. Asvestas made a similar fraudulent claim that the WAO owed her monies for several months’ worth home mortgage payments (even though the Asvestas no longer paid a mortgage after fulfilling the note requirements) for housing the hurricane cats in her home and the cost of electricity (see WAO Board of Directors meeting minutes for February 2009);

·According to a witness, the shelter dogs and cats are allegedly covered in fleas and have shown signs of having worms;

oVet care allegedly not provided;

oNo regular employee or volunteer provides care to the animals;

§Two volunteers allegedly try to care for the animals on a daily basis if their schedule permits;

oDespite receiving funds from donors, purchases of dog and cat food are allegedly made by others, like the volunteers, when they can afford the food;

oDogs are housed together in one cage—cats are housed together in another cage;

oCarol Asvestas allegedly “frowns” on letting the dogs exercise outside their cage;

oAnimals are allegedly left on their own except during brief feeding and occasional cage cleaning visits;

oAnimals allegedly escapes inclement weather by going into dog “igloos” set-up by the volunteers;

Mr. Medley: Unfortunately, the times you provided to me for tomorrow’s meeting will not work as I already have scheduled appointments for the entire day that cannot be changed at this late date. Therefore, I respectfully request that ACS accept this formal comlaint and to make a “home visit” to this alleged dog and cat shelter to determine the health and welfare of the animals. My concern is that Ms. Asvestas’ may be operating an illegal domestic animal shelter from her personal residence. I believe this falls under your jurisdiction since A.S.A.P is not breeding or exhibiting any wild animals on her property.

I also respectively request the Texas OAG to consider this another formal request to investigate the activities of Carol Asvestas, owner and operator of A.S.A.P., to determine if, once again, she may be misappropriating funds from a non-profit charity.

Regards,

Kristina M. Brunner

cc: IRS

As of the evening of March 23, 2012, I have received nothing from either agency.  Big surprise.