citation_inspection: 10998

It is evident that due to the nature and severity of the animal husbandry issues at the facility that there is a lack of adequately trained employees. The facility relies on volunteer workers. The president of the facility stated to APHIS inspectors that there was no formalized scheduling of workers at the facility. A lack of properly trained employees can result in facility and animal conditions that result in unnecessary animal suffering. Animal numbers must be reduced or more properly trained workers need to be added. Workers need to be trained in the basic needs of the animals at the facility. Topics should include at a minimum: the importance of adequate water, the need for adequate bedding during times of extreme weather, the importance of cleaning and good housekeeping procedures, proper diet for different species of animals and observation of animals for abnormal conditions and behaviors. This training should be done in conjunction with the attending veterinarian or his designee. A list of topics covered and attendees must be documented for review by APHIS. A facility schedule needs to be developed that allows for adequate employee coverage in order to address all animal husbandry needs. Also the facility president is the only one authorized to work with the dangerous animals at the facility. All animal work must be done with the dangerous animals under his direct supervision. This limits the amount of time that is available to service the dangerous animal enclosures as the facility president is often offsite. This leads to poor sanitation in the dangerous animal enclosures. The facility president needs to find a way to be onsite more or hire trained staff to help run the facility. The inspection was conducted with the facility president on 9-9-14. An exit interview was conducted at that time and all non-compliant items were explained to the facility president. A formal exit interview was conducted with the facility president on 9-11-14. Additional Inspectors Bongard Carrie, Animal Care Inspector