Hundreds of foxes, wolf-dog hybrids, other animals rescued from NE Ohio ‘fur farm'
ASHTABULA COUNTY, Ohio (WJW) — Hundreds of animals have been rescued from what humane agents are calling a 'fur and urine farm' in Ashtabula County.
According to the Humane Society of the United States, the rescue operation started after the Rome, Ohio property owner died in late December, 'escalating an already-dire animal welfare crisis on the property.'
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During the investigation, humane agents found foxes, wolf-dog hybrids, skunks, opossums and coyotes living in 'filthy wire-bottom cages with little to no protection from the frigid conditions,' the humane society said in a Saturday press release.
According to the nonprofit organization, some of the rescued animals were missing limbs, tails, toes and ears.
'Veterinarians determined that animals likely lost toes due to the cages' wire flooring, while the animals missing limbs and paws had likely been caught in steel-jaw leghold traps found around the property,' the humane society said.
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Humane agents said several animals were emaciated and extremely dehydrated, while others were found dead in the snow. A dying coyote was also found caught in a trap, the press release said.
'This is one of the most horrific situations I have ever seen—the terror and pain was palpable,' Adam Parascandola, vice president of the Humane Society of the United States' animal rescue team, said in the release.
Investigators learned that the owner sold pelts to the Fur Harvesters Auction in Ontario. The humane society alleges that the property was used to raise and slaughter animals for their fur and urine, as well as to sell them as exotic pets.
The organization said while some animals on the property were bred in captivity, others were 'trapped in excruciatingly painful leghold traps.'
'Our team is exposed to immense cruelty in the criminal cases we regularly respond to like dogfighting and severe neglect, yet this stands out both in terms of suffering and because of these fur farming practices. It's haunting,' Parascandola said.
The rescue operation wrapped up on Saturday, when the last group of animals were taken from the property.
According to the humane society, some animals were euthanized because they were seriously injured or sick, but more than 250 were rescued and taken to wildlife rehabilitation facilities and animal sanctuaries.
West Wildlife Rehab near Cincinnati took to social media on Monday, confirming they retrieved four foxes and 10 skunks from the property.
'Though they are all traumatized and timid, none have been aggressive,' a Facebook post said.
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The rehabilitation center shared videos from the 'fur farm,' showing foxes in wire cages and skunks and coyotes in deplorable conditions.
'The older I get, the less I understand about this world,' one of the posts said. 'But I'm just going to keep helping. That's what makes it better.'
As seen in court documents, the property owner was fined back in 2011 by the United States Department of Agriculture and ordered to stop breeding and selling exotic animals as pets, but according to the humane society, 'they continued to engage in those practices, apparently without further enforcement.'
'Humane Society International has investigated fur farms around the globe and animal suffering and filth like we saw on this property are constants,' PJ Smith, director of fashion policy for the Humane Society of the United States, said in the release. 'The U.S. fur trade has long operated in the shadows with zero oversight, and it's very rare to see inside a U.S. fur farm, let alone be able to rescue the animals. You simply can't put wild animals in a cage for their entire lives and expect anything but a nightmare, and this fur farm is just another example of what the declining fur trade doesn't want you to see.'
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