Reporters have mistakenly tried to turn this into a story about big government picking on small time farmers, but the real tragedy here is that USDA only inspects, on average, once a year.  They have found 15 violations and yet have not been able to get the owners to comply.  It often takes 6 years or more for the USDA to take any serious action and animals suffer needlessly in the interim.

According to Guidestar, Dale Tolentino hasn’t filed an IRS tax return on D&D Farm Animal Rescue since 2004 which doesn’t bode well for how donations were spent over the past 8 years.

Dozens of volunteers from an organization by the name of United States Zoological Association, USZA, came to help correct 15 violations identified by the U.S.D.A. If the violations were not corrected by Sunday (Feb 5, 2012), the agency had said it will confiscate the animals.  What the reporters failed to do was to investigate the origines of USZA which appears to have been created as one of many aliases of Joe Schreibvogel to try and bestow some “accreditation” legitimacy on back yard breeders and road side zoos like his that breed lions, tigers, ligers and other wild animals for use as photo props and petting props.

Joe Schreibvogel, president of the U.S.Z.A, said that would most likely have meant a death sentence for the tigers, lions, cougars, bobcats and other exotic creatures housed at the sanctuary.  Similar facilities are full, he said, and many have already closed down because of a lack of funding.  “The next step would be to euthanize them, but I am not going to let that happen,” Schreibvogel said.  Schreibvogel said this while yet insisting on breeding lions, generic tigers and ligers which all serve no conservation value and who all add to the overpopulation of dangerous carnivores in cages.

During routine inspections, the USDA identified violations such as lack of written dietary or veterinary plans for animals.

On its most recent visit two days ago, USDA inspectors found larger violations, such as fences that were too short and an enclosure that had an improper flooring material, and gave the sanctuary until Sunday to correct these issues.

Nov 28, 2011 USDA Violations

Aug 11, 2012 USDA Violations

May 9, 2011 USDA Violations

Jan 3, 2011 USDA Violations

Nov 8, 2010 USDA Violations

Jul 2, 2010 USDA Violations

Dec 14, 2009 USDA Violations

More than 16 violations just since 2009 and many were repeat offenses and involved lack of veterinary care, filthy water bowls, poor food handling, etc.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 12, 2012–The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is continuing to move more swiftly and consistently to take enforcement action in response to animal welfare violations.  As part of its effort to make its actions transparent and accessible to the public, APHIS is highlighting enforcement actions taken in response to violations of the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) and Horse Protection Act (HPA).

Copies of documents related to these actions, as well as copies of official warnings, are available in the APHIS FOIA Reading Room at www.aphis.usda.gov/foia/foia_reading_room.shtml.

During the month of December, APHIS filed administrative complaints alleging that the following persons violated the AWA or HPA:

AWA Docket No. 12-0093; Vanishing Species Wildlife Inc.

AWA Docket No. 12-0103; Hugo Liebel d/b/a Florida State Family Entertainment, Florida State Family Circus, Liebling Brothers Circus, and Liebling Brothers Family Circus.

AWA Docket No. 12-0109; City of Topeka d/b/a Topeka Zoological Park and Topeka Zoo.

AWA Docket No. 12-0142; Cody Harmon and Christi Harmon.

The following persons entered into pre-litigation settlement agreements (also known as stipulations) in connection with alleged violations of the AWA or HPA:

APHIS Case No. MO09099-AC; John Dollarhite.

USDA’s administrative law judges and judicial officer issued decisions and orders under the AWA or HPA involving the following persons:

AWA Docket No. 07-0175; Martine Colette and Robert Lorsch.

AWA Docket No. 11-0421; Barbara Gullett d/b/a Gullett Kennel.

HPA Docket No. 11-0200; Lisa Beninati and Paul Whitehead.

HPA Docket No. 12-0008; Billy Joe Hayes.

HPA Docket No. 11-0242; Harvey Rodriguez and Michelle Hasting.

HPA Docket Nos. 11-0429, 11-0431, 11-0432, 11-0435; Keith Rabon.

HPA Docket No. 11-0435; Hoyt Rabon d/b/a Hoyt Rabon Stables.

The AWA requires that minimum standards of care and treatment be provided for certain animals bred for commercial sale, used in research, transported commercially or exhibited to the public.  It excludes those animals raised for food or fiber.  Persons who operate facilities in these categories must provide their animals with adequate care and treatment in the areas of housing, handling, sanitation, nutrition, water, veterinary care and protection from extreme weather and temperatures.

To ensure that its licensees are meeting the AWA standards, APHIS inspectors conduct routine, unannounced inspections of all licensed facilities.  Violations of the AWA can lead to penalties, including official warnings, civil penalties and license suspensions/revocations.  For more information on the inspection and enforcement processes, visit APHIS’ animal care website at www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_welfare/.

The HPA is the federal law that prohibits horses subjected to a practice called soring from participating in shows, sales, exhibitions and auctions.  Soring is a cruel and abusive practice used to accentuate a horse’s gait.  APHIS works actively with the horse industry to protect against such abuse, ensuring that only sound and healthy horses participate in shows, sales, exhibitions and auctions.  APHIS’ ultimate goal is to end the inhumane practice of soring completely.

The HPA authorizes APHIS to issue civil penalties and to disqualify violators from participating in horse shows, exhibitions and sales.  Both the AWA and HPA contain criminal penalties as well.

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Note to reporters:  USDA news releases, program announcements and media advisories are available on the Internet and through really simple syndication (RSS) feeds.  Go to the APHIS news release page atwww.aphis.usda.gov/newsroom and click on the RSS feed link.

Craig Busch had dealings with her back in 2002 when she exported 5 tigers (four white and one orange) to New Zealand. It seems she was the forerunner to the type of thing Craig was doing with his hands on with the big cats at Zion Wildlife Gardens.

Read more: http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/region_c_palm_beach_county/west_palm_beach/two-white-tigers-and-a-liger-now-call-mccarthy’s-wildlife-sanctuary-home#ixzz1jNeVPDix

Does anyone know if these are “doc” Antle’s tigers from Jungle Island in Miami where one of the tigers escaped last year?

JOHOR BARU: A playful female tiger cub and her male sibling have become the latest additions to the Johor Zoo here, which currently has three adult tigers.

Zookeepers Raja Zulkifli Raja Hassan (left) carrying the female cub Cuping while Nazri Mansor carries Gambit at Johor Zoo in Johor Baru. Pic by Zulkarnain Ahmad

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Born on Oct 1, the two cubs are the offsprings of Jeli and Juli, two Malayan tigers which have been staying at the  zoo for the past five years.

Zoo manager Zakaria Razali said the tiger cubs had yet to be officially named.

However,  zookeepers had affectionately called the female cub “Cuping” and the male, “Gambit”.

“Gambit was unfortunately born quite weak and could hardly stand.

“We are giving him the best medical attention available.

“We just could not bear to put him down in spite of his condition,” Zakaria said.

The cubs were removed from their parents only recently.

They are  fed a diet of minced chicken meat mixed with calcium and milk every two hours.

Zakaria said these were not Juli’s first cubs.

“The zoo welcomed the arrival of three tiger cubs, also delivered by Juli, at the beginning of the year.

“But all three died shortly after birth. Since this is  Juli’s second delivery, she is   more experienced and also caring.

“When the cubs are bigger, it is not likely that we will keep them in the same cage as their parents as tigers are different from lions.

“Three months ago, one of our female lions gave birth to four cubs.

“They are now all living together as one family unit, but tigers do not live in prides.”

Read more: Johor Zoo welcomes 2 tiger cubs – General – New Straits Times http://www.nst.com.my/local/general/johor-zoo-welcomes-2-tiger-cubs-1.11226#ixzz1jNduTjnC

There is controversy over a cat exhibit this weekend at Northgate Mall.

The ‘Big Cats Live Tour’ is runs through Oct. 23 and features cubs, lemurs and more.

According to the mall’s website, the event brings awareness to exotic animals that are kept as pets then abandoned.

Visitors will also have an opportunity to have their picture taken with some of the animals.

However, controversy is brewing because the event’s exhibitor, Joe Schreibvogel, of Oklahoma, was fined $25,000 in 2006 for violating the Animal Welfare Act, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. He was also cited for failure to provide adequate veterinary care in September of this year.

According to FOX25 in Oklahoma City, Schreibvogel was also the subject of an investigation resulting in the deaths of 23 baby tigers. He told FOX25 it was a problem with the formula, but the FDA found no fault with it.

FOX19 has left a message with Northgate Mall seeking comment.

So when owner Terry Fox learned of a mountain lion terrorizing another local petting zoo, she was concerned.

“Usually we all take precautions when a mountain lion is out and about, so we always make sure things are more secure,” said Terry Fox of Oak Tree Village.

At Riley’s Petting Zoo, which is not far from Fox’s petting zoo, eight goats are all that remain after a 7-year-old female mountain lion killed 13 goats.

According to the owner, who did not want to be identified, the lion started with the baby goats and worked up to the large ones.

On Christmas Day, the cougar returned to a previous kill and was shot by the owner’s son.

A permit to shoot the mountain lion was issued by the Department of Fish and Game after they investigated and determined that the lion was a threat not only to livestock, but to the community as well.

An official with the Department of Fish and Game says they do not relocate the animals because of territorial issues with other mountain lions. They also say mountain lions continue to return where prey is easiest to find, and while attacks on humans are rare, they are not unheard of.

“To have them come that close to where we live, that’s kind of dangerous. What about kids and children and families? If they will kill an animal, what would they do to a human?” said Tracy Copeland.

But People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called the mountain lion killing tragic and 100 percent preventable.

“As long as sheep, goats, and other ‘prey animals’ are confined to enclosures designed to prevent escape but that offer little to no protection from predators, lives will be lost,” PETA said in a statement.

But Fox said she agrees that there was no other option.

“It’s always sad when that happens because you never want to see the wildlife have to be killed, but once they do, and they start killing the animals, you really don’t have any other recourse,” Fox said.

http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/inland_empire&id=8484121

Over the past few months residents in Hondo and the surrounding area have been reporting sightings of a mountain lion.

Some thought the sightings were a just case of mistaken identity until a security camera captured an image of a mountain lion near a city owned nature trail and park last month.

On Wednesday night, a ranch manager killed a mountain lion at a popular deer hunting ranch, confirming the big cats are indeed roaming the area.

“I saw this object running in front of me and thought it was a baby deer and when it turned, I realized it was a mountain lion,” said Misti Foster, a cook at the Nooner Ranch.

Foster said the large mountain lion was standing in the middle of a dirt road on the ranch. She immediately called ranch manager Gene Naquin and told him to bring his gun.

“I could tell when she called me that what she said she was seeing she was actually seeing,” Naquin said.

Naquin never doubted Foster and within five minutes, he was staring down the big cat that was now cornered between the ranch gate and two tall fences.

“It was running up and down along the high fence,” Naquin said. “I took just one shot and that was it.”

Naquin hit the cat just behind the shoulder, killing it.

It is believed to be a 2-year-old male weighing 90 pounds.

Naquin said state wildlife officials have been notified and are planning to come out and take DNA samples in an effort to determine where it came from.

“They are just trying to figure out whether they’re south Texas cats or west Texas cats.” Naquin said. “They want to figure out their migration pattern and everything.”

Mountain lions are known to live in the area but are a uncommon sight. Naquin said he has been told this is only the third one ever killed in Medina County. The big cat may also be the same one spotted by residents in recent months.

“There were some sightings here in Hondo,” Naquin said. “They said that some people seen it on a nature trail and they put out a scouting camera and actually got some pictures of it.”

Wildlife officials say it’s hard to say if it’s the same lion. Because it’s so young, it is possible there could be more family members around.

Naquin is just glad he got to the cat before he caused any damage on the ranch.

“To know that was walking around with some of the trophy bucks we have on the ranch it’s satisfaction to me to know that that cat is not roaming the ranch anymore,” Naquin said.

Once state officials are done examining the animal, Naquin plans to have it mounted. It will now be a permanent fixture at the Nooner Ranch lodge.