LEE, FLORIDA -- The owner of a large North Florida cat rescue facility has been arrested after a raid by Madison County Sheriff's deputies. The so called "no-kill" shelter had been under covert investigation by PETA.
The animal rights group provided video evidence to the authorities of alleged cruelty to what is alleged to be approximately 700 animals housed there, leading to a raid on the facility and the arrest of the operator on multiple animal cruelty charges.
Craig Grant has run the non-profit Caboodle Ranch cat shelter for several years and would refuse to euthanize any cat or allow adoptions, but allowed sick and diseased animals to be brought to the shelter, infecting other cats, ending in deaths to many, critics of the shelter allege.
The cat ranch came to popular attention when the Steven Colbert Show featured a story about the unusual cat facility. The Madison Florida Voice online news also brought attention to the ranch in a much watched video story.
Madison County Sheriff Ben Stewart said he brought in the American Society For the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) to help in the rescue and relocation of the cats and to give expert advise the the Sheriff's department on how to handle so many animals, many with disease or injuries living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.
“After receiving numerous complaints regarding the care of animals at Caboodle Ranch, we’re glad that the appropriate enforcement action is being taken,” said the Sheriff.
Many of the cats are suffering from upper respiratory conditions and eye infections, and volunteers are finding numerous dead cats on the property, according to a release from the ASPCA.
“This is a tragic situation. Caboodle Ranch was clearly overwhelmed with hundreds of cats in dire need of medical treatment,” says Tim Rickey, Senior Director of the ASPCA’s Field Investigations and Response team. “The sanctuary had no adoption or spay/neuter programs in place to manage its current population.”
As this may be the largest animal rescue operation ever agencies from around the country have been called in to assist the ASPCA including: Atlanta Humane Society (Atlanta, Ga.); Bay Area Disaster Animal Response Team (Belleair Bluffs, Fla.); Cat Depot (Sarasota, Fla.); Florida State Animal Response Coalition (Bushnell, Fla.); Good Mews Animal Foundation (Marietta, Ga.); Humane Society of Broward County (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.); International Fund for Animal Welfare (Yarmouth Port, Mass.); McKamey Animal Care and Adoption Center (Chattanooga, Tenn.); PetSmart Charities, Inc. (Phoenix, Ariz.); and RedRover (Sacramento, Calif.). Staff from the University of Florida (Gainesville) College of Veterinary Medicine and Maples Center for Forensic Medicine at UF are also assisting with the rescue operation.
The refrigerator video was bogus…that trailor was not used and had no electricity anymore…and was locked. The peta person who took the video was also in charge of treating the cat in the video…by continuing eye wash and drops. FAIL!
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Hello all:
PeTA put an undercover agent at my cat ranch, Caboodle, and filmed a bogus video showing animal abuse. The Ranch was closed and Craig, the owner, with a gun to his head by the police, was arrested for animal abuse.
It is so far from the truth, but PeTA loves drama. Since I have been there and seen it, I know this is a travesty. I'd appreciate any of you signing this petition asking that Craig be released from jail (I think he made bail), and that the animals be returned to Caboodle.
Here is the link
http://www.change.org/petitions/free-craig-grant-and-open-caboodle-ranch-free-craig-grant-and-open-caboodle-ranch?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=autopublish#
DO NOT SIGN GRANT'S PETITION. If the PETA person was not doing her job FOR FIVE MONTHS, THEN WHY DID GRANT OR NANETTE NOT NOTICE IT & STEP IN & FIRE HER & SAVE THE CAT BY TAKING LILY TO THE VET, ESPECIALLY AFTER SHE DIED!!!!!! Grant has been in violation of a standing Madison County Court Order since May 2009 signed by Judge Belvin Wetzel to properly care for his cats by ordering him to obtain medical care for them, get them fixed, get vaccinations, keep medical records, implement an identification system and practice euthanasia for end stage illness for cats with deadly diseases which is required by state law. Thus the reason he never took sick cats to the vet for fear the vet would comply with the Court Order. That is a sign of a HOARDER. He was informed in Sept 2010 that he was again in violation of the order. Just check the public records. Once the ASPCA completes their independant examinations of the removed cats and documents with photos and video all the wounds, injuries, diseases the cats had, it will prove Grant should have been raided long ago and was still in violation of the court order when he was. His Ranch should be shut down and he and Nannette should go to jail for the rest of their life. At least Grant has a mental excuse, Nanette was just after the money they pocketed from cash donations.
ReplyDeleteThis wasn't animal cruelty. He wasn't torturing animals. PETA and whoever else completely went about "helping" the cats in the wrong way. If things at Caboodle Ranch were deteriorating (like a bad refrigerator that didn't work anymore) then why didn't they offer to help with a donation? The cats are NOT better off in a shelter where they will most likely be gassed to death. These were cats that were abandoned. No one wanted them. He gave them a place to roam free and not be scared of getting run over by a car or killed by a stray dog. They were SAFE there and they were HAPPY. I think the Sheriff and some people in the town probably just thought he was a kook for loving cats so much. Look how people acted after it was raided. Some lunatic neighbor started shooting cats left behind. I hope the charges are dropped and he is able to rebuild what's left of his beautiful sanctuary.
ReplyDeleteIt is animal cruelty to not be able to properly care for the animals you have an obligation to. It's absolutely gross that you (anonymous) can't seem to get your head around that. If you weren't actively torturing your child, but still didn't take care of them as you should, they'd be put in foster care and you would be in hot water. Explain how animals are any different at all.
ReplyDeleteSo disgraceful that PETA and especially ASPCA attacked this beautiful sanctuary, terrified the cats for three days and nights as they rounded them up in their 'raid,' put them in small cages for several months, and destroyed their wonderful home. So heartbreaking. And I am sick of seeing the lies of PETA and ASPCA and haters of Caboodle Ranch.
ReplyDeleteStill ridiculous to this day that this happened to a dear lovely man who lived for his cats. Maybe they could have offered to help him instead???
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