Blackfish showing on CNN 10.26.2013 & 10.27.201 - Page 7

Bee, are you implying, with your reference to organic goat farmer in the backwoods, that I am a scum bag? What makes you think that selling animals from AZA zoos to non-AZA entities is done by unscrupulous persons? The USDA is the overseer for such transactions and it is done on a regular basis, nothing illegal about it. So, a square peg in a round hole seems to be your problem. Can't you ever carry on an intelligent conversation without reverting to insults as you consistently dump on me and others on this board you disagree with? you appear to be a very disturbed individual.

LOL? Please explain it to me, why you think, I would think, you would think you are a scumbag? I find it funny that this is something you really want to get right!

Why would you include an organic goat farmer in the discussion about zoo animals being sold? Don't hurt yourself trying to explain. It doesn't really matter to me, just more of the same from you.
Bye-bye.

Because any thing else would have been ignored by you. As not to fit your purpose. The fact that really was of importance was the odds of such a thing! It could easily have been a dutiful daughter, wife or mother! But when someone has an agenda like yourself, well, it takes a bit more effort to flush it out.

Truer words were never spoken about the politics of this and the ins and outs. Anybody can research and rant and rave all they want about accredidation etc. But as the USDA IS a government "program" (for lack of a better word) and we all know how the government is then chances of anything being changed are next to nil. And Bee please tellme  something--if you should get the name of any of these places what are you going to do then? Do you really think if you called or emailed them they are going to listen? I can tell you now NO.
About 15 miles from me there is an exotic animal park. They have been closed down at least 5 times for animal abuse and neglect. One of the employees was very recently attacked by a tiger. Guess what? They're open as we speak--they are going to stay open because of the money they have coming in from the consumers and also because of the money going under the table to whomever they need to pay off to keep themselves in biz. I also know people with herds of elk and buffalo for butchering and canned hunts. So should something be done with them also? The back yard breeders...............I think all this is absolutely ridiculous--the name calling and bashing and going back and forth.
And think about this--IF the USDA won't even shut down a puppy mill then what makes you think they are going to go after the exotics? Where even the bigger money is? I promise you if you called any of the people in my area they are going to call you some not very nice names and tell you to mind your own biz and get a life. After all money talks and BS walks.
Mindhunt thank you for sharing that. What a nice experience and I know that special moment will always live within you.
 

Voniisk: I will use my donor power to get the answers to my questions and force compliance if that is in my power. That is what I can do when I talk to the Zoo officials.

To this date the USDA has never been mentioned or seen on any official document pertaining to the accredited Zoo I know. If we are on the level and talking about legit organizations, I also should be able to make the paper trail if such a transaction has been made. If you all are talking about clandestine under the table operations, then any one can make any claims as they feel inclined. I am dealing with a documented entity.

 

vonissk, it would be remiss of me to not point out that the USDA field-level inspectors and veterinarians who go to the 'commercial' pet animal breeders, the zoos, the private 'exhibitors' of exotics and so forth are NOT the ones who are at fault for the lack of charges and lack of prosecution when violations are found--the inspection reports get completed and submitted, but that's about the sum of the power those field people hold.  The decision to take action against the license-holders is made well above their level, and even if the agency does decide to take a violator to court, once again there are so many 'escape hatches' built into legislation that it has little effect on the violators or their businesses.  And if the person doesn't show up for the hearing, the amount of the fine for the violation automatically drops by half, by the reasoning that with a default judgment the violator didn't get to defend themselves.

What the field-level inspectors and vets face every day is demoralizing and heartbreaking, and the ones who do stick with the job say the thing that keeps them going isn't prosecutions of the bad actors, but rather their success in getting lasting compliance from license-holders who are just ignorant of what can and needs to be done to keep the animals in their care happy and healthy. It's the upper levels of the department where the changes need to be made to improve enforcement of the regulations that are already on record.

 

Bee, I don't think anyone questioned the integrity of the facility you're involved with--rather, the point was simply that not all accredited entities do what they're supposed to be doing. Not sure what you're looking for, but I can assure you that the zoo in CT is inspected by USDA APHIS Animal Care, and the records of such inspections--and any violation of federal regulations found during them--are a matter of public record, can be had through FOIA, and I believe are also available on the USDA APHIS Animal Care website.

Vonissk, you nailed it. USDA is only doing what brings in money. Shutting the entities down would eliminate revenue from licenses, and even fines. By golly if you shut down the bad ones, who are they going to collect big fines from? a person doesn't need to have an agenda to see that.

Poor Joan. That's it?