It's Official -- The Last of the WAO Monks Are Rehomed!

It is official!  The last of the WAO monks are now at Born Free!  That just leaves the feral and domestic cats needing a forever home too...

Friends of the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary

9.26.12 

It’s almost hard to believe but the very last of the primates from the Wild Animal Orphanage in San Antonio arrived here late this afternoon. Kaleb, a hamadryas baboon, and 17 long-tails made the final trip down and were introduced to their new homes under bright blue south Texas skies.

After all these months of hard work involving so many compassionate, dedicated people it feels a little anti-climactic for this huge rescue to be concluded.

Thanks to Mary and Michelle Reininger, Dr. Valerie Kirk, Dr. Elizabeth Pannill, our supporters - and of course our great staff and interns here at the sanctuary – 107 monkeys and Kaleb the baboon have a new lease on life and an opportunity to live their lives as free as possible and safe from future exploitation.

Frick and Frack, two older male long-tailed macaques who are fast buddies, were the last two primates to be unloaded. Frick immediately ventured out into the large enclosure while Frack hung back, suspicious of the new and open environment. Frick is pictured above exploring new sights, sounds and textures for the first time.

Here’s hoping everyone gets a well-deserved good night’s sleep tonight!

I purposely blacked out the names of the enablers who allowed the WAO case to continue as long as it did, causing the deaths of close to 100 animals.  I have lost all respect for the two ex-WAO employees and will not recognize any of their so-called "achievements" at the end of the case.  Where the HELL were they at the beginning of the case? Their "achievements" fall under the category of "a little too little, a little too late."

Friends of the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary

9.26.12

Also, HUGE thanks to the great crew at Texas Purple Sage Services who worked so long and hard to build the great enclosures these monkeys now call home!

Here's handsome Kaleb :)

As I look back on the WAO case, which started December 17, 2005, I cannot help feel sad for all the animals that did not make it out of the WAO hell hole.  The directors and the workers lied simply so they could either keep their jobs or their board positions.  So many government workers spent more time trying to cut a deal with the criminals than protecting the animals and consumers.  And the true victims of this entire affair?  The animals that were forced to suffer in silence as they slowly died or the ones that died quickly from a point of a needle, so more animals could take their place.  And for what? 

Money.

But this case isn't over yet as there are still cats living at Talley Road:

From: Kristina Brunner

To: Robert.M.Gibbens@usda.gov

Cc: Elizabeth C. Pannill

Sent: Thu, September 27, 2012 8:18:02 AM

Subject: The Last Group of Animals at the WAO 

Greetings Dr. Gibbens: 

Now that the last group of non-human primates left the WAO yesterday afternoon, I believe there are only feral and domestic cats needing homes.  I pray the WAO does not abandon the cats to their fate.  Please do whatever you can to save the cats too -- they deserve a forever home, just like the exotic animals. 

Thank you for your attention to this very important matter - 

Regards, 

Kristina Brunner

I am worried that everyone will simply walk away and the cats will die a very slow death.  Nothing new at the WAO, right?

Even worse, I'm concerned that Carol Asvestas will carry out her alleged threat of dumping even more cats, currently in her possession, at the Talley Road property.  When will this nightmare ever end?

People make me sick.

Later:

From: Kristina Brunner
To: Elizabeth.C.Pannill@aphis.usda.gov
Sent: Thu, September 27, 2012 10:57:29 AM
Subject: Re: The Last Group of Animals at the WAO

Thank you for following up on this -- all the WAO survivors deserve a happy ending...including the cats!

---

From: "Pannill, Elizabeth C - APHIS"
To: Kristina Brunner; "Robert.M.Gibbens@usda.gov"
Sent: Thu, September 27, 2012 10:52:42 AM
Subject: Re: The Last Group of Animals at the WAO

Mary and Michelle are planning to find homes for the domestic cats. They will NOT abandon them.

"Planning."  Lovely.  I have oh-so-little-faith that the Reiningers will actually find the cats new homes.  Over the years they have failed the animals miserably...and NOW they are going to try to do the right thing.  Sure.

The sad thing is the feral cat coalition found the cats homes months ago, but the Cryers and Reiningers refused to rehome them. Makes one wonder why?

Not long after my email response to Dr. Pannill, I received this email from her and you can see my response:

From: "Pannill, Elizabeth C - APHIS"
To: Kristina Brunner

Sent: Thu, September 27, 2012 11:19:37 AM
Subject: Re: The Last Group of Animals at the WAO

Why would you even think they would abandon them ???

From: Kristina Brunner
To: "Pannill, Elizabeth C - APHIS"
Sent: Thu, September 27, 2012 11:41:52 AM
Subject: Re: The Last Group of Animals at the WAO

Based on everything that has happened over the years, why would you think they would not?

You know, the WAO was given an opportunity to rehome all the cats in January 2012, but chose not to--click HERE and HERE to see the email exchanges.

From: "Pannill, Elizabeth C - APHIS"
To: Kristina Brunner Sent: Thu, September 27, 2012 12:54:45 PM
Subject: Re: The Last Group of Animals at the WAO

Carol is gone that is why !!

From: Kristina Brunner
To: "Pannill, Elizabeth C - APHIS"
Sent: Thu, September 27, 2012 1:18:39 PM
Subject: Re: The Last Group of Animals at the WAO

It wasn't just Carol...

Okay, now I just have to comment on this last exchange! Yes, Dr. Pannill finally admitted in May 2010 that Carol had her and everyone else at the USDA fooled. Right. Now she thinks that Carol alone was responsible for the heinous crimes perpetuated against the WAO animals--alone, really? Dr. Pannill, get a clue! Carol had a lot of help! The Reiningers could have ended the WAO case many, many years ago—all they had to do was open their collective mouths and report the crimes! Insiders told me that the Cryers and the Asvestas were as thick as thieves, drinking and partying together, going on trips to the coast using WAO vehicles and WAO credit cards! It has been proven by DOT that Jamie Cryer were making money illegally hauling animals around the US -- all courtesy of the WAO—and she still thinks Carol is the only one to blame? 

Just when I thought the USDA/APHIS could not sink to a new low…oops, there they go…further down the hole.

Later:

Whoops!  The hole just got a little deeper...  

From: "Pannill, Elizabeth C - APHIS"

To: Kristina Brunner

Sent: Thu, September 27, 2012 7:46:08 PM

Subject: RE: The Last Group of Animals at the WAO

Kristina,

All I can tell you is that the cats appeared well cared for at Talley Rd . Mary and Michelle are looking for homes for them . USDA has no regulatory authority over the domestic cats on the property .

Elizabeth Pannill, DVM

Veterinary Medical Officer

USDA APHIS Animal Care

240-461-9282 ( cell )

512-357-0101 ( fax )

Yeah, that's the same BS she fed me during the WAO investigation (except for the last sentence,but since they did NOTHING to protect the animals, it might as well been true back then too).  Great to know that nothing changes at the USDA/APHIS.