Latest news with #animalwelfare
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
‘Something was not right': Oregon Coast safari park received complaints for nearly a decade
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — An at an Oregon Coast safari park earlier this month uncovered drugs, guns, and millions in cash — plus , Matthew Tenney, is out of jail, but advocates have been pushing for change for years. 'It's frustrating that it has to come to that level,' said animal advocate Nicole Johnson. When Johnson started digging into while researching circus laws, she came across an inspection of the safari park that described a dead tiger stuffed in a freezer next to frozen turkeys. 'Upon reading those inspection reports, it was very clear that something was not right there,' Johnson said. Johnson joins many who've raised concerns — going back years. In 2016, PETA demanded the Coos County Sheriff's Office investigate neglected animals at the park. The sheriff previously said limited resources made handling complaints impossible. Frustrated by delays, Johnson's pushing to make enforcement easier for local authorities: 'Changing that law to make it so that it's easier for local authorities to come in and enforce state laws at those facilities,' she said. Johnson says she's teaming up with Humane World of Animals to draft Oregon state legislation next session to allow more oversight to prevent mistreatment in the future. Meanwhile, she's urging everyone to visit only parks accredited by the American Zoological Association or the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. 'They have very strict rules to be accredited with them, so I would look for any accredited facility and focus on going to those,' she said. The Coos County District Attorney is still reviewing the case and hasn't decided on further action. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Gulf World Marine Park: Florida opens criminal investigation into dolphin deaths
Several dolphins have reportedly died over the span of five months at a Florida marine park and aquarium, prompting several investigations, including a statewide criminal investigation, according to officials and media reports. Attorney General James Uthmeier said Friday that his office had opened criminal investigations into Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach, Florida, and its apparent parent company, Mexico-based The Dolphin Company. Concerns have been raised in recent weeks and months following the reported deaths of five dolphins and concerning inspections noting algae-filled swimming pools and tanks, and low staffing to maintain the facility. The FWC and the USDA, which oversees marine care, animal movements, and facility inspections, are also investigating. What we know Five dolphins under the care of Gulf World Marine Park in Florida's Panhandle have died since October, according to several media reports, citing Florida state Sen. Jay Trumbull. Sen. Trumbull posted an update on March 28 that a second dolphin had died, marking two dolphin deaths in a month. Additional reports indicate that three dolphins died over the span of a week in October 2024. "Another dolphin has died at Gulf World. This marks the second in just over a month—and it's part of a disturbing and unacceptable pattern. These are not isolated incidents—they are signs of failure, and they demand immediate action," Sen. Trumbull said in a Facebook post. "From the moment we were first made aware of the situation, we demanded action. We engaged with all relevant state agencies immediately to intercede in any way possible and have continued to press for swift intervention ever since." The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has conducted 19 inspections at Gulf World Marine Park since 2014. The most recent inspections were conducted on Jan. 8 and March 4, 2025. Those inspection reports detail a facility seemingly in disrepair: "All the dolphin pools still have an excessive amount of at least 6 inches of algae bloom along all the walls and bottom of pools and clumps of algae floating in pools" - March 4 inspection "When the APHIS inspector was standing above the main pool, looking down into the water, it was difficult to see the dolphins if they are approximately three feet below the water" - March 4 inspection "At the time of the inspection, there is no working filter for dolphin east pool which went down on November 13, 2024. According to staff, the filtration for dolphin west is only functioning at 50 percent" - Jan. 8 inspection "There is an abundance of algae growth in multiple dolphin pools with the inspector scraping algae off a step that was almost 6 inches in length" - Jan. 8 inspection "The facility has lost six maintenance employees in the past three months leaving them with two maintenance employees. Additionally the facility has lost seven animal care employees in the past three months" - Jan. 8 inspection "At the time of the inspection, the penguins had been moved to an indoor room due to colder temperatures. The room where the animals are housed appears to be an storage space with carpet, old sound equipment with cords hanging down the cabinets, paint for crafts in the area, dust and debris throughout the room" - Jan. 8 inspection "The perimeter around the dolphin stadium pool is in the early stages of disrepair with paint flaking off right at the edge of the pool" - Jan. 8 inspection "The facility still has not provided shade over the far side of dolphin east pool where dry guest interactions are done, or the over the main show stage where the dolphins station for food during training sessions with the trainers or during public guest interactions after shows" - Jan. 8 inspection "Along the far wall of the sea lion stadium pool where a seal was swimming, rust is still coming through the wall and running down the wall and into the water" - Jan. 8 inspection FOX 35 Orlando reached out to The Dolphin Company and Gulf World Marine Park on Friday for comment, but did not hear back. Click to open this PDF in a new window. Click to open this PDF in a new window. On March 1, a dolphin named "Jett" died after performing a trick during a public show. He was found on the bottom of the pool with blunt force trauma to his rostrum and skull, according to the March 4, 2025, inspection report. "When he came down into the water he went to the bottom of the pool and did not resurface. Due to excessive algae growth, the trainers could not visualize what occurred and according to conversations with the staff, they believed he was hanging out on the bottom of the pool because he did not receive a bridge reinforcer," the report states. "The trainers did not suspect anything was wrong, until he did not resurface in a timely manner. The trainers then separated the remaining dolphins, cleared the stadium and entered the pool to find him on the bottom. When he was pulled to the surface there was evidence of trauma to his rostrum, and it was clarified by the veterinarian that he was deceased. Preliminary necropsy results confirmed that cause of death was blunt force trauma to his rostrum and skull." A vet theorized that when the dolphin re-entered the water during the show, he hit a shallow shelf, damaging his rostrum and skull. "Due to the lack of clarity in the water and the inability for the trainers to see what happened, all reaction time was significantly delayed," the inspection stated. USA Today, citing Marine Mammal Inventory Reports, noted that the three dolphins who died in October 2024 were euthanized due to "an unspecified life-threatening condition, a bacterial lung disease and a systemic infection." Staff reportedly blamed construction near a pool where the dolphins were living on the deaths. According to its website, The Dolphin Company operates 21 dolphin experiences and marine aquariums in the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Italy. There are four in Florida: Gulf World, Panama City Marineland, St. Augustine Miami Seaquarium, Miami Dolphin Connection, Duck Key It's unclear if the state's investigation includes the other Florida facilites. According to USA Today, The Dolphin Company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on March 31 in Delware. The report said the company wants $8 million in debtor-in-possession funding or financing to restructure the business. USA Today reported that Gulf World Marine Park was sold to The Dolphin Company in 2015 for $15 million, citing court documents. According to its website, Gulf World was founded on Memorial Day in 1970. What they're saying "Thank you, @AGJamesUthmeier for your leadership on this matter. The FWC is fully committed to coordinating with the Attorney General's Office of Statewide Prosecution to ensure justice is served and Florida's marine life is protected from abuse" - FWC in a X post on May 30. "Today, my office opened a statewide criminal investigation into Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach and its Mexico-based parent company, The Dolphin Company" - Attorney General James Uthmeier in a X post on May 30 "Gulf World Marine Park is a Class C Exhibitor, license number 58-C-0992. APHIS has been in regular contact with the facility and has been conducting frequent inspections. The most recent inspection posted to the Public Search Tool is from a March 4 inspection" - USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service "This remains an active ongoing criminal investigation in conjunction with local, state, and federal officials, including the State Attorney's Office. FWC recognizes and shares the rightful concerns of the community and will provide updates as soon as they become available" - FWC in a X post on May 28. "The reported dangers to worker, visitor, and animal safety at Gulf World must be addressed without delay. City, county, state, and federal representatives are urgently working together to demand Gulf World comply with all investigations and applicable regulations. We continue to invite Gulf World to collaborate with us" - Panama City Beach Mayor Stuart Tettemer, March 24 Requests for comment were sent to Gulf World Marine Park and The Dolphin Company via their websites. The Source The information in this article comes from statements and/or social media posts from Attorney General James Uthmeier, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service, public USDA inspection reports, local and national media reports, and a March 24 news release from the City of Panama Beach.
BreakingNews.ie
18 hours ago
- General
- BreakingNews.ie
Dog owner could face jail after 'scared, malnourished' pet found living in own filth
A man faces sentencing after animal welfare inspectors last year found his scared, malnourished Dobermann confined in a squalid cage without fresh water, mired in her own excrement, at a Dublin property. Richard Vynsiauskas, originally from Lithuania but with a residential address at Old North Road, Coldwinters, failed to turn up for his scheduled hearing at Dublin District Court on Friday. Advertisement Judge Anthony Halpin convicted him in his absence and issued a bench warrant to bring him before the court to be sentenced. He faces prosecution under the Animal Health and Welfare Act. It follows an inspection by the Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA), which had to retrain the seven-year-old dog since renamed Delilah before she could be placed in a new home. DSPCA inspector Shane Lawlor told prosecutor Danny Comerford BL that he went to the property on April 16th last year following an allegation that the dog was cruelly treated. Advertisement There was no one there when he arrived, and he found that the large Dobermann, weighing 45kg, was kept in a six-foot by six-foot cage with a makeshift kennel inside and a broken shelter. The enclosure was covered in faeces and "the smell was extremely overpowering." There was no clean water, and the dog came out of her kennel "very scared" and was suffering mentally. He described the Dobermann as "whale-eyed," a term to describe a frightened and nervous dog. The enclosure was covered in faeces and 'the smell was extremely overpowering', the court was told. Photo: DSPCA She was "pacing around, constantly standing in her own faeces, nowhere to sit or eat without standing or lying in her own waste." The conditions inside her kennel were the same. Advertisement The inspector told Mr Comerford that his chief concern was that the animal had nowhere to move and was very scared. She looked malnourished and had inadequate shelter or space to express her behaviour. The accused agreed to surrender the dog. Ireland Judge orders 'destruction' of XL Bully dogs owned... Read More The DSPCA witness said a Dobermann, as an intelligent breed, responds well to training, but this dog was left "to waste away." That can lead to boredom and aggression, and it took the DSPCA just over six months to correct her behaviour before she could be re-homed. The court heard Vynsiauskas told him that he had "no time" to look after or let the dog out. The judge also noted she was not micro-chipped, the owner had no licence, and she had never been brought to a vet. Photos of the dog's living conditions were furnished to the court. The accused could face a €5,000 fine and six-month imprisonment.
BBC News
19 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Animal ban for couple who kept 29 pets in flat in Exeter
A couple who kept 29 pets in a flat have been banned from keeping animals for eight Magistrates' Court heard Mark West and Rebecca Sowden had kept 14 snakes, 12 cats, a tortoise, a bearded dragon and a leopard gecko in a one-bedroom flat in Taunton Close, court was told the couple had been given advice 19 times by the RSPCA, social services, police and council officials about the state of the home and pair admitted two charges of failing to ensure welfare for the animals in their care. The court heard Sowden had studied animal care at college and West was a fast food delivery driver. 'Conditions were squalid' The animals were not fed, watered or exercised enough and had to live in the faeces-covered flat with not enough living space or heating, the court Judge Stuart Smith said: "The flat was not fit for humans or animals alike but they were forced to endure those conditions."The prosecution told the court the animals had all been signed inspector Miranda Albinson, who investigated the case, said: "The conditions within the property were squalid."She added: "These animals were badly neglected and were confined within a space that severely compromised their health and welfare."Judge Smith sentenced both Sowden and West to 12-month community orders with unpaid work, ordered them to pay costs of £514 each and banned them from keeping any animals for eight years.
Daily Mail
21 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Vet who 'permanently injured' dog by leaving surgical instrument in its body after op is allowed to keep working - as campaigners say complaints are ignored
A vet who 'permanently injured' a beloved dog by leaving a surgical instrument in its body after an operation has been allowed to continue working - as campaigners accuse industry bodies of ignoring their complaints. Trace Brown, from East Lothian, took her dog Honey to the vets for an operation - but Honey was left seriously ill after she was closed up with the instrument inside her. The mistake meant Honey ended up losing 16 inches of her intestine. Ms Brown had to pay £12,000 for corrective treatment for Honey, but no action has been taken against the vet in question, while she has been offered just £120 in compensation. It comes as an investigation by Which? has revealed pet owners are frequently dismissed or ignored when they complain about a vet, and that the industry complaints system is 'not fit for purpose'. According to government research, the vet market has the third lowest rate of positive resolutions to 'detrimental' experiences, with just 31 percent of people receiving what they asked for or more. This is compared to 52 percent across all sectors. Ms Brown took Honey's case to the Veterinary Client Mediation Service (VCMS) and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS), but received the offer of just £120 and her complaint remained unresolved. It is one of multiple cases flagged by Which? in which a pet owner complained with a legitimate grievance but was not offered appropriate help. The College also dismissed a complaint by Steph Drew, from Lincoln, after a vet operated on the wrong leg of her dog Daisy. After a lengthy appeals process lasting three years, the vet in question was eventually struck off after it was found they had 'failed to provide adequate care' to 18 animals in total. The report comes as the Competition and Markets Authority is already investigating the vet industry amid concerns that just six national operators - of which three are equity firms - own most of Britain's practices. Which? surveyed around 1,000 pet owners who had had an issue with care from their vet in the past two years. Some 53 percent of those surveyed complained over an 'excessive' price, compared to 23 percent over the quality of care or treatment. Pet owners usually have to make an initial complaint to the veterinary practice itself, a practice which makes the process 'awkward at best', according to Which?. If not satisfied with the outcome, an owner can escalate the complaint, such as by referring it to an independent mediator - but the is a voluntary scheme which not all practices are members of. They can also complain to the Royal College, but the body has a very high threshold for investigating and progressing a complaint. This leaves owners feeling dismissed or that the process is biased towards vets, the consumer body found. Wherever owners may turn, the stats are not in their favour - in 2022, some 99 percent of professional misconduct complaints were not upheld. Which? has made a number of recommendations to improve the process for owners, including asking the government to ensure the regulator for vet services is 'sufficiently equipped to independently enforce consumer law as it relates to the provision of veterinary services'. It added: 'The government needs to update the regulatory framework to allow regulation at a practice level rather than solely at individual professional level.' The body also said practices should be required to have a written complaint process 'based on specified criteria to ensure consistency in how complaints are defined, handled and signposted'.
