Post by cambygsp on Sept 24, 2005 6:07:10 GMT -5
www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050924/NEWS01/509240470
DNR seizes 7 tigers from farm
Agency says owner of more than 30 exotic animals kept them in 'horrific' conditions.
By Tammy Webber and Paul Bird
tammy.webber@indystar.com
FLAT ROCK, Ind. -- At least seven tigers were removed Friday from a Shelby County farm, where more than 30 exotic animals were living in filthy, unsafe conditions, state Department of Natural Resources officials said.
Conservation officers raided the farm at dawn and began seizing the animals -- including tigers, leopards and bears -- but halted the operation after Shelby Superior Court Judge Jack Tandy issued an injunction preventing the animals' removal.
The farm's owner, Dennis Hill, later agreed to give up some of the animals voluntarily, including 12 of his 24 tigers. One trailer containing seven tigers left his property around 5:30 p.m.; officials said they expected more would be removed later Friday and today.
DNR officials, who described "horrific" conditions with animals living in 6 to 8 inches of mud, feces and urine, said they believed Hill's license to keep and sell the animals had been revoked by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
DNR Director Kyle Hupfer said he had a letter from a USDA attorney stating Hill was not authorized to possess any of the animals, "and we are confident he is not lawfully possessing animals pursuant to USDA guidelines."
But Hill said his license had been suspended, not revoked, and that the USDA agreed to let him to care for and sell the remaining animals. A copy of a settlement agreement between Hill and the USDA submitted in court said Hill could sell the animals but not buy additional ones.
Tandy scheduled a hearing for next Friday to hear from both sides on the restraining order.
Hill, who said he has been raising exotic animals for more than 20 years, said the animals were "a little muddy" because of recent rains but otherwise well-cared-for. He acknowledged he had too many animals to care for himself and that it had become a "maintenance problem."
"It's a sad thing to have to give them" away, he said.
Hill is known in Shelby County for his animals and his brushes with the law.
He was convicted in Shelby County in June 2004 of possession of methamphetamine, maintaining a common nuisance and possession of stolen property. The convictions stemmed from his arrest in 2002.
Hill was sentenced to three years in prison, but 30 months was suspended, and he served six months on detention at Shelby County's community corrections facility.
The DNR began investigating Hill's Willow Hill Center for Rare and Endangered Tigers in August and photographed what officials said were squalid conditions during an inspection three weeks ago. Some animals were being kept in the small, dilapidated, white frame farmhouse with Hill, officials said.
Many were in unsafe, unlocked or insecure enclosures, officials said. The roof of the mountain lion cage, for example, had a hole in it.
Hupfer said several of the 250-pound cats could have roamed the Shelby County countryside if they managed to escape from cages inside a barn -- which had some of its exterior boards missing.
Tom Winterrowd, Shelbyville, who owns a farm adjacent to Hill's property, said he never feared the animals because he always carries a gun on his farm, but he was glad the state was trying to remove them. He said Hill has had a variety of animals over the years, including wolves, and the situation was not safe for the neighbors.
"But I never saw animals that looked like they were abused," Winterrowd said.
DNR officials arranged for the animals to be taken by seven or eight certified animal rescue facilities, Hupfer said. Hill had 11 adult and eight juvenile Bengal tigers, one juvenile and four adult white tigers, three spotted leopards, three black leopards, three adult black bears and one juvenile bear, one mountain lion and one ring-tail lemur.
"I think Mr. Hill realizes he is overwhelmed," Hupfer said. "I don't think he can remedy the situation just by removing a couple of animals. The best-case scenario is for him to give them up voluntarily."
Joe Taft, who owns the Exotic Feline Rescue Center near Terre Haute, was waiting to see whether Hill would allow him to take five leopards. Taft, who said he took two tigers from Hill's farm after Hill was arrested in 2002, said the conditions at Hill's farm were poor.
Taft blamed the USDA for allowing the situation to worsen and said it "should've put a stop to this years ago."
Indiana doesn't require owners of exotic animals to have a state permit as long as they have one from the USDA. Hupfer said he'd ask lawmakers to require a state permit.
"We absolutely need dual permitting," he said. "We don't want be in situation like this again where a place is USDA-permitted and we don't know about it. We need to be examining these sites on a regular basis."
In 1999, the USDA fined Hill $2,500 and suspended his license for 75 days after finding he kept an improper shelter with cleaning and sanitation violations and problems with food and water.
The department charged Hill last year with general compliance violations under the Animal Welfare Act. He was appealing a $20,000 fine and license revocation handed down by the USDA and approved by a judge late last year, USDA spokesman Jim Rogers said.
The USDA was not involved in the animals' removal because it does not have that authority, Rogers said. He said he was not aware that Hill had a criminal history.
Animal inventory
DNR officials said they found these animals at Dennis Hill's property.
• Tigers: 11 adult and eight juvenile Bengal tigers, and four adult white tigers and one juvenile.
• Leopards: Three spotted leopards and three black leopards.
• Bears: Three adult black bears and one juvenile bear.
• Others: One mountain lion and one ring-tail lemur.
DNR seizes 7 tigers from farm
Agency says owner of more than 30 exotic animals kept them in 'horrific' conditions.
By Tammy Webber and Paul Bird
tammy.webber@indystar.com
FLAT ROCK, Ind. -- At least seven tigers were removed Friday from a Shelby County farm, where more than 30 exotic animals were living in filthy, unsafe conditions, state Department of Natural Resources officials said.
Conservation officers raided the farm at dawn and began seizing the animals -- including tigers, leopards and bears -- but halted the operation after Shelby Superior Court Judge Jack Tandy issued an injunction preventing the animals' removal.
The farm's owner, Dennis Hill, later agreed to give up some of the animals voluntarily, including 12 of his 24 tigers. One trailer containing seven tigers left his property around 5:30 p.m.; officials said they expected more would be removed later Friday and today.
DNR officials, who described "horrific" conditions with animals living in 6 to 8 inches of mud, feces and urine, said they believed Hill's license to keep and sell the animals had been revoked by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
DNR Director Kyle Hupfer said he had a letter from a USDA attorney stating Hill was not authorized to possess any of the animals, "and we are confident he is not lawfully possessing animals pursuant to USDA guidelines."
But Hill said his license had been suspended, not revoked, and that the USDA agreed to let him to care for and sell the remaining animals. A copy of a settlement agreement between Hill and the USDA submitted in court said Hill could sell the animals but not buy additional ones.
Tandy scheduled a hearing for next Friday to hear from both sides on the restraining order.
Hill, who said he has been raising exotic animals for more than 20 years, said the animals were "a little muddy" because of recent rains but otherwise well-cared-for. He acknowledged he had too many animals to care for himself and that it had become a "maintenance problem."
"It's a sad thing to have to give them" away, he said.
Hill is known in Shelby County for his animals and his brushes with the law.
He was convicted in Shelby County in June 2004 of possession of methamphetamine, maintaining a common nuisance and possession of stolen property. The convictions stemmed from his arrest in 2002.
Hill was sentenced to three years in prison, but 30 months was suspended, and he served six months on detention at Shelby County's community corrections facility.
The DNR began investigating Hill's Willow Hill Center for Rare and Endangered Tigers in August and photographed what officials said were squalid conditions during an inspection three weeks ago. Some animals were being kept in the small, dilapidated, white frame farmhouse with Hill, officials said.
Many were in unsafe, unlocked or insecure enclosures, officials said. The roof of the mountain lion cage, for example, had a hole in it.
Hupfer said several of the 250-pound cats could have roamed the Shelby County countryside if they managed to escape from cages inside a barn -- which had some of its exterior boards missing.
Tom Winterrowd, Shelbyville, who owns a farm adjacent to Hill's property, said he never feared the animals because he always carries a gun on his farm, but he was glad the state was trying to remove them. He said Hill has had a variety of animals over the years, including wolves, and the situation was not safe for the neighbors.
"But I never saw animals that looked like they were abused," Winterrowd said.
DNR officials arranged for the animals to be taken by seven or eight certified animal rescue facilities, Hupfer said. Hill had 11 adult and eight juvenile Bengal tigers, one juvenile and four adult white tigers, three spotted leopards, three black leopards, three adult black bears and one juvenile bear, one mountain lion and one ring-tail lemur.
"I think Mr. Hill realizes he is overwhelmed," Hupfer said. "I don't think he can remedy the situation just by removing a couple of animals. The best-case scenario is for him to give them up voluntarily."
Joe Taft, who owns the Exotic Feline Rescue Center near Terre Haute, was waiting to see whether Hill would allow him to take five leopards. Taft, who said he took two tigers from Hill's farm after Hill was arrested in 2002, said the conditions at Hill's farm were poor.
Taft blamed the USDA for allowing the situation to worsen and said it "should've put a stop to this years ago."
Indiana doesn't require owners of exotic animals to have a state permit as long as they have one from the USDA. Hupfer said he'd ask lawmakers to require a state permit.
"We absolutely need dual permitting," he said. "We don't want be in situation like this again where a place is USDA-permitted and we don't know about it. We need to be examining these sites on a regular basis."
In 1999, the USDA fined Hill $2,500 and suspended his license for 75 days after finding he kept an improper shelter with cleaning and sanitation violations and problems with food and water.
The department charged Hill last year with general compliance violations under the Animal Welfare Act. He was appealing a $20,000 fine and license revocation handed down by the USDA and approved by a judge late last year, USDA spokesman Jim Rogers said.
The USDA was not involved in the animals' removal because it does not have that authority, Rogers said. He said he was not aware that Hill had a criminal history.
Animal inventory
DNR officials said they found these animals at Dennis Hill's property.
• Tigers: 11 adult and eight juvenile Bengal tigers, and four adult white tigers and one juvenile.
• Leopards: Three spotted leopards and three black leopards.
• Bears: Three adult black bears and one juvenile bear.
• Others: One mountain lion and one ring-tail lemur.
