It is time that all USDA licensees are held to the same guidelines across the board instead of picking and choosing which ones will be harassed based on who you are. The Animal Welfare Act is about protecting animals. Not about politics.
For years people have been filing complaints to the USDA APHIS about the caging and care of the animals at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa Florida and they have fallen on deaf ears, not sure why wheather there is money exchanging hands somewhere, they are over looked because Big Cat Rescue is against Private Ownership, or there is just way to much animal rights influencing the USDA APHIS division.
While the inspectors of the USDA APHIS have always given Big Cat Rescue a clean inspection report time after time without ever noting or citing the violations turned in on the complaints, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Service who permits them as a zoo, make a supprise inspection of Big Cat Rescue and found 77 violations in one visit making it clear that there is some kind of problem going on with the USDA APHIS inspectors and or Eastern Office.
Please sign our petition and lets make some changes so that everyone is treated the same in the name of Animal Welfare.
Dear Mr. Shea
There has been a lot of speculation over the years as to why Big Cat Rescue has never been cited for violations involving the Animal Welfare Act, but others across the country are constantly being harassed and cited, some up to 16 times per year while BCR's alway go un-cited and ignored.
The Animal Welfare Act should be a Uniform Act across the board that everyone one is held to. Not just the ones who have belifes that go against the Animal Rights Agenda to shut down private owners, zoos and breeders. In our investigation we can prove that the facilites that are against private owners and zoos get a some what of a free ride by the USDA APHIS inspectors and the ones who are supporting private ownership and zoos are being cited time and time again when the other facilities are getting away with violations contantly and we would be glad to provide you with photos of violations being overlooked even after offical complaints are made. One of those facilites is Big Cat Rescue of Tampa Florida which is never in violation by the USDA APHIS even afer legitament complaints are filed but the Florida Fish and Wildlife Service found 77 violations in just one visit. We are asking either the inspector be replaced and a new one moved in to that area or and investigation opened as to why this inspector is not doing his/her job.
