LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Animals endangered at Wesa-A-Geh-Ya
I attended the commissioners' meeting regarding the list of permit questions I gave them on May 3; the mounting pile of evidence came from the planning and zoning files. On June 21, the commissioners contacted me stating the Smiths were "trying to get rid of the animals but do not have anyone to take them. Do you know of a place that would want the animals?" I furnished the names of five individuals and the USDA stated it would help.
In 2003, I was contacted by residents of Autumn Crest regarding their tiger problems and attended a meeting with planning and zoning. We were told the county could not help; there were "no restrictions." The Zoning Order states: a "Wildlife Confinement Facility" requires a conditional use permit and a "kennel" (an establishment where three or more female dogs, cats or other non-food-producing animals are bred, boarded, etc.) requires a conditional use permit.We believed the elected officials, and turned to Rep. Mike Sutherland for help. He introduced the Dangerous Carnivore bill in 2004. Federal agents say next to the drug trade, the illegal killing of exotic animals is the second most profitable business in the world. The Smiths admitted to selling two lions, a cougar and a dead tiger to one of the convicted dealers. The MDC renewed their license and the nonprofit status was not canceled. The volunteers and (the Wesa-A-Geh-Ya) board of directors tried to get Warren County to charge them with "animal abuse and neglect" on the death of the lion cub, but were unsuccessful. The Humane Society refused to investigate and the Department of Conservation did nothing about the death of the bear. The USDA included the deaths of both animals in their charges. These animals represented only two of the many deaths at a facility that was bringing in more than $100,000 as an unlicensed "sanctuary."
I was contacted by Sutherland to testify for his bill, I testified for Sen. Jolie Justus in 2007 and (Warren County Sheriff Kevin) Harrison asked my help in trying to get the county to adopt an ordinance to microchip all dangerous animals. Since one dead tiger can be worth $10,000 to $20,000 on the black market, where are the missing animals?
Rosella Baller
Warren County
