Category USDA license

May 4 2013

KURT BECKELMAN’S TESTIMONY REVEALS BOTH HE AND PETER GETZ OPENED THE LIGER’S GATE TOGETHER AT SAFARI’S SANCTUARY

Safari’s Sanctuary’s owner, Lori Ensign-Scroggins, told the media and the public that Safari’s intern Peter Getz made an unfortunate decision, for some reason unknown to her, to open the gate to the liger’s enclosure during feeding time on October 29, 2008. This sworn testimony to the USDA on November 18, 2008, by Safari’s park manager Kurt Beckelman, confirms, as Ivy Cook previously reported, that it was a joint decision between both himself and Pete to open the gate to feed part of the deer carcass to Rocky the liger.   Kurt stated: “WE decided to open the enclosure gate and throw the meat (approximately 1 hind quarter) inside.  WE did this and Rocky grabbed the meat in his mouth, when for some unknown reason Pete reached out and pushed Rocky’s head with his hand.”  [CAPS added by us for emphasis] (Read more in the copies of the affidavit at the end of this post, as well as a copy of the sheriff’s report of November 5, 2008, with Kurt Beckelman’s statement, in which Kurt wrote:  “Both Pete & myself opened the door to Rocky the liger to give him a piece [of deer meat].”)

The following statements will correct false information provided in Kurt’s testimony:

Ivy Cook, not Kurt, was the one who applied pressure to Pete’s neck to try to stop the bleeding, using her shirt that she had taken off for that purpose.Kurt did not call 911. One of the parents from the tour group did. Kurt was too much in pain and couldn’t see because when he sprayed mace on Rocky, he got the spray in his own face, too.Kurt says Pete did not have his mace on him that day. Obviously, neither did Kurt or he would have been able to use it immediately instead of asking the community service worker first for water to spray on Rocky and then to get the mace from the cart. The truth is that the mace and a fire extinguisher were always kept ON THE CART, outside of the big cats’ enclosures even when staff and volunteers entered their enclosures to feed and clean them. There was a lack of common sense in planning for potential attacks from these large animals.

Kurt Beckelman is still park manager at Safari’s and in charge of the big cats.  And staff and volunteers still feed the cats meat by hand and enter many of their cages during feeding time (see the many photos we’ve posted on this page proving that).  Even though lockouts are NOW in place for more than half of the big cats (according to Lori, who is not reliable, when it comes to the truth, as we’ve shown repeatedly on this page), even back then, the ones in place were often not used.  Much of that work on lockouts was done in the last year, AFTER the revocation of Lori’s USDA license and the closing of the park to the public–four YEARS after the liger attack.  You would think it would be the death of a human being that would have enough of an impetus to get lockouts built on all of the big cats’ cages immediately, even if it meant doing a special fundraiser for that purpose.  But that would have meant admitting to the public that the practices in caring for and feeding the big cats were dangerous–that on a regular basis, they entered their enclosures to feed and clean their cages, while the animal was in the same space as the humans.   And Lori Ensign-Scroggins was unwilling to tell the truth about that.  Instead, she waited to do much about this important safety issue until the park was closed to the public, resulting in a loss of revenue. Only then did she became concerned–when the money stopped coming in.

October 29, 2008, was not the first time the gate to Rocky’s enclosure was opened to feed him. It had been done many times before, despite a lockout for him built and in place. That was only the first time when someone was injured after doing so.

Kurt was not a volunteer at the park–he was paid staff (paid cash by Lori under the table). He started working at Safari’s in 2001–so by 2008, he had been there about 7 years and started working with the big cats within the first year working there.

The statement that Rocky was observed after the attack and he appeared fine to Lori and Kurt is false. He was very agitated and his behavior scared Ivy and Johnathan, the volunteer who helped her take care of the animals on their own for the next two weeks.

We have more than 50 other pages of information from which to share from the USDA’s response to our FOIA request for all information about the liger attack and other information pertinent to it. We are also expecting notification from the USDA’s Office of Administrative Law Judge about the release of 67 other pages of documentation related to the liger attack and subsequent investigation. As we find time, we will post more articles to provide additional factual information, in the public interest of knowing the truth, something that Safari’s management has kept from the public all these years.

Kurt Beckelman's sworn affidavit JPEG pg 1 of 2 to the USDA re liger attack, testimony given Nov 18, 2008Kurt Beckelman's sworn affidavit JPEG pg 2 of 2 to the USDA re liger attack, testimony given Nov 18, 2008Kurt Beckelman's statements to Wagoner Co. Sheriff on Nov 8, 2008, about liger attack Oct. 29, 2008

May 1 2013

TINA GUNN IS NEW PRESIDENT OF SAFARI’S WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, INC.; KARRI MURPHY GONE

With big fanfare last summer, the new management team for Safari’s Sanctuary was introduced to the public by Lori Ensign-Scroggins through interviews with numerous local media sources.  President Karri Murphy, Vice President Tina Gunn, and Secretary Erica Meredith composed the three-member team of interns.  Karri Murphy spent three years working at the Fort Worth Zoo as a mammal keeper before moving to Oklahoma and beginning her volunteer work at Safari’s for two years until she volunteered for the leadership role at Safari’s in May 2012, in preparation for the revocation of Lori Ensign-Scroggins’ USDA license, effective August 1, 2012, due to the USDA finding Lori unfit to run the park and exhibit animals to the public.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.445134868897538.1073741835.375092402568452&type=3

Although Karri Murphy had previous professional experience in exotic animal care before coming to Safari’s, Tina Gunn was brand new to the field when she began volunteering at Safari’s mid-May 2010.

As reported earlier, Karri’s application on behalf of the SWSI group for a USDA license last year was denied October 12, 2012, because Lori Ensign-Scroggins was still very much invested and involved in the ownership and management of the park, regardless of the widespread lip service given to her retiring.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.441033792640979.1073741834.375092402568452&type=1

Karri Murphy left Safari's at the beginning of January 2013. In May 2012, after two years volunteering at Safari's, she agreed to be president of the new management group of three interns who planned to run Safari's once the owner Lori Ensign-Scroggins' USDA license revocation was effective August 1, 2012. Karri is the only one of the three interns forming the new management group in the spring of 2012 that had previous experience prior to coming to Safari's. She worked as a mammal zookeeper at the Fort Worth Zoo for three years. Both Tina Gunn and Erica Meredith had no prior experience--only two years of volunteering at Safari's before becoming part of the management team. The USDA denied Karri's request for a USDA license because Lori was still actively connected to the park and its management. In January 2012, the USDA had informed Lori that she was unfit to be licensed and that they intended to revoke hers. Karri Murphy's appeal to the USDA was rejected by the USDA judge on January 17, 2013. An important question we want answered is: Did Karri Murphy file the appeal or did someone else do it, using her name?

Karri Murphy left Safari’s at the beginning of January 2013. In May 2012, after two years volunteering at Safari’s, she agreed to be president of the new management group of three interns who planned to run Safari’s once the owner Lori Ensign-Scroggins’ USDA license revocation was effective August 1, 2012. Karri is the only one of the three interns forming the new management group in the spring of 2012 that had previous experience prior to coming to Safari’s. She worked as a mammal zookeeper at the Fort Worth Zoo for three years. Both Tina Gunn and Erica Meredith had no prior experience–only two years of volunteering at Safari’s before becoming part of the management team.
The USDA denied Karri’s request for a USDA license because Lori was still actively connected to the park and its management. In January 2012, the USDA had informed Lori that she was unfit to be licensed and that they intended to revoke hers. Karri Murphy’s appeal to the USDA was rejected by the USDA judge on January 17, 2013. An important question we want answered is: Did Karri Murphy file the appeal or did someone else do it, using her name?

After the USDA’s letter of denial addressed to Karri Murphy was issued, Karri stopped making public appearances on behalf of Safari’s on television or speaking to the media. In fact, it was Tina Gunn who wrote a response to the USDA at the end of October, NOT Karri, asking what could be done to change the decision made on Karri’s license application, and the USDA responded directly to Tina reaffirming their original decision. [see copies of emails and correspondence between TINA and the USDA from October 2012 in the photo album attached to this post] It is likely that Karri realized by that time that there was little hope of reopening the park. The denial letter was unequivocal. As long as Lori was attached to the park, they would not issue Karri and the SWSI group a license to run it. Lori’s signed statement of surrender of the exotic animals at the park to Karri was dependent on Karri and the SWSI group being granted a USDA license for the park. Lori was keeping all the birds and reptiles—not signing them over to Karri—which was another indication that Lori was not retiring and likely not planning to distance herself from Safari’s. Did Karri guess that the management team plan was a ruse put in place to buy time for Lori and keep the public from realizing the extent of the problems Lori had created by her longtime mismanagement of the park, and to encourage continued donations to the park? If so, it would explain Karri’s withdrawal from some of her regular activities at Safari’s, no longer engaging with the public (or the USDA), and a quiet resignation to pursue other employment.

However, discovered today is a copy of a court document (Decision and Order signed January 17, 2013 by USDA Administrative Law Judge Jill S. Clinton) that demonstrates an appeal was filed requesting that the USDA reconsider its decision to deny approval of a USDA license to Karri Murphy and Safari’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc.

http://www.dm.usda.gov/oaljdecisions/130117_13-0077_DO_AWA-D_Karri%20Murphy.pdf

That appeal request was rejected by the judge.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.450614605016231.1073741836.375092402568452&type=3

Of concern is whether it was Karri Murphy herself or someone else using her name who filed the appeal, based on information we know and have outlined later in this article, and the reasons outlined for the automatic rejection of the appeal, outlined in the beginning of this Decision and Order (because of non-responses and follow-through from Karri to instructions and requests from the USDA).

Tina Gunn is the only one left of the three interns on management team formed last summer who is still working at Safari’s. Erica Meredith left at the beginning of August 2012. According to Karri Murphy, she (Karri) left Safari’s at the beginning of January 2013. However, Lori wrote on her Facebook page in a life event titled “Retirement” (and copied to a post on Craigslist, now removed from the site) that the president left two months after the first intern left.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.428753227202369.1073741825.375092402568452&type=3

If Lori was uncharacteristically telling the truth in this instance, it would mean that Karri left in October (since Erica left in August). Even if Karri did remain at the park for two to three months longer, it is apparent her level of involvement had changed about halfway through October. It is obvious by the critical comments that Lori wrote about Karri in her “Retirement” post that Lori was casting blame on her (and Erica) for the failure of the new management group’s efforts, ignoring the very basic problem: the inability of Karri to get a USDA license BECAUSE OF LORI and her failures in management of the park and subsequent revocation of license because of her unfitness and a two-year probation, disallowing Lori to have anything to do with Safari’s, if it was to reopen to the public under another person’s/group’s license.

Karri had gone on television at FOX 23’s Good Day Green Country program four times in a row during eight weeks during the summer and fall of 2012, beginning on August 31. (The Safari visits on GDGC were scheduled for every two weeks.) Her last appearance was October 12, 2012—coincidentally, just one day after the date of the USDA’s denial letter. Tina Gunn, Frank Gaddy Jr., and Lori Ensign-Scroggins replaced her place in that role up until mid-February 2013, and then Safari’s visits to the program stopped. In response to an inquiry I wrote to the GDGC program asking why the visits ended, the program’s executive producer Jennifer Harrington responded, “I would prefer to keep that a matter between myself and Safari’s,” which suggests that there is something involved that would be uncomfortable for one or the other party, or both, if that information would become public knowledge.

http://www.clipsyndicate.com/search/simple/%2522Safari%2527s+Sanctuary%2522

Again, in an article published in the Tulsa World December 14, 2012, it was Tina Gunn who was interviewed by the reporter, not Karri Murphy, although Karri is mentioned by Tina as still being president of Safari’s. Notice how misleading Gaddy was in his remarks about the park possibly reopening in the spring (even though he and everyone in upper management were aware of the USDA denying the USDA application months before, in a letter stating the group under Karri Murphy would not be able to reapply for a license until a year from the date of the rejection letter, which would be in October of 2013).

QUOTE

Tina Gunn, vice president of the park’s volunteer management group, said she and President Karri Murphy “do not have deep pockets” and that further improvements will be difficult unless the park is sold or finds more donations.

The group has reapplied for a USDA license and would like to reopen in the spring if it can afford any additional work required by the agency’s inspectors.

“We would love to be open in the spring, whether with this management group that’s applied for a license or somebody else that would like to purchase” the park, volunteer Frank Gaddy said. “The goal is to get back open, because then the funding will be there.”

END QUOTE

http://www.tulsaworld.com/article.aspx/Broken_Arrow_animal_sanctuary_needs_a_helping_hand/20121214_12_A15_CUTLIN976770

On February 27, 2013, Tina Gunn signed an application for an amended certificate of incorporation for the secondary nonprofit connected to Safari’s (Safari’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc.) that removed both Karri Murphy and Erica Meredith as incorporators of the company and established her (Tina) as the new president, Terry Lilly as the vice president, and Kurt Beckelman as the secretary/treasurer. The contact email address given is ladysafari@valornet.com, which is and has been for quite some time, Lori Ensign-Scroggins’ personal email address (as can be easily be proven by typing the email address into an online search and three pages of results will come up, which connect her name to the address, as she used it in online posts frequently). We purchased copies of these documents from the Oklahoma Secretary of State’s office. Unfortunately, according to the terms and conditions of using the information, we are unable to publish/post the actual documents online. Anyone can purchase their own set of documents online. Here is the summary page for Safari’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc. (set up for the new management team originally, with Karri Murphy, Tina Gunn, and Erica Meredith as incorporators).

https://www.sos.ok.gov/corp/corpInformation.aspx?id=2112364069

Tina Gunn began volunteering at Safari's in May 2010. It was her first time working with exotic animals. Within a few short months, she was in working up close and personal with the big cats. Tina signed up last springto be one of the three interns who were planning on taking over the management of Safari's, with owner Lori Ensign-Scroggins supposedly retiring, after the USDA revoked her license. Her position on the board was Vice President, until President Karri Murphy resigned at the beginning of January 2013. Tina is now the president of the secondary nonprofit corporation Safari's Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc.

Tina Gunn began volunteering at Safari’s in May 2010. It was her first time working with exotic animals. Within a few short months, she was in working up close and personal with the big cats. Tina signed up last springto be one of the three interns who were planning on taking over the management of Safari’s, with owner Lori Ensign-Scroggins supposedly retiring, after the USDA revoked her license. Her position on the board was Vice President, until President Karri Murphy resigned at the beginning of January 2013. Tina is now the president of the secondary nonprofit corporation Safari’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc.

It is obvious from those changes that Lori is not distancing herself from the management from the park, only removing the curtain to show she is still very much a part of the operation. She is also president of Safari’s Inc., the longstanding nonprofit corporation originally established in 1996, by Lori and her then-husband Joe Estes, with Joe, Lori, and Lori’s mother Jan Ensign as incorporators. She amended the certificate of incorporation on October 23, 2012, but left all three on as incorporators, even though Joe Estes left their jointly run park in 1998. [more to follow on those two subjects later]

Is there intent to deceive the public by Lori and others at Safari’s that the management team that began last year is still intact or at least allow people to believe that Karri Murphy is still at the helm? Why was there no mention that Karri was leaving Safari’s, when Tina was interviewed mid-December by the Tulsa World reporter? No doubt, Karri was responsible enough to give notice before leaving her position and likely would have by that time. Again, the fact that Tina was the person to respond to the USDA letter in October, to start taking Karri’s place for the TV animal guest spots, and to be the representative of the park to be interviewed by the press in December, not Karri, indicates that all likely knew that Karri was leaving her position and the park (if she wasn’t already gone, for all intents and purposes).

Why would spokesman Frank Gaddy Jr. give out false hope to the public through the media mid-December 2012 about a possibility of Safari’s reopening in the spring of 2013, when, as a longtime intimate of Lori and Safari’s top management, he almost certainly knew what Lori, Karri, and Tina knew—there was no hope of the park reopening.

No public announcement has been made about Karri Murphy’s departure or the new composition of the management structure of Safari’s, other than Lori’s online personal comments.

In fact, in the March 8, 2013, KJRH news article, the following information is given, misleading the public yet again about the potential for the park reopening and implying that the management group as formed last year was still intact:

QUOTE

While plans are in the works to try and re-open the park this year, Safari’s needs donations and volunteers to take care of the animals.

END QUOTE

and

QUOTE

“It’s been hard. I was hoping the transition would go quicker to the new people,” says Ensign. “It just takes time. They are learning. And we are still looking for new people. I’ve gone through all my savings now. So it’s getting scary.”

END QUOTE

http://www.kjrh.com/dpp/news/local_news/bro

Erica Meredith volunteered at Safari's for two years before signing on to be part of the three-member board of the new management at Safari's, to take over the park from owner Lori Ensign-Scroggins, once Lori's USDA license revocation became effective August 1, 2012, due to the USDA judging her unfit to hold a license, under the Animal Welfare Act. Erica left Safari's at the beginning of August 2012 to pursue work with animals at another entertainment spot in the Tulsa area.

Erica Meredith volunteered at Safari’s for two years before signing on to be part of the three-member board of the new management at Safari’s, to take over the park from owner Lori Ensign-Scroggins, once Lori’s USDA license revocation became effective August 1, 2012, due to the USDA judging her unfit to hold a license, under the Animal Welfare Act. Erica left Safari’s at the beginning of August 2012 to pursue work with animals at another entertainment spot in the Tulsa area.

Why did Lori imply the management team was still intact in that same KJRH article by indicating that “the transition” to the “new people” was still ongoing? By that time, the certificate of incorporation had already been amended by the OK Secretary of State, removing two of the three original incorporators (Murphy and Meredith) and replacing two spots with longtime Safari’s paid staff park manager Kurt Beckelman and longtime volunteer Terry Lilly. The application had been submitted to the OK Secretary of State at the end of February and signed March 4 by the SOS. What transition was Lori talking about? Does Kurt not know how to run the park he’s supposedly been managing for more than a dozen years?

A new blog “Safari’s Sanctuary – For the Animals” by Micheal Lowther, started this year, ran an article about “volunteer” Tina Gunn, which was published March 18, 2013. Nowhere in that article is there any mention that Tina was president of Safari’s management team now or even that she was lead staff of Safari’s, as she identifies herself as online—she is simply referred to as a volunteer at the park—in an article published a full three weeks after Tina signed her name to the amended certificate of incorporation paperwork as “president” and sent it to the OK SOS, and a full three-and-a-half months after Karri Murphy left Safari’s. Why would Tina not share the information with Micheal (Misha) about the changes in management at Safari’s? Why the lack of transparency?

http://safarissanctuary.wordpress.com/2013/03/18/tina/

Is the public being played for fools and being fed false information and pumped for donations of money and time, while evoking sympathy for Lori because of her illness, in the hopes of distracting the general public and supporters of the park from recognizing the true and serious nature of the circumstances surrounding the closure of the park?

One indication that Lori may be getting just a little closer to acknowledging the truth is the change of wording on the home page of Safari’s Sanctuary official website: “Safari’s Sanctuary is a 501c3 private facility of rescue and is closed to the public.” Although on one of the photo slides flashing by on the top of the same page, it does say “We are temporarily closed to the public!”

http://www.safarizoo.com/

May 1 2013

KARRI MURPHY’S APPEAL TO USDA FOR LICENSE TO RUN SAFARI’S SANCTUARY REJECTED IN JAN. 2013

Safari’s Sanctuary’s (now former) president Karri Murphy’s appeal to the USDA to reconsider denial of a license to her and the new Safari’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc., group to manage Safari’s Sanctuary was rejected January 17, 2013 – USDA AWA Docket No. 13-0077

This Decision and Order by Judge Jill S. Clinton specifies that the earliest that Karri and/or SWSI could possibly have a USDA license is one year after the decision date—not until January 17, 2014, but she would be able apply 60 days prior to that for a license.

This is unlikely to occur, since Karri left Safari’s in January 2013 and has since moved on to other endeavors.

This document was not included in the response received this month from the USDA to our Freedom of Information Act formal request for all information related to the new management team of interns’ (Karri Murphy’s) application for a USDA license.   It was found by chance today during online searches for other information.

http://www.dm.usda.gov/oaljdecisions/130117_13-0077_DO_AWA-D_Karri%20Murphy.pdf

This week, we will be submitting a new FOIA request to the USDA to ask for all documents related to Karri’s appeal (Docket 13-0077).

Of concern is whether it was Karri Murphy herself or someone else using her name who filed the appeal, based on information we know, outlined in an article to be posted right after this one, and the reasons outlined for the automatic rejection of the appeal, outlined in the beginning of this Decision and Order (because of non-responses and follow-through from Karri to instructions and requests from the USDA).

When we receive a response to the new FOIA request, the information will be posted here.

Karri Murphy's appeal to the USDA rejected Jan 13, 2013_Page_1

Karri Murphy's appeal to the USDA rejected Jan 13, 2013_Page_2

 

jpeg pg 1 of 2 of USDA ruling amendment caption Feb. 25, 2013

 

jpeg pg 2 of 2 of USDA ruling amendment caption Feb. 25, 2013

 

 

Apr 16 2013

USDA informs Lori Ensign-Scroggins of Safari’s Sanctuary she is “UNFIT TO BE LICENSED” in letter of January 17, 2012

This letter of January 17, 2012, informs Lori Ensign-Scroggins that the USDA APHIS Animal Care Division intended to pursue administrative action to revoke her USDA license.  The first paragraph reads:  “We are mailing you your notice of License Renewal for the above referenced certificate.  However, please know that although we are notifying you that your license is due for renewal on or before March 25, 2012, Animal Care intends to pursue administrative action to revoke this license, based upon section 2.12 of the regulations (9 C.F.R. SEC. 2.12) on the grounds that you are unfit to be licensed and that your continued licensure would be contrary to the purposes of the AWA.”   [AWA is the Animal Welfare Act]

Lori pretends to the public that USDA findings were minimal, unimportant, and arbitrary. She pretends that she planned to retire because of her illness.  She pretends that she has run the park responsibly and professionally for the last 17-plus years.  This letter makes it very clear that the USDA found her unfit to run an exotic animal park, particularly one open to the public.

USDA letter Jan 17, 2012 [jpeg] to Lori Ensign-Scroggins informing her she is unfit to be licensed

Apr 4 2013

USDA DENIED LICENSE TO SAFARI’S SANCTUARY’S BOARD ON OCT. 11, 2012

On OCT. 11, 2012: USDA DENIES SAFARI’S BOARD MEMBER APPLICATION FOR NEW USDA LICENSE BECAUSE OWNER LORI ENSIGN-SCROGGINS IS STILL ACTIVELY CONNECTED TO THE PARK

Read full article and see evidence at Safari’s Truth Destination on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.441033792640979.1073741834.375092402568452&type=1

We just received from the USDA a copy of the application for a USDA license filed by Karri Murphy in July of 2012, on behalf of the board of interns that were planning to run Safari’s. We also requested and received all correspondence related to the application, including the three-page letter of October 11, 2012, from Robert M. Givens, DVM, Regional Director – Animal Care, Western Region, to Karri Murphy, denying the application, based on Lori Ensign-Scroggins still maintaining ownership of the park and having the company Safari’s Inc. still in her name. Images of all three pages of the official letter are available to view in the photo album connected to this post. There are several important subjects we will address, related to this correspondence and the application information itself, in future posts here, to be published later this week.

Below are excerpts from the USDA letter to Murphy, beginning with the bottom of the first page.

_____

“As you are aware, the same premises and animals identified on your application pertain to Safari’s, Inc., a corporation controlled by Lori Ensign Scroggins. Pursuant to a consent decision and order filed on May 29, 2012, the AWA exhibitor’s license held by Safari’s, Inc., and pursuant to which Ms. Ensign Scroggins operated (73-C-0137), was revoked, effective August 1, 2012. A copy of that order is attached.

[ http://www.dm.usda.gov/oaljdecisions/20529_12-0340_CD_AWA_SafarisInc.pdf  ]

According to the Oklahoma Secretary of State, however, Safari’s, Inc., remains an active Oklahoma corporation.

The evidence that we have reviewed reveals that Safari’s, Inc., and Ms. Ensign Scroggins have a substantial interest in the operation of Safari’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc. The May 19, 2012, minutes of a board of directors meeting (presumably of Safari’s, Inc.), reveal an intent to simply “change the name” and corporate form of Safari’s, Inc. and the evidence as a whole indicates that Ms. Ensign Scroggins continues to control the premises, the animals, and the records. In an affidavit that you executed on September 11, 2012, you stated that Ms. Ensign Scroggins owns the property located at 26881 E. 58th St., Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and that Ms. Ensign Scroggins continues to retain ownership and control of the animals identified on your license application, which are in residence at that property. [additional information followed about individuals living and working on premises followed, with identifying information blocked for privacy concerns] The transfer of animals, according to Ms. Ensign Scroggin’s July 2, 2012, letter remains contingent upon your obtaining an exhibitor’s license: “If USDA license is not achieved/or denied, all animals property…will formally return to Lori Ensign, Safari’s Inc. ownership, to continue operations without a license and no longer open to the public. If the new corporation cannot obtain license, they will not be able to pay the bills. And that responsibility will fall back onto Lori Ensign and family to continue to find funds to pay for their care.”

The information has been provided to date does not indicate an arm’s-length transaction whereby Safari’s, Inc., and Ms. Ensign Scroggins divested themselves of the real property, animals, or equipment, nor have the latter distanced themselves from the operation of the facility. Indicative of this is the fact that Ms. Ensign Scroggins retains custody of records (“[a]ll documents will be kept in Lori’s house still.”), and “will serve as an advisor and volunteer at the park.”

[a USDA judge’s decision on a similar APHIS case is cited in next paragraph]

Finally, Safari’s, Inc.’s website contains a statement assuring patrons of the continuity of the facility’s management: ‘Safari’s Sanctuary is currently closed to the public while a group of our dedicated volunteers update many of our animal habitats and apply for a USDA exhibitors license. Our “babies” will continue to receive the same care and love as they have for over 17 years!”

It appears to us that Ms. Ensign Scroggins and/or Safari’s, Inc., are affiliated with, and have a substantial interest in, Safari’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc. It also appears that issuance of an exhibitor’s license to Safari’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc., would tend to circumvent the revocation of AWA license number 73-C-0137.

Accordingly, pursuant to sections 2.11(a)(5), 2.11(a)(6), 2.11(c), and 2.11(d) of the AWA regulations, we hereby deny the application submitted by Safari’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc. If Safari’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc., disagrees with this determination, it may request a hearing in accordance with Section 2.11(b) of the regulations and applicable rules of practice for the purpose of showing why the application for license should not be denied. A copy of the Rules of Practice is enclosed. A request for a hearing must be in writing, and should be filed within 20 days of the date of receipt of this letter with the Office of the Hearing Clerk at the following address:

[Washington, DC, office address and telephone numbers followed]

Should Safari’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc., request a hearing, the license denial will remain in effect for at least until a final decision has been issued. If Safari’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc., elects not to request a hearing, the denial will remain in effect for one year from the date of this letter, at which time Safari’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc. may reapply for an Animal Welfare license.

We are returning your application, APHIS form 7003A, the money order [# followed] in the amount of $10.00 received on August 13, 2012.

Please know that is a violation of the AWA and the regulations to conduct regulated activity without holding a valid license.”

[signed by Robert M. Gibbens, DVM, Regional Director – Animal Care, Western Region, USDA]

_____

NEXT related topic to address: Why did Safari’s Vice President Tina Gunn respond to this letter directly to the USDA, instead of President Karri Murphy, to whom the letter was addressed? Had Karri already left Safari’s by that time? If so, why is Tina quoted with a statement that Karri is still president in the Tulsa World article titled “Broken Arrow animal sanctuary needs a helping hand” dated December 14, 2012? Was there a deliberate intention to deceive the USDA and the public that the “board management” was still intact and operational?

Check back soon for more details on that topic and more essential related information.

Mar 2 2013

A Response to Lori’s latest Retirement Rant

Lori Ensign-Scroggins, owner of Safari’s, posted a long essay titled “Retirement” on Facebook last night (Sunday, March 3, 2013), bemoaning her past and current plights, pointing fingers at a long list of others for her problems (as usual), and hoping someone will come save the day for her—even if only with a few bucks.

screen cap of Lori Ensign-Scroggins' retirement speech posted on FB page March 3, 2013

Copied below are excerpts of what she actually posted and below each section, is some of the background knowledge I have from my personal experience of working at Safari’s with Lori, for ten years–on and off, beginning in 2001. [The full text of her FB posted–also reposted on Craigslist advertising for volunteers–is at the end of this post, below.]

After reading this (and other posts on this page), you might be less likely to give her your money because of her sad story. – Ivy Cook

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Lori Ensign-Scroggins: “Doctor told me to quit working so much, and get a hobby, to help me relax. So I sold the city life, moved to the country in Broken Arrow. My hobby was animals, thought rescue would give me peace.”

Ivy Cook: “As far as I know, she married a man that was getting into having exotics as pets. With the help of local sanctuaries, they decided to open the park up to the public. Then, apparently, jealousy hit Lori hard because the media loved her husband’s face and his wisdom and tended to ignore her. The relationship became rocky, and she ended up divorcing that husband and taking half of the animals, while spreading horrible lies about him, with the likely intent of wanting the public to stay on her side and not on his. That is the real story of how she got involved with animals.”

LES: “I dove in head first, years passed by, but it was never peace, always a fight. But not ever a fight by the animals, but the humans. My mission didnt allow me to live a life too… people would get mad… so I lost friends. Then I tried to just have animal people friends,….some were friends, some just wanted to tag along, some just wanted to dissect everything I did wrong. SO I lost those friends. Didnt look back, kept going, the animals will always love me,didnt care about the non friends… take me or leave me….”

IC: “She lost friends because she led a wild life–lots of partying, drinking, and drugs. I can personally tell you that there was one party at the park where she promised me that there would be no children there, because adults would be drinking. Come to find out, she invited every teenager she could and supplied them with their own liquor! The next morning they were found drunk all over the park. Lori’s own father was beyond upset finding the children and the booze and used condoms everywhere. Children from the ages of 12 and up! She lost friends because of the poor decisions she made in how she ran the park and how she often treated people badly and told lies about them after the friendship or working relationship ended.

LES: “You know the animals, while in my care, are fat, happy, spoilt, never want for anything.”

IC: “As you have seen from your own eyes from pictures we have showed you, there are a lot of sick and unhealthy animals out there, due to poor diet and inadequate veterinary care. Though yes, some are morbidly overweight, we still cannot figure out why some are starved or in poor health, while others are lavished upon. I do know that animals have died because Lori refused to call the vet when they became gravely ill.

I could copy and paste her words about how the USDA kept messing with her, and if you care to read them, go ahead. I will simply tell you how it was. In 2001, I and another woman named Debra were hired as zookeepers at Safari’s, after answering a classified ad in the Tulsa World. In our training, we were both informed never to talk to USDA inspectors if they were ever to come to the park, or just ignore them if they were at the gate. Yes, there were repeat offenses, and some work was done to fix those problems, but never a decent and correct fix–always what was able just to get by. The USDA officers are licensed veterinarians. They know what to look for, and how to care for animals. Lori was not shut down because “she was a woman” as she stated. She wasn’t being picked on, they gave her YEARS…let me say that again…Y-E-A-R-S…..to fix all the problems the USDA officers found wrong at her park, and she refused to fix them properly. You can read in the USDA reports yourself where the officer would put “can see they are trying to work on this problem” but in the next report in a couple of months, they had stopped all work on that project. Because as we were told “as long as it looks like we are trying to fix it, they can’t say anything.” Lori got shut down because her park is falling apart, because the animals are sick and dying, because it is not safe for the public to be there, and because it’s not safe for anyone to be there, as we all found out when the manager Kurt Beckelman allowed for his own employee to get mauled by a liger back in 2008. That employee, Peter Getz, passed away from the traumatic wounds that were inflicted. Kurt Beckelman and Lori Ensign both LIED about what happened that day. You know why I know they lied about that day? Because I was there. I was the USDA’s main witness to help the USDA shut Safari’s down to the public. Why? I could not live with myself if I did nothing to prevent someone else from getting hurt. It became obvious, after many attempts to get things to change—to make the park safer for animals and the people who work there and visit—that Lori would never change. The recent photos we posted on this page of staff inside the cages of tigers and other large predator cats during feeding time is evidence that I was right in that assessment. Even a wrongful death at the park did nothing to change attitudes toward safety.

LES: “Here we are. I’m out of my savings, Safari’s is out of its winter donations, with no clue of when they can get their license.”

IC: It is all but impossible for a zoo/sanctuary to regain their USDA license after they have lost it. I have yet to find one place that was able to open back up to the public, because by the time the USDA shuts them down, it is too far gone and too many repairs are needed to be made which would require a fortune to be spent on it to get it back up to standards. Hence the reason the USDA gives them ample chances to fix problems and years to try and bring their park up to code. With Lori still connected to the management of Safari’s and living on the premises, it will never be run correctly or safely. It is in the best interests of the public that it remains closed until if and when another owner completely takes over the park and its animals.
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Full text can be found in the posting Lori did on Craigslist:

http://tulsa.craigslist.org/vol/3657392497.html

QUOTE

This is my story, the ups and downs, but the real story of Safaris. You dont care about any other part really.

I was diagnosed with MS in 1995, working many jobs which allowed me to buy land and a home, new car, etc… But my many jobs which made me $$$ also exhausted my body… hence M.S. took over. Doctor told me to quit working so much, and get a hobby, to help me relax. So I sold the city life, moved to the country in Broken Arrow. My hobby was animals, thought rescue would give me peace.
I dove in head first, years passed by, but it was never peace, always a fight. But not ever a fight by the animals, but the humans. My mission didnt allow me to live a life too… people would get mad… so I lost friends. Then I tried to just have animal people friends,….some were friends, some just wanted to tag along, some just wanted to dissect everything I did wrong. SO I lost those friends. Didnt look back, kept going, the animals will always love me,didnt care about the non friends… take me or leave me….

So I just continued on…. finally finding a real man, that loved me. But he wasnt really into my hobby…. I kept him, cherished him, and we had 2 lives, me and safari —and me n my hubby… I couldnt hold that against him. But others did, so I lost more friends…. Kept going, very happy with having the animals love and having his love. But working so hard still to keep my hobby going… now the hobby that had rescued me and saved my life, now was wearing on my body and the MS started taking a stonger pesence. You know the animals, while in my care, are fat, happy, spoilt, never want for anything. Actually becoming old lions and tigers like me. While I feel I’m doing everything right by the animals, my soul, then the government starts a battle. My inspector, was a country boy, who always told me that “a woman could never run a zoo”, “just wont work”….. the stubborn, competitive part of ME, says… woah woah woah, I will show you! And I fought and argued with this man for 10 or so years…. he would come and just find things wrong, stupid things –mind you I made some mistakes, so YES a few writeups did need correcting, rebuilding cages, concreting floors, and I did…. but he still kept coming making sure I could never get a clean inspection. Started with weeds in a behind the zoo stuff, junk yard area, ok so I mowed…. but he never removed the writeup, even if corrected. Then rust on a fence, painted, still there…. then flies on produce received on a hot summer day, fixed it, we got more refrigerators, put away…. still the excess was there in dumpster waiting for pickup —oops still flies… I really got frustrated at the lack of concern, becoming harassment. I went off on him, wasnt nice, I admit, but I had taken all I could possibly take. Thought I’ll write to the USDA, and complain, invite them to come out, see the progress, and see that this is wrong. WELLLL you dont talk common sense to an organization without it. The USDA then started an investigation against me, trying to close me, because I was rude to their senior inspector —not even noting the harassment, sexual commenets….. I said OK, I’ll still fight. They made it rediculous. Dragging it out for years, I finally got an atty who offered to help me take em to court…. thinking we would get somewhere, I went with it, wrote pages and pages, books… on the writeups, and what really happened. So here we come onto court date, its been years weighing on me… Finally! I’m nervous but excited to get to tell my story. 3 days before date, the atty calls with we’re (he wasnt ready) not ready, he hadn’t met with any of my allies, my veterinarian, my game wardens, my people who knew what a great place we have…. just told me nothing good could come of court without proper statements from these people, and he had had family issues, where he hadnt had time to do this… another continuance was unacceptable…blablabla. Basically go to court and get hundreds of thousands in fines$$$$$ or give up my license. Sell or give the organization to my crew of interns…. With my declining health, I thougt, OK this could work. He sold me on this idea…. give or sell my zoo… so it can continue. Because if I was fined $250,000…. I would have to give up anyway, then Lord knows where the animals would go.

I gave up my license…. met with the interns, who seemed to be all excited on the opportunity. Made a deal to give them the organization, if they would put in the time, work, training….etc. I would retire, just keep my house until they made enough to buy my house… otherwise everything else was theirs. Stressed to them that it would not be easy, and never “make money” , but it was a work of the heart… enough to get by, and knowing that you’re saving lives, and educating kids, makes up for the riches… It was a plan…. I saved all year for the down time, while they got up to speed. But this generation of kids don’t really want to work…. they want to say I’m President of this Sanctuary, but I only wanna work 4-5 days a week, be off by 2pm, then ush to be off by 12 noon… and think they can do it all. Then we lost 2 of our 3 interns; one in a couple months -she worked hard for a couple months -then she wanted me to turn all my property over to her…. after 2 months. NO. So then down to 2, next girl made it couple more months… then wanted more time off, wanted to be the only TV personality, wanted pople to only talk to her, as she worked less and less…. so that didnt work. Now Im down to 1. She is working her butt off, but cannot do it alone… there are others who advise, and a family of hard workers with health problems, so they cannot stay….

Here we are. Im out of my savings, Safaris is out of its winter donations, with no clue of when they can get their license.

Do I wait on them to survive or fail? and let things go potentially down hill? Do I put it on the market, and see if there is a buyer with a family who can run this and reopen? Do I sell off animals one by one, and pray they go to loving places?
Now my hands are tied. I’m disabled. But feeling this mission of rescue is a heart felt necessity for people to see what PEOPLE are doing to our wildlife. These animals have no option of release to the wild. They expect room service, meals, playtime…. do not know how to live. Most have been altered to where they could not, even if they were trained to be wild, exist….declawed, neutered, defanged…
My heart and prayers tell me “something will come along” and take over. Or a buyer. Or …..

SOooooo here I am, praying for small donations to keep them fed….. knowing one month it wont be there. THEN WHAT?

Do you want to have a zoo? I have a crew to help you. OR Do you need tax write off so that our new crew can continue till they can open?
Do you want to just volunteer and help that way? <> This stress is just making me more and more disabled…. I want to help, but if the stress keeps on, I’ll be in wheelchair soon… and cant help at all.

DO YOU KNOW of anyone ??? Any corporation that would want the sponsorship, or an animal loving family wants the investment for a life of working what you love? Tell everyone and anyone you know…. and maybe someone might want to help. Some way, any way, small, large, take over….buy it…

I do not think this mission should be lost…. people are still out there buying these animals, with no idea what they are getting into. The education still needs to be out there!!! The place for these animals to go still needs to be out there!! Otherwise the breeding, ignorantly buying, then getting rid of them –will end up with all these innocent, misplaced animals killed! Please HELP. SHARE this message. Call us 918-357-5683

END QUOTE
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See original post and the photos and other documents attached to it, on Safari’s Truth Destination page on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.428753227202369.1073741825.375092402568452&type=1