Fresno County rescue says 45 animals taken during 'raid' by the state

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) - A section carnal rescue says their licence was suspended aft they were "raided" by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), forcing animals to beryllium turned distant oregon "left to die." CDFW says they were retired of compliance owed to "animal payment concerns."

"If you precocious visited Critter Creek during our Spring Open House, you noticed the full installation and cages were unfastened to the public," a Tuesday social media post by the rescue reads.

During the past week of January, Critter Creek says the CDFW conducted an unannounced inspection of their facility. On Feb. 10, they accidental each carnal but for those nether their education/exhibiting licence was confiscated. CDFW confirmed a full of 45 animals were removed for veterinary assessment.

About 2 weeks later, the rescue received a missive stating that their rehab licence had been suspended pending correction of 10 deficiencies. A deadline of June 1 was fixed for erstwhile Critter Creek would beryllium reinspected.

Among the deficiencies, the CDFW cited carnal payment concerns, stating that 16 animals had to beryllium "euthanized owed to terrible injuries," that "two bald eagles had terrible nutritional deficiencies," and "one location finch was recovered dormant and partially decomposed successful an enclosure."

Critter Creek, however, says respective of the birds that were euthanized were injured portion CDFW tried to drawback and load them into carriers.

Animals were besides confiscated from the installation for nonaccomplishment to "maintain written diligent records for each rehabilitation carnal being cared for." However, Critter Creek says they bash not person diligent records connected tract due to the fact that they bash not person the funds to prosecute a unit veterinarian; instead, the San Joaquin Vet Hospital helps them dainty their wildlife, and arsenic such, the records are with them, off-site.

The section listed 10 reasons for the confiscation successful the Feb. 26 letter:

1. Failure to support written diligent records for each rehabilitation carnal being cared for.
2. Nineteen of the 34 enclosures failed to conscionable the minimum enclosure standards.
3. 45 animals were housed for longer than 180 days without an education/exhibiting permit.
4. Animals were not cared for: 16 animals had to beryllium euthanized owed to terrible injuries, 2 bald eagles had terrible nutritional deficiencies, and 1 location finch was recovered dormant and partially decomposed successful an enclosure.
5. Medical records oregon certifications of non-releasability were not provided for either of the facility's non-releasable animals.
6. Animal enclosures had not been decently cleaned successful astatine slightest 3 years.
7. Domestic cats had entree to the superior wildlife rehabilitation country and infirmary.
8. Rehabilitation opossums were disposable to permanently housed predators (i.e., Canadian lynx, bobcat, upland lion), causing stress.
9. Unlawful possession of astatine slightest 4 California godforsaken tortoises, a taxon listed arsenic threatened.
10. Several rehabilitation enclosures were adjacent to oregon crossed from restricted taxon enclosures successful areas of the installation that are unfastened to the public.

The rescue says that aft 3 months of costly repairs and hundreds of hours of unpaid work, they were acceptable for reinspection. However, by June 1, determination was nary reinspection, and are present disquieted their installation whitethorn not reopen, creating a occupation for the animals.

"During this time, determination was lone 1 wildlife rehabber trying to conscionable the needs of the full Central Valley. By the 1st of June, they were astatine capableness and nary longer accepting animals. Animals had to beryllium taken retired of the portion oregon near to die," they wrote.

"We contacted the CDFW, lone to beryllium told that they would not behaviour a reinspection. The lone reasons fixed were 'ongoing probe and further carnal payment concerns.' I’m not definite they ever intended to reinstate our rehab licence from the beginning."

The rescue says that though "none of this was done legally," they are incapable to prosecute an lawyer owed to the repair expenses and a $10,000 assistance that they accidental the CDFW nullified. They accidental the section is besides successful the process of trying to contradict a assistance they were expected to person from Fresno County.