Three Years Ago

It is hard to believe the three-year anniversary of when I left the pseudo-sanctuary was about two weeks ago. Now that the case enters its third year, I would like to update the "victory" list from last year:

1. The monkeys were seen eating monkey chow for the first time this month!

2. The USDA/APHIS checked on animals in distress twice this month; and

3. The AG's Office continues to look into the business practices of the pseudo-sanctuary.

Interesting to note, the 2006 990 (tax return) was finally posted to GuideStar.com, but the date the IRS indicated receipt of the return was September 2008! Talk about an overdue tax return! No doubt there is a story behind this late posting... So far, the 2007 990 has not been posted to GuideStar, but from what I understand, there is a story behind this tax return. As more information comes available, I will post the findings right away.

In any case, I hope and pray (as I did last year) that this case will come to a close and the animals receive the help they so desperately need. There were so many deaths this year, so I pray the animals can hang on just a little longer. I am just so grateful this Christmas the local temperature was not at or below freezing levels!

So Merry Christmas everyone--and please, pray for the pseudo-sanctuary animals!

[Present Day:  I was going through some old postings and found this article I wrote two years ago on the Internet (it's now December 31, 2010).  Looks like a lot of people read this article:

Animal Planet’s “Growing Up Lion” – Was There a Happy End?

Posted on December 21st, 2008

by REXANO

Read 3,466 times.

REXANO, http://www.rexano.org/

Editorial by Anonymous

Animal Planet recently released its five DVD gift, which includes “Growing Up Wildcats”. One of the episode features lions at the Wild Animal Orphanage (WAO) in Texas.

The film critics make you believe that:

“Carol and Ron Asvestas own the Wild Animal Orphanage near San Antonio, Texas, and spent a year raising four lion cubs. Beautiful animals facing their share of joys and challenges, including being sick. But this pride survives.”

And another synopses claims:

“Growing Up Lion”

"Experience a pivotal and emotional year with Carol and Ron Asvestas, owners of Wild Animal Orphanage near San Antonio, Texas, as they raise four lion cubs. There’s Amy, a tiny newborn and three cubs - Rex, Sheba and Leo - babies quickly growing in size, strength and curiosity. Every day brings new joys, adventures and discoveries. The lion cubs also face their share of challenges - from serious illness to natural disasters. But with abundant, tender-loving care from their human family, the cubs embark on a remarkable journey toward the formation of lion cub pride.”

Baby Lion - Rex (Photo taken 2002)

However, the touching story of Rex, Sheba and Leo portrayed in “Growing Up Lion” is just that—a very nice tug-at-your-heart story. Shortly after the film crew left San Antonio, the lion cubs were removed from their large natural enclosure and returned to the property where they were raised. They were placed in a much smaller enclosure where Rex was killed by his cage mates (as documented by the USDA/APHIS on 10-10-06). Jambo, the father of Amy, died under unusual circumstances at the same facility in 2007. Sheba and Leo can be seen on tour at the original site where they were raised along with Sebastian—but the cage they live in now is a far cry from the spacious enclosure shown on “Growing Up Lion.” Amy’s current health status is currently unknown.

"The WAO is under investigation by the USDA/APHIS and the Texas Office of the Attorney General for alleged violations of the Animal Welfare Act and misappropriation of funds for the last 2 ½ years."

Unfortunately, the “Growing Up Lions” remarkable journey ended when the film crew left the property

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Cheetah said,in January 17th, 2009 at 10:44 am I am very distressed to learn of this news. Big cats are indeed my favourite of all exotic animals and while I have enjoyed watching this Animal Planet special on many occasions, I was under the impression that the lion’s care was assured - especially after the show’s filming. We must do all we can to help all exotic animals who are treated so poorly. It breaks my heart to hear of stories like this and hope that it proves indeed to be a rare event.

spy gear said,in August 3rd, 2010 at 9:28 pm I have never something like this.Your post is amazing.

Carol Asvestas lied to a lot of people, including me, on how Rexy died.  Here are just two examples of how Carol lied to anyone inquiring on little Rexy: 

Rex reported death - email 103108

Rex reported death - email 021209


And here is the newsletter appeal that was used to deceive the public by showing Leo picture as Rex's "after" picture!  What a scam! 

Little Rex and Monkey Appeal

How did Rexy really die?

USDA Report on Death of Rex - 112806

You know what is really sad is that the two animal caretakers, Mary & Michelle Reininger, whom told me exactly how Rexy died in December 2005, seemed to have suddenly developed amnesia less than one year later.  Michelle claimed she thought Rex died from an "accident?"  Mary claimed she thought Rex died from a "fight?"  It's really upsets me to learn that Mary & Michelle allegedly provided false statements to the USDA Investigators.  I will learn the truth when this case closes and I will pull FOIA records to see who said what and when.

Ironically, the one person who actually told the truth to the investigators was Carol Asvestas -- "Rex was killed by a cage mate." 

God Bless little Rexy's soul in Heaven...he was absolutely adorable in spirit as well as in body...

They Will Never Be Forgotten

I have not blogged for some time because of the very sad news we received recently regarding the health and welfare of the "pseudo-sanctuary's" animals.

• Bubba, white tiger, was discovered living alone, in the enclosure formerly occupied by Jinx (now missing) and Jambo (died in 2007). He used in live in another enclosure with Princess (Bengal tiger) until this year. Sometime between July 2008 – November 2008, Princess died. Since the pseudo-sanctuary refuses to comment on her cause of death, we believe she may have been “over” tranquilized when an attempt was made to move her into the new enclosure which Bubba now occupies;
• Athena (Bengal tiger) is also dead. She must have died sometime between July 2008 – November 2008;
• Casmere, a cougar, is dead. He died in June 2008;
• Bengal (Bengal tiger) died in June 2008;
• Dakota (Bengal tiger), we believe died in August 2008—still awaiting confirmation;
• Khana (Bengal tiger) died in August 2008;
• Bathmorda, we believe died in November 2008—still awaiting confirmation; and
• Many primates died in 2008 (various causes of deaths).

I have learned the Board of Directors had no idea the pseudo-sanctuary directors lied to them about their pay raises in 2007. The Board thinks they actually took a pay cut during that year and the directors had the audacity to ask the board for salary reimbursement for the supposed pay cut in 2007 and 2008! It is no wonder why the directors took so long submitting the sanctuary’s 2007 990 tax return to the IRS. The 2007 990 should be interesting reading for this was the year the employees were supposed to be eligible for health care. I’m curious to find out how many employees actually accepted the health care package offered, half of which was employer paid.

On the plus side, the USDA/APHIS acted on complaints regarding the care of Bubba and a gaping slash on one of the primate’s leg. We heard the “pseudo-sanctuary” received violation notices this month from the USDA/AHIS, but at this time we are unable to report their findings. It takes 21 days from the day of the inspection for the reports to become available to the public. Considering I have a FOIA requests pending with the USDA/APHIS for the last three months, I expect I’ll see the official reports in about, oh, six months to a year!! In any case, it was reported the director told the inspector via telephone (she was on vacation out-of-state, oh how nice) that the other primates suffered much larger gashes in the past and have always recovered. Not true!! I witnessed many primates with body gashes and they did not survive. I believe that if it was not for the intervention by the USDA/APHIS, this primate would not have survived. Now the “pseudo-sanctuary” must provide the primate health care.

We also learned the “pseudo-sanctuary” provided monkey chow to the primates instead of dog food! Finally, species specific food is being provided to the monkeys. No doubt this is due to a complaint to the USDA/APHIS that the primates, along with the older tigers, were looking very thin. The concern was the primates would not survive cold winter weather (yes, Texas gets cold winters) with so little body fat.

Bubba and Lance (both tigers) are so thin it makes you cry to watch them move around. The public is now aware of what is happening to the “pseudo-sanctuary” tigers as Bubba’s plight can be seen on the Internet. Bubba, whom has hip problems, was put in enclosure with hard packed ground, with no hay or mulch in his shelter box. After public outcry, Bubba was finally given hay in his shelter box. The Bubba video shows him moving around in a painful manner; turns out he also had in-grown toenails which will finally be removed this month. With the temperature dropping to the 20’s this weekend; the concern is that Bubba may not be able to stay warm due to his lack of body fat. The public and the USDA/APHIS are keeping a close eye on his condition.



Bubba was promised so much by the “pseudo-sanctuary”—a large natural enclosure, special low swimming pool and low shelters. Instead, he is alone, in a cage that does not meet his needs, despite the tens of thousands of dollars raised by the “pseudo-sanctuary” on his behalf. The director even wrote in the 2006 newsletter that enough funds were raised to start building his special enclosure—can you believe it?? TWO years ago!

The tour guide claimed they gave Bubba a plastic child wading pool for his use, but he shredded it. This is an absolute ridiculous claim because no one in their right mind would ever think of putting one of those tiny plastic wading pools in with a full grown tiger! This is the “pseudo-sanctuary’s” way of putting a spin on the whole build-a-special-pool for Bubba issue. The “pseudo-sanctuary” lied to Bubba and they lied to the public.

I am happy to report a recent tour did see Mac, Shirley, and Rumby (all tigers)!

As we receive more updates on Bubba, Lance, the injured monkey, and all the other animals, I will report the finding in this blog. In the meantime, all the animals that recently died will be missed and not forgotten.

The Board is Clueless

Recently I learned the pseudo-sanctuary's board of directors is absolutely clueless as to what is happening at the facility. I heard that the board was told that the organization reduced its workforce by six individuals, netting a savings of approximately $3k - $4k per month. Coincidental that just happened to be same amount the directors gave themselves in pay raises in 2007-2008! I guess they figured there were doing more with less, assuming of course, six people were actually let go...

From July - September, the directors did take a pay cut, no doubt on behest of the Texas Attorney General CID questioning their pay raises, especially during an investigation for misappropriation of funds. But the greedy directors were bound and intent in finding a way to take more money away from the animals.

I learned the directors' told the Board that they came up with an estimated report on the cost for storage and animal care at their personal residence. Instead of asking the Board if it was okay to store sanctuary property and animals on their personal site in advance, the directors took it upon themselves to take the pseudo-sanctuary's property, use it, and then keep it on their personal property-- and then demanded retroactive storage payments for storing animals and equipment on their property! They claim they had to vacant their personal residence from March to July 2008 so animals could be stored in their house, forcing them to live in the apartment house located on their property. They wanted reimbursement of their mortgage payments and they wanted heat and air conditioning bills paid during this same period. Oh, and they also want retroactive payments for storing company vehicles and equipment for the last four years on their land! They claim they saved the facility over $50k in outside storage and boarding services!!!

Okay, here is where reality takes a left turn to nowhere. During this same period, the directors supposedly communicated with each other via emails and phones because they could not get along with each other. Divorce paperwork was filed with the courthouse and so the couple lived apart. Last I heard, the adult children still live at the main and apartment house (allegedly paid with WAO funds), so I have a real hard time visioning four people crammed into one living room, a loft, and a bathroom for four months. Especially two people who were clearly not getting along. Also, the "mortgage" was paid off in April 2008, so why are they claiming three months worth of home mortgage payments?

In June 2004, the directors tried to collect money for storing sanctuary property on their land. It was tabled for future consideration, just as the recent board request was tabled for future consideration, while the Board ponders a reasonable payment to give the directors for the so-called personal storage use.

What the board member do not know is that the facility has a large warehouse at their second site. I have a feeling the board members have not toured the closed property, otherwise someone would have asked this simple question -- why don't we use this warehouse to store vehicles and equipment?

Today, the vehicles are stored on the touring site property and can be seen through the locked chain linked fence. This land was not previously used, and could have been an excellent site to store vehicles and equipment in past years. The directors voluntarily kept the pseudo-sanctuary's property, so why should the directors collect a single dime for storage, unless it is to scam more money from the animals' mouths?

Also, it was confirmed that the pseudo-sanctuary killed animals on their properties, using controlled substances, without a veterinarian present. Rather, the veterinarian was informed of the decisions to "euthanize" animals after the fact. This is very disturbing news, considering many animals died or disappeared from the two properties, and new arrivals take their place.

For whatever reason, the board refuses to see what the directors truly are--scam artists--bound and intent on stealing every dollar they can from the animals. This board is not just clueless--this board is simply guilty.

An Attitude of Gratitude

An attitude of gratitude is important to maintain in the course of any animal investigation. The passing of this Thanksgiving was more difficult than last year because of the devastating news we received last week.

There has been an update on Sabu, the lion that was taken from the touring facility and placed at the non-inspected, non-regulated property. It was reported that Sabu, if not already dead, may be seriously ill and very thin--apparently he is (or was) a mere shell of what he used to look like when he was first brought to the "pseudo-sanctuary" three years ago. The pseudo-sanctuary director claimed when he first disappeared in 2006 that he was taken to the second property so he could live in a "lion pride" established in a large natural enclosure. As suspected back then, Sabu was not living in a "lion pride," but rather it appears Sabu was living with just one small, non-aggressive lioness in a much smaller cage.

We also received word that Princess, Bubba's cage mate, disappeared from the touring facility (presumed dead), and Bubba is extremely thin and may not survive a cold winter since he seems to lack the body fat needed to keep him warm. Bubba is the most warm and loving tiger one could ever have the pleasure of knowing, and despite how thin he looks, he still comes up to tours and greats them with a "gruff."

Another tiger, Athena, may also be missing from the touring property, as she was not seen in her enclosure with Dee Dobbins and Apollo.

Based on pictures and videos I have seen, many of the tigers at the touring facility looked very thin--one could see the "bowing" of the animals' backs, their rear back bones sticking out, and a lot of skin hanging underneath their bodies.

The monkeys, in my opinion, also looked thin and based on what I saw, I am concerned many of them may not survive if the temperature drops below freezing level.

Sadly, we also received a report which alleged monkeys sedated in 100 degree weather last summer (2008) consequently died due improper sedation and that the animal caretakers failed to provide post sedation care. It is further alleged one primate suffered for over 12-hours following the sedation before it finally died the next day. Where were the veterinarians?

Serious questions arose regarding how Princess, Tag, and Tarzan died this year--was it due to improper sedation and post sedation care or did the sanctuary decide to euthanize the animals to make room for new arrivals? What happened to Rumby--Tag's former mate? She was not seen on a recent tour either--was she killed so as to free up "valuable" cage space? Since the tour guide made a point to avoid Mac and Shirley's (tigers), Rumby's (tiger), and Lulu's (tiger) enclosures, one might suspect a cover-up of some sorts. Were the tigers hiding in the back of their enclosures or did the tour guide purposely skip the cages because they were empty? The tour reported empty cages, but until we receive firm confirmation, we are praying that Rumby, Mac, Shirley, and Lulu are okay.

It is times like this when my faith is tested. I keep asking why God would allow these "people" to stay in business. Then I remember that we all have free will and it is up to each and every one of us to stop animal abuse. God has been by my side, every step of the way, helping me get through the days when I learn of another animal death. I know He is caring for the animals that died at the pseudo-sanctuary—for it will only be in Heaven where these animals finally receive the mercy and grace they so richly deserve.

So needless to say, I am grateful for His love and mercy and the strength He gives me to carry on with this case. He sent me the right people at the right time to help me and for that I am truly grateful. I could not carry on without the wonderful support I received from individuals desiring to save the animals from further harm. So with an attitude of gratitude I press on -

May God bless you and yours on this Thanksgiving Day.

Life is Full of Disappointments

"Life is full of disappointments" -- a cliché I am certainly well versed with, for this animal case has been nothing but one disappointment after another.

If anyone decides to try and "do the right thing" by reporting to the authorities alleged misappropriation of funds or animal abuse, be prepared for endless heartaches and disappointments.

Case in point:

February 2006, I provided the authorities evidence supporting my allegations of misappropriation of funds and animal abuse resulting in the death of several animals by the pseudo-sanctuary. The evidence was clear, leaving one with very little doubt what was transpiring at this facility. Open records obtained from several agencies revealed serious past and on-going problems at the pseudo-sanctuary.

Sadly, it will be three years from the day I submitted my complaints, and the "directors" still operate as "business as usual." Sure, they are "closely monitored" by several agencies, but what is currently happening to the money and the animals is absolutely horrific.

I tried to get national and local animal organizations involved with saving the pseudo-sanctuary’s animals, but to no avail. For you see, there is no money involved when it comes to saving these Texas animals.

I e-mailed/called:

Humane Society of the United States - what was their response? Please, keep us informed of the situation. In other words - I am not to expect any help from this organization. I guess there is no money or publicity to warrant an investigation into the pseudo-sanctuary by HSUS. Else the simply don't want to go after one of their "own."

International Fund for Animal Welfare - what was their response? They looked into the complaints and found nothing wrong at the pseudo-sanctuary. Oh, and they are sorry I had a bad experience with the facility. No one from this organization wanted to see my evidence or discuss the case with me. Their beloved pseudo-sanctuary partner is under investigation by the USDA/APHIS and the Texas OAG, and yet to this day, IFAW continues to tout this place as a great organization to send animals--this speaks volumes about IFAWs' business practices.

PETA - what was their response? Sure, they know what is going on at the pseudo-sanctuary, but right now they are not interested in taking on another Texas sanctuary case (think PPI). I guess they've done the "Texas-thing" and are no longer interested in making positive changes in this great state.

ASPCA - what was their response? More than one e-mail was sent to the ASPCA and only one person received a response - while the ASPCA is a national organization in many respects, by law, our powers to enforce animal cruelty statutes are limited to the State of New York, you may want to contact the World Society For the Protection of Animals for assistance. Nice, real nice. Let's just pass the buck on this one, shall we?

Voice for Animals (local chapter) - what was their response? The group had heard of similar complaints from others - but when I asked for help, I was shut out completely. This year, the group refused to respond to my pleas for volunteer help in documenting the animals living at the tour facility. I guess they are too busy trying to relocate one elephant than to try and save over 300 exotic wild animals. It's all in the priorities, you see...

Okay folks, let's bottom line this -- these large animal "rescue" organizations are not in the business of helping animals in need at the local level. They are in the business of making money (think cash donations) and making legislative changes (think spay and neuter your pets or California Prop 2). That is why pseudo-sanctuaries are able to get away with the most heinous acts--there is no one looking out for the health and welfare of animals living at these mega-animal warehouses.

As to finding animal rights volunteers willing to help with you with your case--well, good luck in finding one willing to give up an hour on a weekend for your cause without the fanfare of cameras and video equipment. Oh, they are great at sounding off in various forums, such as Yahoo! groups, but to find someone actually willing to do more than type a forum response--well you get the idea. You'd be better off hiring private investigators -- but remember, you get what you pay for and hiring private investigators can be expensive-- normally they get paid by the hour, with a 2-3 hour minimum charge.

There will be times when you feel completely alone in trying to save the animals. Like a roller coaster ride, you will experience some highs (victories for the animals) and lows (frustration in all the delays or not getting anything done because no one will help you). Sadly, there will be a lot more "lows" than "highs" because quiet frankly there is no real support in saving animals that live in mega-animal warehouses called pseudo-sanctuaries. Animal "causes" have become big business and pseudo-sanctuaries don't even make a blip on the radar.

So after writing all this, why do I continue on with this case?

Because it is the right thing to do. Period.

2007 990 Tax Return Due November 15th

It has been confirmed--the pseudo-sanctuary did receive another extension for filing the 2007 990 with the IRS. The 2007 tax return was originally due on May 15, 2008. The first extension was granted on August 15, 2008 and now the new due date is set for November 15, 2008 (Saturday). I wonder, in light of the medical crisis last week, will the IRS grant yet another extension for this organization?

Medical Crisis?

One of the pseudo-sanctuary's "directors" was recently hospitalized due to a serious health condition and is currently in the ICU of a local medical facility. I was able to confirm this information today (Wednesday) by contacting the hospital's patient information line.

Meanwhile, the facility closed its doors to the public and it is uncertain when tours will resume at the touring facility. It was also reported on the Internet that the facility recently suffered a "fire disaster." This story has not been confirmed yet and it is unknown if anyone or any animal was hurt or killed in this "fire disaster." In light of all the allegations and problems plaguing this facility-- including winter chills projected to arrive this weekend--prayers are needed to protect the surviving animals at the pseudo-sanctuary. More details to follow...

Update: As of this morning (Friday), the hospital's patient information operator indicated the "director" was moved out of the ICU and into a shared hospital room. I was able to confirm the director underwent major heart surgery and will not be able to return to work until possibly next year. Something tells me the director will continue to receive paychecks from the sanctuary (maybe even double checks!) just so he can pay for the expensive heart surgery and hospital stay. I'm sure the OAG will audit the pseudo-sanctuary's pay records to confirm whether or not the male director received paychecks for work not performed! 

[Later:  Learned there was a small fire started at the rear of the touring property due to welding sparks!  Fortunately, as far as I know, there was no loss of life.  What is really scary is there were no fire extinguishers on site, not that it would have done much good if the fire grew out of control near the animal cages.]

[Much Later:  Learned the male "director" was in the hospital for 30 days and on convalescent leave for 90 days.  I also learned he never missed a paycheck during that time--apparently receiving double his usual weekly salary.  More thievery?]

Open Records Fine Print

As mentioned in the last posting, the Texas OAG sent me about 100 documents pertaining to the pseudo-sanctuary. Included in the package were open records request from one of the witnesses that assisted me early on in the case and from the pseudo-sanctuary director! In the pseudo-sanctuary director's letter dated 11-29-07, she wrote:

"As the president of the [pseudo-sanctuary name inserted here], I am requesting copies of all complaints filed against the organization which has resulted in an ongoing investigation by the Attorney Generals Office."

It appears the pseudo-director, after reviewing the first CID supplement dated 11-16-07, decided to find out who is passing on specific information to the AG's Office by requesting past complaint letters to the OAG.

According to the Texas OAG, anyone, including the person or organization under investigation, can request and obtain information pertaining to the open investigation. You would think witness information would be considered "protected" until the investigation concluded so as to protect the witness(es) from harassment or intimidation. Not true! The only way the information would remain confidential would be if a CID was issued and the witness' information happened to be related to an item on said Demand. Any information provided to the OAG that was not covered by a CID would be fair game and given to an open records requester.

It is no wonder why people are afraid of reporting alleged crimes to the authority as the criminal seems to have more rights and protection that witnesses!! In this case, the pseudo-sanctuary received about a years worth of witness information, including their contact information.

So, if you ever decided to write the OAG, remember, the information will not remain "top secret," unless the OAG moves quickly and issues a CID which covers the information provided. Knowing this, if you have any witnesses hesitant to come forward, don't put their names in any complaint package until after the CID has been issued. This will ensure the protection of your witnesses from harassment or intimidation.

Supplemental Civil Investigation Demand (CID)

The investigation into the pseudo-sanctuary continues with the issuance of two more civil investigative demands (November 2007 and April 2008).

On Friday, I received my Open Records Request package from the Attorney General's Office. I received under 100-pages, and while most of the information was non-informative, there were several pages of information I found very enlightening.

First off, the OAG will not provide any information collected by way of a CID. Since the original CID did not request animal records or board meeting minutes, I thought I'd ask for these records. Turns out, in November 2007 and April 2008, the OAG requested these records and since the fruits of a CID is off limits unless the pseudo-sanctuary releases the records to the public (as if), I am out of luck for the time being .

The OAG did request 24 important files in 2007 and an additional 18 files in 2008. I was pleased to note the OAG requested very specific records, records I know the pseudo-sanctuary did not maintain while I was VP/Treasurer/Volunteer.

Also of interest, the Office tried to reconcile the pseudo-sanctuary's 2006 general ledger, and ended up giving up "after not being able to tie much of anything" and requesting the sanctuary's CPA to "explain all of the numbers."

Apparently the Board Chairperson is getting tired of OAG's investigation for her certified letter from the Office was "return to shipper, Reason for return: Receiver did not want, refused delivery." When confronted with this action, the board chairperson claimed "this is not the first time I have not received our mailings. If you would please change all your records to my PO Box address this should insure I get everything you send me." I don't believe the OAG bought this story because an e-mail sent to the pseudo-sanctuary's attorney said:

"If true, (1) this is the first notice ever received by the Attorney General's office from [boardchair person' name omitted] and (2) no explanation is provided why the Attorney General's office was not previously notified."

So, a meeting between the pseudo-sanctuary was supposed to take place on April 29, 2008 to collect the April 2008 CID material. But surprise, surprise, the pseudo-sanctuary's director became ill and its attorney was hospitalized (all of this took place one week before the scheduled visit). According to the e-mail notifying the OAG the pseudo-director "is very ill and can't gather the required information until such time as she feels well enough to do so." Question is, why can't her staff put together the required documents? Could it be that they don't exist??

In any case, the attorney was back at his desk on May 1, 2008 and the pseudo-director was still MIA. So the OAG tried to reschedule the meeting for June 5th, at 9:00am, but with little success. Finally, 90+ days later, the OAG and the pseudo-sanctuary finally met. Unfortunately, there is no mention in the records as to the outcome of the meeting, but I can't imagine it went for the full three days since the directors did not keep meticulous records--unless of course during the 90+ day "delay" the records were manufactured...hmmm, this would not surprise me in the least!!

More to come on the CID in the next posting...

Dire Straights

It has become routine to check the Internet for news stories pertaining to the pseudo-sanctuary. You just never know what you might find when you're searching for that "needle in the haystack." Last week I came across an article published by a neighborhood newspaper concerning the dire needs of the pseudo-sanctuary.

In this article, the pseudo-sanctuary's director told the writer the organization was in "dire financial straights." Apparently the donated supply of dog food and produce from a local grocer has "completed ceased." It seems the Board of Directors did not plan for this contingency, and so in addition to cash donations, an appeal for 10-pound bags of dog food was made public.

According to the article, the pseudo-sanctuary goes through 500 lbs of dog food per day! That means a lot of dog food is given to the bears, primates, possibly the chimpanzees, and goodness knows what other animals. Now that the pseudo-sanctuary must purchase dog food, no doubt they are buying the cheapest dog food available from the grocer.

Tarzan is also mentioned in this article. You may recall, the pseudo-sanctuary tour guide told tours in 2007 that Tarzan was moved from the touring property to a large natural enclosure at the second property to be a part of a lion pride. When that lie fell flat, the tour guide finally fessed up in 2008 that the lion died, but it was from "medical complications" resulting from his early upbringing. This summer, the staff writer wrote "Tarzan died last year because of renal failure, but not without living more than four years at the sanctuary, where he played and socialized with others of his breed."

Renal failure is very common "cause of death" at the pseudo-sanctuary. Based on my conversations with the pseudo-sanctuary's veterinarians in 2006, I have reason to believe the 6-year old lion either may have died from eating a steady diet of chicken, resulting in renal failure, or he died from another cause which the pseudo-sanctuary is hiding from the public. At this time, we are waiting for word for the cause of death for Tag, the tiger, who died several months after Tarzan, as there is concern he too may have died from "renal failure." As for Tarzan living with others of his breed - well this is completely untrue, for Tarzan only lived with one lion, Leo, whom he absolutely adored (see past posting for Tarzan and Leo's video).

The Texas AG's Office confirmed today the case is still active and that it could take YEARS to resolve. I just hope by the time the State finally takes action against this place there will be some animals left to rescue.

Note: Picture of bear and his dog food was taken by S. Snyder

A Fanstastic Tale Untold in Wake of Ike

A fantastic tale untold No tiger on the loose in Crystal Beach

By James Shannon, Staff Writer

In the aftermath of Hurricane Ike, there have been the usual stories of devastation and human perseverance generated by most disasters, natural or otherwise. But none seem to have garnered more attention than the irresistible tale of a man-eating tiger on the loose in Crystal Beach.

The beachfront community on Bolivar Peninsula along the Texas Gulf Coast was nearly wiped out by Ike, and then came the tiger report.

The Associated Press quoted an ominous warning from Galveston County Judge Jim Yarbrough, who said, "Turns out there's a tiger, and I understand he's hungry... so we're staying away from him."

Although Yarbrough apparently never explicitly said the tiger was on the prowl, that quickly became the story. The statement was picked up by CNN and Britain’s Sky News, then repeated by newspapers and television networks around the world. It made a fascinating sidebar to dramatic accounts of the killer storm that left a path of destruction from Haiti to Texas, but there was one small problem. It wasn’t true.

The genesis of the fantastic tale was remarkable in itself, however. A local animal lover waited too late to evacuate Crystal Beach. As he attempted to drive to safety, he was trapped by rising waters. In the back of his vehicle was Shackles, an 11-year old lioness. Sympathetic people who had taken shelter at the First Baptist Church in Crystal Beach gave sanctuary to the man and the lion he described as his pet.

The animal lover in question was Michael Ray Kujawa, who ran what Crystal Beach visitors have described as a make-shift home zoo that had previously housed goats and an emu in addition to the big cats.

After wading to the church, he restrained Shackles inside the church and rode out the storm with the other residents who had taken shelter there. But Kujawa had another cat back at his home zoo, a 400-pound tiger secured in a fairly spacious enclosure. The tiger was being fed in the post-storm confusion, but clearly something had to be done.

Dr. Sarah Matak is the local veterinarian in Winnie, the nearest town on the mainland. She was contacted by officials who requested she tranquilize the tiger so it could be moved to safety. She in turn called Carl Griffith, the former Jefferson County Sheriff and Judge who owns an exotic game ranch down the road.

“Parks and Wildlife called and asked if she could come down and try to sedate the animal, and she asked could I use the dart gun to do that,” related Griffith. Conditions in the storm-ravaged community had deteriorated by the time Matak and Griffith arrived in Crystal Beach on Wednesday, Sept. 17, four days after Ike hit.

“They had been feeding it, but he was a very aggressive and angry cat,” said Griffith. “There were only two choices. It was either put it to sleep or they were going to have to kill it.”

Accompanied by Texas Game Wardens, Griffith and Matak went to Kujawa’s animal house. The former sheriff and two others cautiously approached the tiger’s enclosure in an attempt to avoid agitating the animal.

“That’s the biggest problem with darting animals,” said Griffith. “As long as you don’t get them excited, the adrenaline doesn’t start pumping. He went down fairly easily; we got a dart in him and got another dart in him.”

Matak said the tiger was transported to an animal refuge facility near Somerville in Central Texas. Shackles the lion, who is more of a pet, was cajoled into a cage so she too could be transported.

*************************************************************

While the above story has nothing to do with the pseudo-sanctuary, I decided to re-print the article pertaining to this amazing lion because it was very interesting wild animal story. It's not every day when you read about people opening their church doors to a lion in need! At this time, there is no news to report regarding the pseudo-sanctuary. Open records have been requested from the State and Federal agencies, and so I eagerly await news regarding the status of the pending cases.

Surplus Shelter Animals Bound for Disaster

Before Hurricane Gustav hit New Orleans, several surplus shelter animals were sent out of state to make room for potential "hurricane" victims. Several Internet sites reported about two dozen cats and dogs were sent to the pseudo-sanctuary.

In light of what happened to the 2005 Hurricane Katrina and Rita dogs and cats, it was heartbreaking to learn more domestic animals were sent to an exotic wild pseudo-animal sanctuary that lacks the skills and abilities to properly care for displaced domestic animals.

Apparently Acadia Parish and the Louisiana SPCA shelters did not bother to run a background check on the pseudo-sanctuary, because if they did, both agencies would have learned the "sanctuary" is not recommended by Charity Navigator, does not possess the Wisegiving BBB seal, does not have the last two tax returns on file with GuideStar (hmmm IRS investigation perhaps), and has several USDA findings on file. If the agencies dug a little deeper, they would have found the "facility" is under investigation by the Texas Attorney General and the USDA/APHIS.

But no, in an effort to get rid of the animals, the two agencies sent the animals to a place that does not have the animals' best interest at heart. Chances are, the pseudo-sanctuary received several thousands of dollars, in exchange for accepting the animals--just like in 2005/2006. And I have no doubt a newsletter is already at the "sanctuary's" printer with the headlines "Victims of the Storm Need Your Help for Survival." What will happen to the animals? Will they get sick and die in their cages? Will they be euthanized? Will they be taken to the 100+ acre property's make-believe Feral Cat Rehabilitation Center to be released without any food, water, or shelter? Will they be shipped to yet another shelter once they have served their purpose and the money stops coming into the pseudo-sanctuary? Will what happened to the Katrina and Rita animals happen to the Gustav animals? It appears the Louisiana shelters put these lives in danger--and all for expediency. Truly the dogs and cats at the pseudo-sanctuary are the latest victims of Hurricane Gustav.

On a more positive note, another prayer was answered. A new "animal warrior" to the cause has stepped forward and is interested in helping the animals at the pseudo-sanctuary. She couldn't have come at a better time. Her positive outlook on the "now" is very refreshing and her timing could not have been better. Allow me to share with you some of her positive thinking:

Positive changes are quickly happening for the rapid improvement of animal welfare the pseudo-sanctuary! Everyone around us has our animal friends’ best interest at heart and our efforts are supported emotionally, spiritually, financially and legally. Resources we need find us quickly and prove abundant. Divine solutions present themselves as we seek them.

IRS Update

According to the Texas Attorney General's Office, the pseudo-sanctuary did not turn in their tax return (2007 990) yet. I contacted the IRS and the only report available is the 2005 990.

That means either the pseudo-sanctuary received an approved IRS extension until November 15th, or the report is under investigation and will not be available to the public until after the investigation.

Sanctuary's Current Unstable Financial Situation?

The pseudo animal sanctuary sent out another newsletter, declaring the sanctuary's funding is at an all time low and it simply cannot survive without YOUR help. Words like "current unstable financial situation" and "time of crisis" jumps right off the newsletter's page.

What is even more disturbing are the salaries the directors are still drawing down:

From January-March the directors "earned" $44,107 and from April-June the directors "earned" $33,772. At this rate, the directors are expected to earn more than $155,000 this year (this does not include the free "benies" they give themselves each year).

If the sanctuary is in such financial crisis, then why are the directors "earning" such high salaries? Why is the sanctuary still taking in animals? What in the world is going on at this place? Did the pseudo-sanctuary's directors finally discover the magic money tree or are they stealing money right from the animals' mouths?

Justice of the Peace court records revealed the female director was evicted from a rental property located near the sanctuary. The director refused to pay $1200 per month rental fee for several months and was taken to court where judgment was found in favor of the home owner. Then, in order to buy more time and live rent-free in the rented house, the director tried to appeal the judgment to the County Court at Law. Fortunately for the home owner, the appeal bond was submitted too late and the director was forced to vacate the property. To this date it is unknown whether or not the director actually paid the back rent and court fees.

It is no secret the sanctuary's directors are planning to get divorced soon--the papers were filed with the County. The female director has been living away from the marital property, charging the rent to the animals, claiming the rental property was her second "office." At least this latest rental property didn't have a swimming pool in the backyard like the one from 2005 (surprisingly the rent was not listed on the 2005 990)! The 2006 990 showed rent was paid on a rental property in the amount of $12,640, presumably for the director. The 2007 rent was $1200 a month, and until the 2007 990 is filed with the IRS, no one outside the pseudo-sanctuary knows whether or not the animals paid the director's rent. The 2007 990 non-profit tax return should be filed with the IRS by August 15, 2008, unless the IRS grants another extension for November 15, 2008.

The IRS sent me a letter confirming the 2006 990 is unavailable from the IRS, which explains why one cannot find the return on GuideStar. Since I am in possession of a copy of the 2006 990 from another governmental agency, I can only assume the IRS is looking into the non-profit organization and its business practices. Wouldn't it be ironic if it's the IRS that removes the pseudo-directors from the sanctuary, thereby saving the animals?

Another note of interest--an animal care giver's salary actually decreased within the last three months, possibly to offset the directors' hefty salaries. That means either the worker took a pay cut (which I seriously doubt) or the working hours were cut--either way, this places the animals in danger because either there is less money for animal care or the workers are spending less time caring for the animals. What I do not understand is why the Board of Directors allow this situation to continue.

Farewell to Tarzan, Tag, and a Cougar

Sad news to report--three beautiful animals named Tarzan (male lion), Tag (male tiger), and a cougar (name unknown) are now confirmed dead at the pseudo-sanctuary.

Today, the pseudo-sanctuary's tour guide claimed Tarzan died because he was sickly and alleged the 6- year old tiger died from natural causes resulting from his "poor health." Yet, a 2007 video on the Internet shows Tarzan looking and acting fine in September, and yet by October, he was gone. The tour guide claimed in September the facility wanted to integrate Tarzan and Leo (his companion of many years) with Sheba and Sebastian (female and male lion). This "integration" was attempted once before several years ago, when Tarzan, Leo, Sheba, and Sebastian were juvenile lions. Since that attempted grouping did not go well, the plan to combine them into a lion "pride" was tabled due to their incompatibility.

In October and November 2007, when asked on video what happened to Tarzan, the same tour guide claimed the lion was doing great and living in a large natural enclosure at the second property. She also claimed that Rex, another lion, was also living at the second property, in the same large natural enclosure as part of a "lion pride." Note to self: Rex died six years ago!!

In 2006, tours were told that a large lion named Sabu was also relocated to the large natural "lion pride" enclosure at the second property. I guess this means he is dead too.

At least we now know the truth about what happened to Tarzan. Sadly, the tour guide gave a completely inaccurate report of Tarzan and Leo's past health condition. She lied about Leo's health condition upon arrival and how he was raised and she lied about Tarzan's true health condition prior to his death in October 2007. I know the truth because I was there when both animals arrived at different times from different owners (Leo in 2002 and Tarzan 2003). We have videos and photos, taken throughout the years, which paints a different picture of Tarzan's health, including a short video shown below. But, (and I say but with a whole lot of sarcasm and doubt) if he was truly ill, why didn't the pseudo-sanctuary provide him medical care? Where were the veterinarians listed on their web site? Why didn't the pseudo-sanctuary move Heaven and Earth to save Tarzan? Again, the pseudo-sanctuary continues to lie about the condition of their animals to the public, in the hopes that no one will even notice when the animals disappear forever.

Below is a video of Tarzan and Leo (Tarzan is running towards me and Leo is right behind him trying to get his attention) taken in May 2005. May the Almighty Lord hold Tarzan's soul in His loving arms in Heaven for ever and ever. May He continue to bless and protect Leo from harm - Amen.

But the sad news doesn't end there. Another beautiful animal named Tag was declared dead to a tour visitor today. When the tour visitor, with a video camera, attempted to learn the fate of Tag, the tour guide became very offensive and demanded the camera be turned off. Before the camera was turned off, the tour guide claimed the facility is an "open book" and they had nothing to hide, but she refused to continue the tour until the video camera was turned off. So much for an open book!

Tag and Rungy lived at the pseudo-sanctuary for many years. Now Rungy lives alone and I am concerned she may not survive very long because the pseudo-sanctuary does not like to have animals living in large enclosures alone because they take up "valuable cage space." I would not be surprised if by the end of this year, she'll disappear and if anyone asks, the story line will be that she is living at the second property in a large natural enclosure.

In memory of Tag - May our Awesome God hold Tag in His loving arms in Heaven for ever and ever - Amen.

(Picture taken January 2005)

(Picture taken January 2005)

Picture taken February 2008

On a final sad note, another cougar has died sometime since May 2008. That brings the number of cougars down from 21 in 2005 to 14 in 2008. May God bless the cougars that died at this place and are now in Heaven and may He protect the surviving cougars living at the pseudo-sanctuary. Please pray for relief for the animals at this pseudo-sanctuary. They deserve so much better than what they are currently receiving. Thank you!

Surviving the Summer Heat

Reading an old news story on the Internet made me pause and reflect on what I was told over the years about the pseudo-sanctuary. Over and over I was told the sanctuary took in animals that were mistreated or in critical condition--several Internet articles will attest to these stories. I never saw an animal in critical condition arrive at either facility. Just the reverse, most animals arrived in pretty good condition--in such good condition that the "attending" vets told me they rarely went to the facility. If an animal did come in needing medical treatment, it was most likely euthanized once media attention disappeared and no one asked about the animal(s) health condition--you know the story...out of sight, out of mind.

Now that the weather has been extremely hot for the last several weeks, I am concerned for the animals' health and welfare. As a former volunteer, I can attest that the employees could not be bothered to clean the water bowls daily. When I showed up on the weekends, the bowls would be chocked with algae or swimming with mosquito larvae. Last year, tours reported being attacked by swarms of mosquitoes. I have little confidence the animals are receiving clean, cool water this year.

Since there are no enrichment programs at this facility, the monkeys have completely stripped and killed the trees that used to live within the animals' enclosure. When I visited a credible sanctuary last year, I observed within the large primate enclosures big beautiful trees and several jungle gyms for the monkeys amusement. When I commented (with a lot of surprise) that all their trees still had leaves, I was told animals receiving proper nutrition and simulations tend to leave the trees alone. The credible sanctuary's monkeys looked healthy and happy and so did their trees, so I guess it shows the pseudo-sanctuary's primates were not receiving proper nutrition and stimulation...hmmm...no surprise there.

At the pseudo-sanctuary's touring property, the big cats have absolutely nothing to do. While I was there, the animals did not receive any stimulation or enrichment. Recent video footage shows hard packed grounds with either dead or dying trees in their enclosures. The grounds are undoubtedly very hot -- making it difficult for the cats to move about their cages. Needless to say, there was very little natural shade for the animals. The water bowls were green with algae and the animals looked lethargic.

So while the directors are raking in the dough for their personal use, enjoying the comforts and clean water and A/C, the animals are left to suffer in the searing heat without any special attention. This facility, in my opinion, is a very sad road-side zoo and if someone doesn't do something to protect the animals soon, they may not all survive the summer heat.

It's Just Another Day

The pseudo-sanctuary recently sent out a newsletter appeal, saying they are in dire need of donations since donations were low. The pseudo-sanctuary lamented in the newsletter that the cost of food and building supplies "almost doubled." What the newsletter didn't mention was that the directors salaries "almost doubled" from 2005-2007--and it continues to grow too!

Sadly, the pseudo-sanctuary (with no media coverage, thankfully) took in three more tigers, piglets, ferrets, a dog and several cats this year. The piglets will no doubt end-up like the rescued 100+ pigs taken to the same facility several years ago--given away to the day laborers (yeah right) without any concern for the animals' welfare.

And the ferrets? Well, let's just say the facility received many ferrets over the years, and they never lasted more than a few months -- they were either given away, sold, or simply allowed to escape.

As to the cats and dogs? Hopefully they will be fortunate enough to be adopted out quickly else be forced to languish in small cages, or even worse, dumped at the pseudo-sanctuary's second property to fend for themselves.

And last, but not least, what about the tigers? What will happen to the older tiger taken to the facility along with two younger tigers? Will he live for a few years, be deemed unworthy and then euthanized, so as to make room for more tigers or lions? What happened to the animals that used to live in the cage before them? Where did they go?

More animals recently disappeared from the tour property and new animals arrived making it difficult for the public to discern the difference between the old and the new cage occupants. After all, to the general public, tigers and lions look alike so no one notices when the animals' names or stories change over time.

In other words, it's just another business day for the pseudo-sanctuary.

Bleeding the Place Dry

During a period when most employees only received a 2-3% pay raise, I find it absolutely unbelievable that the sanctuary's board of directors allowed the current directors to receive another enormous pay raise.

Last pay quarter, the female director received an approximate +16% pay increase and the male director received an approximate +3.5% pay increase. It appears the directors are now making more money than any other sanctuary director(s) in the United States! The place is still under investigation and animals are still disappearing from the main property--and yet they get another pay raise!!

When will someone step in and stop the directors from bleeding the place dry?

SSHHH...It's Confidential

It never ceases to amaze me how gullible people can be when it comes to animal causes. One would think, at a time when we are most aware about our environment--when everyone wants to be greener than Kermit the Frog--people wouldn't be so blissfully unaware of what is happening at many exotic animal sanctuaries.

There's a huge paradigm shift on how we view animals in captivity. Most people don't want to see animals living in small cages. They want to see animals either living wild and free (via satellite or cable from the comfort of their couch or lazy boy chair) or living in huge, natural enclosures, with waterfalls, and meadows, complete with flowers, butterflies, and bees buzzing around. People are much more demanding of zoos, in terms of ethical and housing standards. When it comes to standards of large exotic wild animal sanctuaries (most closed to the public by the way) people expect the hurt or unwanted animal to receive the best of care and housing so they can live their lives out in splendor. No one wants to hear about places, like the pseudo-sanctuary, that do not fulfill their promises because the directors divert the money for their own personal uses, right?

When a potential donor receives a heart tugging newsletter, complete with pictures of the injured or displaced animal, the donor reaches for his or her checkbook to donate money towards the animals' new "magical" enclosure and care. Writing the check makes the donor feel good because she thinks she's making a difference in the animal's life. Now I'm not saying all sanctuaries are bad, just the ones that never give a follow-up story on how the animal was doing after the donations poured into the facility. So, where are the media cameras--you know--the ones that covered the news story of the animals' arrival, posted the sanctuary's telephone number on the screen claiming "the animals need your help, please contact the XYZ sanctuary to make a cash donation" and yet conveniently never aired a follow-up story regarding the animals' progress one or two years later? Oh heck, how about even six months later? Are the animals still alive? Are they living in the promised large natural enclosures? If they live at the pseudo-sanctuary, then the answer is probably NO!

So here I come, splashing cold water on the faces of the public, saying the animals are dying in large numbers and are then tossed into large animal pits, and the donor's money goes towards the directors kids' vehicles, home building projects, etc. Hmmm...animals skipping through the meadow, sniffing trees and each other...or... dead animal pits filled to capacity and many more living in small quarantine cages, waiting for an opportunity to move into a large cage once the present occupant dies. Which one do you think the donor wants to believe?

In my particular case, I learned the pseudo-sanctuary refused to comply with a State order to turn over a complete listing of all the animals buried in the sanctuary's two (2) animal burial pits (12 feet deep and approximately 12 feet wide--completely filled with dead animals). The sanctuary claimed the listing was "confidential" and the State did not have the right to obtain this information. It is estimated that within a 10 year period approximately 1,000 animals died between its two operating properties. It's no wonder the pseudo-sanctuary claimed this to be "confidential." Can you imagine if some "fanatics" got their hand on the listing? Why it might actually force the pseudo-sanctuary to change its business practices by allowing the animals to live...receive vet care...provide species appropriate food...and give them their large natural enclosure promised from the start. But NO...the wall of silence has come crashing down, and for now the pseudo sanctuary gets to keep its confidential information... But like all secrets...this one will come out eventually!

Jag, Coati and Bears--Oh My

One of the most important tools to use during an investigation is the "Open Records" requests from County, City, or State agencies (Federal requests are called FOIA - Freedom of Information Act).

This month open records request, from the Texas Parks and Wildlife, revealed the pseudo-sanctuary possessed an Education Permit. This permit allows the sanctuary to possess certain protected Texas animals. In this case, the pseudo-sanctuary's original permit for the period of 2006 - 2009, stated it possessed 1 jaguar, 1 coati, and 25 black bears.

The TP&W game warden visited the pseudo-sanctuary to check on the animals and discovered the last jaguar was dead, there was no coati, and the bear population dropped to 17 animals. An internal report showed 3 bears died form Aug 2004 - 2006. So where are the remaining bears? What happened to the jag? Where is the coati? So many questions and no answers are forthcoming--oh my...

Out of Sight

What are they trying to hide?

The pseudo-sanctuary recently installed an 8-foot privacy fence along the length of the office buildings and their "quarantine area." What is interesting is that they did not want to protect the animals by installing a privacy fence in front of the animal cages right off the street, but they did want to protect their "business" from public view.

Is the pseudo-sanctuary hiding illegal building construction from public view? Poor animal care? And what is with the huge new storage building? What are they hiding in this building?

So many questions and so few answers.

We Need Building Permits?

From: Kristina Brunner
To: ramiro.carrillo@sanantonio.gov ; Chris Krhovjak; james.anthony@oag.state.tx.us
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 8:43 PM
Subject: Re: ASUS Additional Information - Building Permits

Dear Sirs:

Today I had an opportunity to review the City of San Antonio report regarding the alleged construction at the Animal Sanctuary of the United States (see attachment - building w/o permits and demolishing building w/o permit).

In regards to case #69743 (page 1), Mr. Asvestas stated the two story apartment building located next to the modified double-wide (which according to Ms. Asvestas is no longer a double wide as the owners removed the "trailer" several years ago) was built over 8 years ago and was just recently annexed into the City just 5 years ago.


The oldest [correction:  should say "youngest"] daughter’s apartment house was not built eight years ago but was started late fall of 2004 and completed in the summer of 2005. I was given an opportunity to tour Melissa Asvestas' new apartment in August 2005. There were some outside paneling that needs to be purchased and installed, but otherwise the interior was completely habitable and was furnished with brand new furniture. At that time, the interior spiral staircase was on special order as it had to be hand made (see WAO 2006 990 inventory for the spiral staircase addition).


To verify the accuracy of the facts, please refer to this web site: http://www.terraserver.com/view.asp. To view aerial photographs from 2004, enter in the address 9626 Leslie Road and locate the personal residence found "below" the WAO property by clicking on the down arrow found at the bottom of the picture. Click on the "+" button (until it is on the 3rd notch on the line) so the photograph will be appropriately magnified and then click on the "imagery" button located within the photograph. Select 1/27/04 (.6096m), 8/30/2004 (.6096m), and 12/1/04 (.0696m), so you can see the property without the daughter’s building until 12/1/04. For some reason, the other dates with magnification of .6, .3, and 1m appear to be dated incorrectly, as evidenced by the improved quality of the arial photographs.

As the former WAO VP and Treasurer, I did not become aware of the new building until early 2005, when I learned the WAO assigned Bexar County Adult Probationers were not working on the WAO property because they were reassigned to work at the Asvestas' personal property--building the daughter's apartment house (as verified by a Community Service Restitution Supervisor, Bexar County Adult Probation Department, on August 8, 2006, whereas a complaint was filed by a probationer {For OAG: See Memo to File - WAO Used Community Service Workers for Personal Gain}). Bexar County Adult probationers are no longer assigned to the WAO due to the numerous complaints made by community service restitution workers against the Asvestas'. I was a frequent visitor of the Asvestas' residence, over a 10 year period I was associated with the WAO, and was in the position to see the property without the daughter's apartment building on the Asvestas' personal property until 2005.

According to the City of San Antonio Development Services Department, Search of a Permit by Specific Address, the only permit on file is for Mr. and Ms. Asvestas personal residence. No permit has been requested for the new "dog and cat spay & neuter clinic" to be built at the Leslie Road facility. Based on the Asvestas' past practices, I believe the building will be constructed without plans or permits.


In light of Mr. Asvestas receiving a substantial salary increase (150+%) for 2007 as "Construction Manager" for the facility,(http://wildanimalorphanage.org/staffasus.html) I have reason to believe short cuts will be made to try and build this building as cheap as possible, putting the lives of animals and human caretakers at possible risk. I encourage frequent City inspection visits at the Leslie Road facility to ensure the Asvestas are truly developing safe building plans and submitting those plans to the City, before starting any construction.


Your kind attention to this matter is greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,

Kristina Brunner



----- Original Message -----


From: Kristina Brunner
To: Chris Krhovjak
Cc: ramiro.carrillo@sanantonio.gov
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2008 9:25 PM
Subject: ASUS Additional Information - Building Permits


VIA E-MAIL: christopher.krhovjak@oag.state.tx.us
CC: ramiro.carrillo@sanantonio.gov

Please accept this letter as an addendum to the original complaint letter previously submitted to your Office.

The information enclosed herein pertains to my original complaint regarding alleged misappropriation of funds and mail fraud perpetrated by the non-profit 501 (c) (3) tax exempt organization’s owners/operators of the Animal Sanctuary of the United States, d/b/a Wild Animal Orphanage (WAO); f/k/a the Primate Sanctuary of the U.S. (PSUS), f/k/a the National Sanctuary for Retired Research Primates (NSRRP), f/k/a; f/k/a The San Antonio Wildlife Emergency Centre, f/k/a Primate Sanctuary of America (PSA); f/k/a Chimp Aid; f/k/a Cat Haven; and possibly starting up the d/b/a Whisker’s and Wag’s Humane Society. I believe this additional information warrants a continued investigation into the referenced charity for diversion of charitable trust funds from their intended purpose and/or gross mismanagement resulting in a significant financial loss or other substantial harm to the citizens of Texas and throughout the United States.


On February 1, 2008, Senior Building Inspector Carrillo advised me a San Antonio building inspector visited the Animal Sanctuary of the United States' place of business located at 9626 Leslie Road, San Antonio. Mr. Carrillo told me the building inspector saw a building under construction (undoubtedly the alleged spay and neuter clinic), and as suspected, no building permits were issued for this new construction.


Mr. Carrillo was unable to provide much detail as he wanted to speak with his inspector regarding his findings and indicated he would contact me the following week with the inspection results regarding the Leslie Road property. I was also told the case number would be provided so I may obtain records under the City's Open Records Act.


Thus far, I have been unable to contact Mr. Carillo; however, as soon as I receive the case number and obtain the information pertaining to the property's inspection, I will provide whatever documentation I receive to your Office for consideration.


If you need to contact Senior Building Inspector Ramiro Carrillo, he can be reached at (210) 288-3236.


As the new spay and neuter clinic will undoubtedly house visiting veterinarians, animal care staff and hundreds of animals, it is imperative the building construction, electrical and plumbing meet or exceeds standards set by the City of San Antonio. I am concerned the other buildings on Leslie Road property and those buildings located at 3511 Talley Road, Lot #6, may not meet current safety standards and eventually cause serious bodily harm to humans and animals unless rectified immediately. Also, will this clinic building need to meet any other type of medical or environmental standards before surgeries may be performed on premise? Is there plan on file regarding the disposal of all the excess animal tissue that will need to be disposed on a daily basis from all the animal surgeries?


Since there are a lot of grant monies available to spay and neuter clinics, I am concerned the ASUS is taking too many short cuts to start up this "clinic" and in the long run it may have a negative impact on the animals and staff. I am also concerned the Board of Directors are not taking an active interest in the construction of his building. Especially since Mr. Ronald Asvestas, ASUS' construction manager (annual salary of $50,000+) of 25+ years should have known the proper procedures in obtaining building permits from the City for all the constructed buildings located at both ASUS properties.


Again, thank you for your time and attention to this case.


Kind Regards,

Kristina Brunner

im3511_20090313_155413 - WAO Building wo Permits - 2008