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Variance Revoked for New River Zoo

Stroud Given 60 Days to Remove Dangerous and Exotic Animals

By Ron Fitzwater

The Ashe County Board of Commissioners met in regular session Monday, April 20, with several items before

them for consideration including a request from Ashe County Project Graduation for financial assistance and passage of a resolution opposing North Carolina Senate Bill 758 to transfer responsibility of secondary roads from the state to the counties. However, it was debate over a variance that took the bulk of the board's time.

Following the standard opening procedures, Commissioners heard from Dianne Eldreth and Vickie Herman of Ashe County Project Graduation who came seeking $3,500 to offset the costs to provide the event to Ashe County High School graduates.

Project Graduation has been a graduation night tradition for 17 years, during which time no graduation night fatalities have taken place.

Following a short PowerPoint presentation, the pair requested assistance in funding the event.

"Funding in the past has not been a concern, but this year has not been so good," Eldreth said.

"This year Walmart decided that we were too big of a liability being set up in their parking lot like we have done in the past, so we were banned from Walmart. Lowes [Home Improvement] let us set up beside them up on the hill, but the flow of traffic just wasn't the same. Also, our main supporter in the past, Norman Cheek's Toyota of Boone, was sold recently, so all of that has really messed us up."

Following some complements from board members on the program, the commissioners approved a one-time donation of $3,500 to the program.

Ashe Animal Control Director Jeff Jones presented evidence before the board, which had been requested by them for the purpose of determining whether or not Keith Stroud could continue to harbor exotic animals within the county. Ashe County Ordinance 90.07, Non-domestic Animals, states, "No person shall possess or harbor any non-domestic animal(s) which are dangerous to persons or property or which have the potential of being dangerous to persons or property." Stroud has been operating the zoo under a variance to ACO 90.07.

Several violations, complaints from members of the community and two biting incidents have caused the zoo to be closed more than open for more than a year now, and Stroud was present, along with some volunteers, to try and persuade the board to rule in his favor.

"The zoo is temporarily closed pending the commissioners' review of information you directed me to obtain. As we were instructed by the board, Animal Control Officers have been to the location various times since the last meeting and we did find a drastic improvement since the last report that you received," Jones said.

Jones highlighted several troublesome issues that were identified during the inspections such as instances of untreated wounds, unexpected death and malnutrition among some, but not all, of the animals at the facility. A veterinarian used by Stroud had made the suggestion that some of the animas at the zoo be euthanized. In one case, the body of a spotted leopard, which Stroud was storing in a freezer, was sent to the Northwestern Disease Diagnostic Lab in Elkin to determine the cause of the animal's death. "Preliminary results suggest that the cause of death was hypothermia and malnutrition," Jones said. In spite of all of that, Jones commented that by all appearances Stroud was attempting to get the facility into compliance.

For his part, Stroud appealed to the board for continued leniency stating that he did care for the animals, but several factors including the poor economy and waiting for American Zoo and Aquarium Association accreditation had kept him out of complete compliance with the board's requirements for continuing the variance.

"Yes, my place was in bad shape the day they came, but I had to go out of town for some things and I did have some difficulty, but some of the animals in bad shape were animals that I had just acquired," Stroud said.

"Now I have tried to jump through all the hoops you guys want me to and I have done everything except for the [American Zoo and Aquarium Association] accreditation."

Stroud gave explanations for the violations that had been listed in the report to the commissioners and, along with zoo volunteers who spoke on his behalf, appealed to the board to not remove the variance.

The board was not moved as a whole and, with Commissioner Gerald Price casting the lone 'no' vote, the commissioners revoked the variance allowing Stroud to harbor exotic animals and gave him 60 days within which to remove the animals from the county.

Stroud, who at first seemed unclear as to what was being decided, was highly displeased with the outcome of the proceedings and angrily reacted to the commissioners' decision.

"I hope you have thought about what you are doing. I hope you'll be happy with your decision because I think you all are wrong." Leaving abruptly, Stroud fired one last shot at the board, saying, "You're all a bunch of jerks, you know that?" before storming from the courtroom.

In other business, the commissioners approved County Tax Administrator Keith Little's monthly report without debate, proclaimed April 20 through 24 the Week of the Young Child and appointed County Clerk Ann Clark to the Long Term Care Community Advisory Committee.

Additionally, the board approved a resolution to oppose North Carolina Senate Bill 758, which if passed into law would transfer responsibility for secondary roads to the counties. Commissioners believe such a transfer of responsibility could result in property tax increases of up to 10 cents.

The Ashe County Board of Commissioners meets the first and third Monday of each month at 3:30 p.m. in the small third-floor courtroom in the Ashe County Courthouse. Meetings are open to the public.

Nancy (who is wondering WTF is wrong with people in NC these days????)

http://mountaintimes.com/mtweekly/2009/0423/revoked.php3

"Sponsored by: The Rainforest Site

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"President Obama signed a law that gives Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke the power to withdraw these damaging regulations, but their deadline to act is May 10th! If they fail to take action by this date, the regulations stay in effect and wildlife on the brink of extinction will lose legal protections they need to survive. Act now; sign the petition below and tell a friend."

http://www.theanimalrescuesite.com/clickToGive/campaign.faces?siteId=3&campaign=ESAPetition&pageNum=2

Easy reading with lots of cool pics.

Some people keep tigers and lions responsibly, some people keep reptiles. Arguably, responsible wolfdog husbandry is at least as maligned as venomous snake keeping.

It´s nice to see wolves kissing and not killing their people.

- http://www.underwoodavenue.com/RWolfdogOwnershipPP.pdf
 
Source, http://www.fullmoonfarm.org/

The big cat and primate people have been getting blasted a lot harder for a lot longer then the reptile guys. Reptiles have had the least problems. Mammal keepers have done just as well as the reptile guys hanging on to what they have.

There's far fewer cat and primate people and as far as I know they don't have anything like Pijac. How are protecting themselves ? The only cat guy I ever talked to about legal issues fought all of his battles in the court room. And he did very well. Still the mammal people must being doing other things ? What have they been doing to stay in the game ?

The whole thing about HR669 is that there was no chance that this bill could possibly pass as written , absolutely none. So why would anyone go thru all the trouble of introducing this bill and getting all these other people to back it etc. If they knew it couldn`t pass.

The only reason is that from day one it was meant as a gateway to something else. Its pretty obvious what went on. It's not what's been said or who's saying it . Its how quite some companys have been that tells the story. These people ether think things aren't going to be that bad or that things aren't going to be that bad for them . They already know the answer.

A few weeks ago a wolfdog was running loose in my neighborhood. The police shot it.

Ernie Eison
WESTWOOD ACRES REPTILE FARM INC.

Speaking of Mammals, that brings up an interesting point. The very ones that have completely extirpated the turtle trade here in Texas just have boodles and boodles of Exotic Game Animals on their extensive private land holdings.
Someone needs to start a grass roots effort in regard to the potential harm their Exotics do to the Natural Flora and Fauna. Sound the alarm! For example, the maintenance of Domestic and Exotic Sheep and Goats have completely degraded the indigenous Flora of West Texas. Val Verde County and vicinity, for example.
What's good for the Goose is good for the Gander, in my book.
I'm not quite sure why the Academics have made a deal with the Devil, but they sure have. That's another story.
jsc
-----
"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Good post, John. The number of double standards and inconsistency is quite disturbing. Why, on one hand, is the entire herp community being vilified due to the mythical, irresponsible python owner; yet a government employed scientist can publish complete garbage, and it's embraced by most, if not all, of the media? Have any scientific organizations publicly taken a stand against the USGS python range map garbage? If not, why not? I would think true scientists, above all others, would WANT to blow the whistle on this type of nonsense.

It seems like "non-native" has become synonymous with "invasive" and/or "dangerous." Like you said, that raises a whole other set of questions and double standards.

Thanks,
Ed

>>Speaking of Mammals, that brings up an interesting point. The very ones that have completely extirpated the turtle trade here in Texas just have boodles and boodles of Exotic Game Animals on their extensive private land holdings.
>>Someone needs to start a grass roots effort in regard to the potential harm their Exotics do to the Natural Flora and Fauna. Sound the alarm! For example, the maintenance of Domestic and Exotic Sheep and Goats have completely degraded the indigenous Flora of West Texas. Val Verde County and vicinity, for example.
>>What's good for the Goose is good for the Gander, in my book.
>>I'm not quite sure why the Academics have made a deal with the Devil, but they sure have. That's another story.
>>jsc
>>-----
>>"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
>>John Crickmer

( yet a government employed scientist can publish complete garbage, and it's embraced by most, if not all, of the media? )

The exact same guys have published many papers and written books for the past thirty five years . All that time the reptiles guys have agreed the information being put out by these scientist was credible . Most still do.

That's the Yin and yang of it. People talk about what a fraud these guys are on one hand but validate their credibility on the other.

" Have any scientific organizations publicly taken a stand against the USGS python range map garbage? "

Heres a link to a research article that disputes the infamous Rodda map.

Ernie Eison
WESTWOOD ACRES REPTILE FARM INC.
Research Article

I think a scientist doesn´t need to be a genious, to fool the public once. However, after 35 years of the same crap, some scientists loose credibility. I also think it is wrong to place all "reptile guys" in one big basket. There are responsible and irresponsible reptile guys I think, we should give moral credit to some of the reptile guys I think, we are not all reptile robots with the same opinions.

I would argue that rotten politicians act much like Animal rights terrorists, though politicians are more diplomatic about their business. In my country the animals I would like to keep were outlawed before I was born, so in essence herpetoculturists of my age in norway are being punished for the alleged crimes of others animal owners more than 30 years ago.

Politicians who discriminate people depending on which species one chooses to share companionship with, is much the same as discriminating people depending on their age, race or sexual orientation.
Today it is no longer a crime to be a homosexual, but certain politicians think keeping snakes is a crime, and that snake keepers are criminals, or at least act in that spirit.
Now..
If a politician doesn´t have a racist intent, but still discriminates people because of their race by action, then that politician is a racist in consequence, even if she or he doesn´t have malicious intentions.
If a bill which has racist consequences is passed in the US, then the law will be racist, if not by intent, at least in consequence.
A person can not choose his "race", his parents or his country of origin.
Likewise, and to somewhat but not entirely similar degree, a person can not choose who to fall in love with, which friends to bond with and which animals to get attached to.

A person cannot choose which species of companion animal appeals to hers/his interests, more than one can choose what type of people to fall in love with.
I feel that passing a ban against the keeping of certain animals is similar to passing a ban against Americans bonding in marriage with people of certain other "races", for example Canadians, Chinese or Norwegians.

When the people are discriminated and criminalized on the grounds of which species they seek companionship with, I would argue that democracy has been replaced with dictatorship, even if this is clearly not the intent of the good politicians.

Although nazism and animal rights philosophy have some profound differences, I find that they have some profound similarities too.
Before WW2 certain governments started burning certain books, and they advocated that some people were better than others, because they belonged to a different race. Jew´s were burned to death because of their beliefs and their origins.
Some 50 years later our government is freezing thousands of reptiles and amphibians alive, because of their origin. Certain animal keepers are deemed criminals by the law and society, because of they cherish the companionship with "wrong species".

All people have a relation to animals of some kind. Some have strong bond to animals and a basic need to share their life with them but today, certain animals are labeled invasive and or dangerous, in much the same manner as Germans prior to WW2 regarded Jews as an invasive threat to the german society.

It is impossible to place all people with a relation to animals in one basket with out over generalizing but I will make this small attempt to illustrate a thought.

At one extremity of the scale, we have some people who are against all animal husbandry.
In the middle we have the people who are against irresponsible animal husbandry.
In theory there should be a third grouping of people at the other extremity of the scale, who are pro all animal husbandry, regardless whether it is responsible or irresponsible.

In real life, I have never heard of groups who are pro all animal husbandry, regardless if responsible or irresponsible. I believe that in society this amounts to a skewed perception of normality. where the responsible exotic animal keepers are mistaken with extremists by the general society.

I received this very interesting article earlier today. Even though most people like animals, apparently no one wants to be chief of animal cervices because of human activists. This is a puzzle to me...

regards
oby

L.A. Animal Services chief is the impossible job
L.A. should revamp Animal Services
 

Updated: 05/06/2009 09:41:22 AM PDT

WHO in the world would want to lead the Los Angeles Department of Animal Services?
It's got to be the worst job in City Hall - with near-constant criticism from a fragmented and confrontational activist community, sometimes violent attacks by extremist groups, and shifting support from city leaders who are quick to denounce the manager when they see political opportunity.
 
That's probably why recently resigned General Manager Ed Boks was the fifth person to head the department in a decade. Previous directors were forced out or resigned under the pressure of the job; one manager had his apartment smoke-bombed by activists and another was hospitalized for nervous seizures said to be related to his work in the department.
 
Boks, who announced his resignation late last month, came to L.A. after leading departments in Arizona and New York. He knew from experience the tensions of animal services, and the former preacher came out swinging when critics challenged his leadership. Yet Boks also stoked controversy with the ill-fated Hooters for Neuters fundraiser and the doomed Pit Bull Academy, in which ex-convicts would be trained to rehabilitate abused pit bulls.
 
With Boks' departure, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa has a unique opportunity to remake this department in crisis. Indeed, with the city in a deep fiscal hole and a lack of leadership for this $20 million department, perhaps the city should rethink how it provides animal services altogether.
 
First, Villaraigosa should drop the goal of becoming a no-kill city. It's a great sound bite for the campaign trail, but it's too politically charged and few people agree on what no-kill really means. (Do you count the euthanization of older, sick or "aggressive" animals?) It would be better for Los Angeles to tone down the rhetoric and focus more on service than statistics.
 
Second, Villaraigosa and the City Council should consider privatizing or contracting out some portion of Animal Services, or partnering with other agencies.
 
Villaraigosa is already looking at turning over the Los Angeles Zoo to a private, nonprofit foundation, why not look at a similar option for Animal Services?
 
The city could still retain animal control officers, responsible for picking up strays and enforcing city laws, but the city could contract with nonprofits to run the animal shelters.
Los Angeles taxpayers approved a bond measure in 2000 to build new animal shelters, yet a Northeast San Fernando Valley shelter was completed but never opened because of budget problems. Nonprofit animal welfare groups are savvy at fundraising and running quality shelters on a shoestring budget; imagine what they could do with city-owned shelters.
 
Or the city could merge operations with Los Angeles County's Department of Animal Care and Control. The county operates shelters throughout the region and offers animal services for 50 small cities - yet it seems less bogged down in politics than L.A. city Animal Services. By combining forces and resources, a city-county animal agency could reduce administrative and, perhaps, de-politicize the mission.
 
These options may or may not make sense for Los Angeles Animal Services, but there is certainly a need to rethink the mission and management of this dysfunctional and controversial agency.

- http://www.dailynews.com/opinions/ci_12303648

"...discriminates people because of their race by action, then that politician is a racist in consequence..."

I would call a person "racist in consequence", a Prejudiced Person.

I consider a Prejudices Person an Ignorant Person, since prejudice is defined as having a preformed opinion not based in fact.

jsc
-----
"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

"I would call a person "racist in consequence", a Prejudiced Person."

I think there is a difference between a prejudiced person. Even though all racists are prejudiced persons, not all prejudiced persons are racists.
I would call a person "racist in consequence", a plain out racist, but in talking about animals I find fishing for words more difficult.

"Speciesism" rings nice in my ear but this term is already spoken for by the AR movement, meaning, assigning different values or rights to beings on the basis of their species membership.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speciesism

"Animalism" also sounds nice but it is also taken, a fictional economic or political ideology in George Orwell's novel Animal Farm.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animalism_(Animal_Farm)

In other places I have heard other names of AR activists. Often different countries will have different nicknames for their favorite AR activists but I haven´t found an english word which describes a person who hates people who live with animals.
I think we should coin an entirely new new word for this. any suggestions?

Regards
oby

Growing up, we used to call Animal Rights Minded Folks "Bunny Huggers".

"Disneyfication" of nature is also a good term for how they "think".

I use the term "reptile guys" in the general sense. Like every other segment of society most reptile people tend to take story's at face value. Why should they look any further into a story that doesn't effect them ? The scammers love this. It`s easy to get over if no one is checking up on you. This is why it took 35 years of the same crap until these scientists lost credibility.

This attitude also effects our legislative process . Its at the core of why things have gotten so out of hand. To many people blindly let others decide what is right and wrong for them.

There's a lot of debate about sell outs and who's really on "our side" . I don't think it will matter if there's enough public impute. If there's not ............................

The bottom line is when a proposition is introduced read it and decide for yourself . You don't have trust or not trust anyone . We will all have the chance to think about whats in front of us. Then we can decide for ourselves. If someone doesn't like what it says they can oppose it. If they think they can live with it, fair enough.

Ernie Eison
WESTWOOD ACRES REPTILE FARM INC.

Ernie,

Thanks for the link. It's a good read, especially the guy who
was trying to rebut the study. All this back and forth about methodologies, statistical variances, and yada, yada... Now I'm no PhD, but wouldn't it be more conclusive (and probably cheaper in the long run) to just fence in a large outdoor enclosure in Maryland or southern Ohio and put a few of the Everglades burms (that would have otherwise been killed) in it to see how long they survive?

Thanks,
Ed

>> ( yet a government employed scientist can publish complete garbage, and it's embraced by most, if not all, of the media? )
>>
>> The exact same guys have published many papers and written books for the past thirty five years . All that time the reptiles guys have agreed the information being put out by these scientist was credible . Most still do.
>>
>>That's the Yin and yang of it. People talk about what a fraud these guys are on one hand but validate their credibility on the other.
>>
>>
>> " Have any scientific organizations publicly taken a stand against the USGS python range map garbage? "
>>
>>Heres a link to a research article that disputes the infamous Rodda map.
>>
>>
>>Ernie Eison
>>WESTWOOD ACRES REPTILE FARM INC.
>>Research Article

Well then, those "Authorities" with their "Expert Opinions" that make a living off theory and conjecture would be out of a job if actual empirical data were collected to prove/disprove their hypotheses.
jsc
-----
"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer