citation_inspection

During inspection of records, it appeared some recommendations of the attending veterinarian had not been followed to provide adequate care to the giraffe herd. Three giraffes were in declining body condition when they died. In September of 2013, the veterinarian at that time had instituted a Body Condition check involving photographing each individual giraffe from various angles. There was a turnover in Veterinary Staff and the formal practice was not performed in March/April 2014 or thereafter, although the new attending veterinarian has re-instated this practice for this time forward. The first animal, a 14-year old Masai giraffe named Naivasha, was evaluated on Jan 30, 2014. The medical record indicates that a retrospective comparison revealed that her body condition had declined since the previous year (2013). The veterinarian recommended adding one pound of supplemental feed (cid:28)Boost(cid:29) to her diet for an indefinite period, but no formal prescription or treatment sheet was issued. While at least one record indicates Boost was provided as a treat during training, there is no further documentation that Boost was added to her diet. The next assessment of body condition was documented on May 22, 2014, when she was noted to have poor body condition. There is documentation that the animal was formally prescribed and actually treated with the Boost feed at that time. On August 7, 2014, the veterinarian noted: (cid:28)Body condition is not showing improvement despite good consumption of supplemental feed (Boost).(cid:29) On August 12, 2014 the records state (cid:28)Giraffe found dead in stall this AM. Plans had been for immobilization Thursday 8-21 with dental consult& Animal(cid:25)s condition and mentation had declined steadily&(cid:29); even though Naivasha had been maintained in the giraffe barn and adjoining yard rather than in pasture for over a year, which allowed for more intensive monitoring and treatment. The second animal was an 8-year old Baringo giraffe named Geraldine. There is no evidence in the medical record of her body condition having been documented with photographs, other than the September/October 2013 set of photos. On May 28, 2014, this animal was brought into the chute for treatment of a chronic parasite problem (documented high counts for parasites in fecal samples on April 16, May 2, and May 23, 2014). The animal was resistant to handling and became recumbent. Despite veterinary care and monitoring provided, the animal was unable to stand, did not recover, and was euthanized. The body condition score stated in the necropsy report was 2/5 or 3/9, (very lean to slightly thin) with evidence of GI tract abnormalities consistent with chronic parasite burden and/or a suboptimal diet. The third animal, Mickey, a 19-year old female giraffe, died on 6/20/2013 from a rhinoceros goring. This animal had pathology suggestive of being in an energy deficient state at the time of the goring. This animal died before the attending veterinarian recommended routine Body Condition assessments. Failure to follow the veterinarian(cid:25)s recommendations may compromise the provision of adequate veterinary care, which requires accurate and detailed records relating to follow up actions as part of the program of veterinary care. Each exhibitor must assure that the attending veterinarian has proper authority to ensure the provision of adequate veterinary care and to oversee the adequacy of other aspects of animal care and use. This includes the assurance that when treatments or specialized diets are prescribed, that they will be administered properly and that if a treatment failure is noted, or if animals are not eating a prescribed diet, the veterinarian will be made aware of it so that they are able to formulate an alternative plan. Correct by ensuring that the attending veterinarian has appropriate authority over the adequacy of veterinary care and other aspects of other animal care and use, including nutrition, handling, husbandry, and animal compatibility. Documentation of the Attending Veterinarian(cid:25)s recommendations on these issues and facility response (treatment administration, nutrition, policy development, plan implementation, etc.) shall be maintained by the facility and made available to APHIS Officials upon request. To be corrected by: from this time forward.

The following areas were found in need of repair or replacement: 1. The indoor enclosures and holding areas for the cheetahs had flaking and pitted rust on the metal bars of the enclosure. 2. The plywood in the indoor giraffe housing area currently has several areas where the surface layer of the wood has peeled or chipped away. From the floor level to approximately 1 foot in height around the indoor enclosure there was water staining and soaked areas of plywood. 3. The black floor mat in the entry way of the indoor giraffe enclosure was significantly peeling, with missing chunks. 4. In the hoof-stock and rhino barns the plastic weather/freezer strips hung at the top of the doors were in disrepair. These strips were broken in several enclosures and throughout all enclosures were stained with fecal material, dirt and debris. 5. In the Med barn, the roof has a large area that is wet on the inside from water damage from a leak in the roof. 6. In the Med barn, along both sides of the hallway fronting the stalls, there is missing wood at the base and there is water damage. All of these areas are in need of repair or replacement. All animal enclosures must be properly maintained to adequately contain the animals and protect them from injury. These repairs will also promote proper cleaning of enclosures to facilitate the prescribed husbandry practices set forth in the regulations and standards. Correct by 16 November 2015

Based on the noncompliances identified in this inspection, this facility does not appear to currently have a sufficient number of adequately trained employees to maintain the professional level of husbandry practices described in the regulations and standards for the 460 USDA-regulated animals (30+ species) in their care. The majority of these species are being managed in large multi-species exhibits with active breeding programs and therefore animals are present in a variety of different life-stages. As a result, there are complex medical, behavioral, nutritional, and other husbandry needs for these animals. Relevant areas of non-compliance identified on this report include: inadequate daily observations of all animals, inadequate management of animals showing signs of incompatibly, failure to properly complete veterinarian prescribed treatments and husbandry recommendations, and inadequate general facility maintenance. With regard to record-keeping, there are numerous days that facility husbandry logs have not been completed by staff members, suggesting either that there were an insufficient number of employees to be able to have the time to complete the logs, or that the employees in those areas were insufficiently trained in facility protocols. The Vice President and the Director of Animal Management stated that training of all new employees is largely via on the job training with current employees. Inspectors were informed that all employees are expected to work in all areas of the facility when the normally assigned keepers are absent; however, there are limited guidelines, checklists or Standard Operating Procedures for employees to follow when working in areas they aren(cid:25)t typically assigned to ensure tasks are completed per facility protocols. All facilities are required to have a sufficient number of adequately trained employees to maintain the professional husbandry standards described in the regulations and standards, and to ensure that animals are receiving appropriate monitoring, veterinary care, feeding, watering, and other care. The licensee must evaluate the current staffing level and employee training procedures to ensure that a sufficient number of adequately trained employees are utilized to compile and manage appropriate records and to maintain the professionally acceptable level of husbandry practices described in the regulations and standards. Correct by: 16 November 2015.

***The shift door on the cotton-top tamarin and the emperor tamarin enclosure is rusted in several areas on the surface of the door frame. Excessive rust can prevent effective sanitization of the surface, which may affect the health of the animals through buildup of pathogens. ***In the chimpanzee enclosure there was rust on the metal brackets holding the elevated platforms. There was also peeling paint in several areas on the back wall of the enclosure. Excessive rust and peeling paint can prevent effective sanitization of the surface, which may affect the health of the animals through buildup of pathogens. Surfaces which come into contact with nonhuman primates must be free of excessive rust and constructed in such a manner to promote effective cleaning and sanitization of the surface and preserve structural strength.

*** The smaller outdoor enclosure containing 2 tigers had an area of water and mud that encompassed about one-third of the enclosure. An area that doesn'(cid:25)t drain and allows water and mud to accumulate has the potential to cause sanitation related diseases. A suitable method shall be provided to rapidly eliminate excess water. Correct by December 8, 2015. The inspection and exit interview were conducted with the Deputy Director.

Two juvenile Syrian brown bears are in an enclosure that will not accommodate their needs as adults. The enclosure is constructed of welded wire panels and wood. These wire panels will not be strong enough to contain the animals as adults. There are no lock outs to ensure safe servicing of the enclosure. The enclosure is not clean. It contains excess fecal material and the bedding is all wet. The entire enclosure has no dry areas for the bears to lie in. A new enclosure that can safely house these animals as adults must be constructed. An inadequate housing facilities leads to multiple problems including: poor sanitation, improper shelter from elements, failure to contain the animals and inadequate veterinary care. Correct by: 11-7-15

The resting shelf in the Japanese Macaque enclosure contains more than a daily accumulation of feces. Areas that this animal comes in contact with must be spot cleaned daily. Clean this enclosure daily to minimize disease and odor problems that can be caused by excessive fecal material present in the enclosure. Correct by: 10-9-15

The produce cooler contains spoiled produce. Deteriorating and liquefying boxes, bags and heads of lettuce were present in the cooler. A case of molding peppers was in the cooler. Cauliflower heads with dark black spots were in the cooler. Molding tomatoes were oozing juice onto softening apples in the case in which they were stored. Pears were discolored and deteriorating. Spoiled produce must be removed promptly to prevent contamination of food intended to be fed to the animals. Sort and remove spoiled produce promptly. This cooler needs to be cleaned and have spoiled and deteriorating items removed in order to prevent contamination of food items that will be fed to the animals. Although the CEO of the facility has stated that produce is sorted before feeding, the rotting condition of the produce just fed the night before to the American black bears would indicate that this is not always the case.

The entire Syrian brown bear enclosure contains wet dirty bedding. These animals must have access to dry area to prevent needless discomfort and suffering. Ensure that these animals have access to dry resting area. Correct by: 10-11-15

The water receptacles for the enclosures containing the tigers Lily and Hank have a layer of algae scum on their interiors indicating that they are not being cleaned adequately. The enclosure containing the Syrian brown bears has no water in the receptacle. The only source of water for the enclosure is a muddy pool of water. The water receptacle for the enclosure housing two bobcats has a layer of algae slime on its interior indicating that it is not being cleaned adequately. Unclean water receptacles can affect water palatability and lead to decreased water consumption. This can have an adverse effect on the health of the animals in these enclosures. Contaminated water can also lead to other potential health issues for these animals such as bacterial or parasitic infection. Clean these water receptacles as often as needed to keep the water in the receptacles clean and sanitary.

The majority of the premise is filled with various debris, old equipment, boards, trash, buckets, tires and fence. Several other buildings on the property are also filled with old equipment and debris and trash. Tall weeds are located throughout the facility. These areas provide ample hiding areas for rodents and other pests and numerous rodent holes were located throughout the facility. All this material must be removed to help control pests. The sink in the butcher area is dirty and filled with dirty utensils and cleaning supplies. The chain saw used for butchering is covered in meat and bone material from food processing. These things must be cleaned in order to ensure that processed meat does not become contaminated. Contaminated meat fed to the animals can make them ill and lead to unnecessary suffering. The sink in the warm room area, the window above the sink and the area under the sink is very dirty. The condition of this area makes it impossible to keep food items clean as they are processed for the animals. These areas need to be cleaned to ensure food processed for animals is not contaminated. The pools located in the grizzly bear, Asian black bear, American black bear and bobcat enclosures are very dirty. They contain large amounts of green water and algae. These pools must be drained and cleaned. Stagnate water in these pools can become breeding grounds for mosquitos which are vectors for several diseases which can make the animals ill.

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. 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. A facility schedule needs to be developed that allows for adequate employee coverage in order to address all animal husbandry needs. For the most part, the facility CEO is the only one authorized to work with the dangerous animals at the facility as the other authorized party has very limited availability. 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 CEO is often offsite. This leads to poor sanitation in the dangerous animal enclosures. The facility CEO needs to find a way to be onsite more or hire trained staff to help run the facility. An exit interview was conducted at the conclusion of the inspection with the facility CEO. AC personnel present were Kurt Hammel and Carrie Bongard. A formal exit interview was conducted with the facility CEO and Kurt Hammel on 10-8-15. Additional Inspectors Bongard Carrie, Animal Care Inspector

* There was one 250 mg bottle containing Metronidazole tablets with an expiration date of 10/2014. This medication was intermingled with other products that are currently being used at the facility and are therefore ready for use. The effectiveness of the dosage level and expected results could be drastically changed or may not work as anticipated if the medication is administrated past the recorded expiration date. In addition, the usage of expired medications on regulated animals is not considered to be an acceptable veterinary practice. The licensee must ensure that all medications used at the facility have not gone past the recorded expiration date. Correct by 10/20/15. ********************************** * One bottle labeled as "strongent" wormer had no recorded expiration date on the label. This medication was intermingled with other products that are currently being used at the facility and are therefore ready for use. The expected results could be drastically changed or may not work as anticipated if the expiration date is unknown at time of usage. Medications must be labeled with accurate information to ensure that the contents are not used past the expiration date. The licensee must ensure that all medications used at the facility are labeled with an expiration date. Correct by 10/20/15.

* There are Certificates of Veterinary Inspection showing that the licensee shipped seven Basset Hounds on 4/12/15, three Basset Hounds on 4/26/15, six Basset Hounds on 6/19/15 and one Dachshund on 4/12/15. She did not have these breeds on her premises during the inspection or APHIS 7006 forms to show that they have left the premise since that time. These dogs are considered to have been brokered by the licensee with her B license status. The licensee had no documentation that these puppies were purchased from a USDA licensed breeder. The licensee did not have a written certification form from the breeder of these puppies on file stating where the puppies were born and raised and how many breeding females are possessed by the breeder. Proper record keeping is essential for tracking movement of animals and to facilitate the inspection process. The licensee shall not knowingly obtain dogs from any person who is not licensed without obtaining a written certification that the animals were born and raised on that person's premise and that this person does not maintain more than four breeding female dogs. The licensee must obtain and keep all signed certification statements on file and must be made available at the inspector's request. To be corrected from this date forward.

* An estimated three foot section of galvanized panel has protruding, sharp points extending upwards in one enclosure housing three dogs. Protruding, sharp points could injure the dogs. The licensee must ensure that all enclosure wires be free of sharp points that might injure the animals. Correct 10/20/15.

* The exterior wood edge surrounding the entry way to one enclosure is showing bare, deteriorated, and missing wood. Five puppies are in contact with the affected surface area located in sheltered housing. Bare, deteriorated wood surfaces cannot be readily cleaned and sanitized. Surfaces not maintained on a regular basis could lead to disease, health risks and potential unsanitary conditions. The licensee must ensure that all surfaces are maintained on a regular basis. Any surface that cannot be readily cleaned and sanitized must be replaced when worn or soiled. Correct by 11/6/15.

* There is a mixture of dirt and grime collecting on the top cover and the interior of one food storage container. The nutritive value could be affected if the feed becomes contaminated. It can harbor bacteria and other disease causing agents that can affect the health and well-being of the dogs. The licensee must ensure that all supplies of food must be stored in a manner that protects the supplies from spoilage, contamination and vermin infestation. Correct by 10/20/15. * The facility inspection and verbal exit briefing done on 10/6/15 were conducted with the licensee, Dr. Margaret Shaver VMO and Robert Bacon ACI. * The exit briefing done on 10/13/15 were conducted with the licensee and Robert Bacon ACI. Additional Inspectors Shaver Margaret, Veterinary Medical Officer

A responsible adult was not available to accompany APHIS Officials during the inspection process at 1111-1141 on 10/06/2015.

A responsible adult was not available to accompany APHIS Officials during the inspection process at 1142 on 10/06/2015. Representative stated that no one was available today.

** The primary enclosures(cid:25) for the muntjac, llamas, pigs, goats and sheep did not have a public attendant. On the first day of the inspection, when the facility did not have any public visitors at the park, the Executive Director stated that they would have an attendant accompany the public groups when they entered the park. That was not displayed on the second day of the inspection. While discussing the exit briefing there were two public groups present at different ends of the petting zoo area feeding animals without any public attendant. All petting zoo areas should have monitoring by a public attendant that is responsible, knowledgeable, and readily identifiable at all times during public contact to ensure the safety of the animals and public. Correct by October 11, 2014

** There was no light in the largest night house for the 4 Patas monkeys. Not having a light in this night house made it difficult to access the conditions. If not for the flash on the camera the damage of the ceiling would have gone unnoticed. The night house can't be inspected adequately to determine compliance (or non compliance) with the applicable husbandry requirements, as well as to assess the condition of the deteriorated/moldy wood that is currently present. Housing facilities shall have adequate lighting for carrying out the husbandry requirements in accordance with the regulations as well as assessing the condition of the building materials.

** In the enclosure containing 4 pigs and 5 llamas there were two cow panels leaning against the animals shed haphazardly placed where the animals could injure themselves passing between the shed and a small holding pen adjacent to the shed. Also the holding pen has a piece of sheet metal from the roofing on an adjacent shed that protrudes outward that could possible injure one of the taller llamas if held in this pen. The cow panels were last used when the animals were being caught to apply insect repellent and had been stored there since. Any materials that do not serve a purpose for the animals within and that could potentially injure the animals should be removed, replaced and/or repaired to prevent this from occurring. Corrected immediately. ** On the west side of the pigs and llamas enclosure there are two holes big enough for a small mammal to gain access. Since there are perimeter fence deficiencies in these areas there is a high potential of an animal to gain entry to the primary enclosure. One hole could possibly allow one of the pigs to escape. These holes should be constructed of such strength and maintained to properly contain the pigs. Corrected by the exit interview.

** The entire perimeter fence has deficiencies on each side that could potentially allow unwanted animals access to the park or allow animals to escape if their primary enclosures are breached. On the west side of the perimeter fence, near one of their deficiencies close to the west side of the pigs primary enclosure, there are holes in the fence big enough for a medium sized dog to get it. With the current deficiencies on the pig(cid:25)s primary enclosure this could allow the animals to escape. On the north side of the perimeter fence there are many breaches in the fence. These areas of deficiencies are extensive and the entire perimeter fence should be thoroughly checked and repaired.

The wolves' diet is a non-commercially prepared mix consisting of beef, chicken, and fish with supplements. This diet has not been reviewed by the Attending Veterinarian. The non-commercially prepared diet must be reviewed by the Attending Veterinarian; to ensure the diet is of sufficient quantity and nutritive value to maintain all animals in good health. Steps must be taken to follow the Veterinarian reviewed dietary guideline for proper feeding of the wolves. To be corrected by: November 6, 2015 Exit interview conducted with facility representative.

The enclosures for the calf and sheep / goats have many dangling and protruding pieces of wire that could potentially cause injury to the animals. Animal enclosures should be constructed and maintained in a manner that minimizes the risk of injury. To be corrected by 10/16/15. An exit briefing was conducted with the exhibitor.

Throughout the facility, there were multiple open and expired bags of saline available for use. In the dog treatment area, a majority of the injectable drugs were expired: Atropine 10/11, Lidocaine 8/14, Acepromazine 1/15 and Bupivacaine 8/15. The expired drugs were on the regular storage shelves (not separated or labeled as expired) and there were no unexpired medications available. There was no indication that the expired drugs had been used recently on any covered species. Use of expired injectable drugs poses a risk to the animals, and is not considered standard of practice for species covered under the Animal Welfare Act. To be corrected by October 25, 2015

Several sealed bags of food were stored directly on the floor of the main procedure room, which does not adequately protect the food from the possibility of infestation or contamination by vermin. Food bags should be stored off the floor in order to protect them from infestation or contamination by vermin and to clean around them without contaminating the food with cleaning products. In the rabbit housing room, the feed bin did not have a milled date or an expiration date to indicate that the food was wholesome, as is required in the facilities SOP. To be corrected by October 25, 2015

A responsible adult was not available to accompany APHIS Officials during the inspection process at 12:50 pm-1:23 pm on 10/06/2015. We knocked on the house door and honked the car horn, with no response. The voicemail on the phone was full and so we could not leave a message. Additional Inspectors Mcgruder William, Animal Care Inspector

Section 2.126(b) - Access and inspection of records and property: A responsible adult shall be made available to accompany APHIS officials during the inspection process. A responsible adult was not available to accompany APHIS Officials during the inspection process at 12:30 on 10/06/2015. Upon arrival I spoke with the licensee who stated that she could not stay for the inspection process but had to go to a meeting. We discussed future hours of operation and optimal hours for inspection. This is the first attempted inspection.

The (2) sloths are in a room that contains items that are not used for husbandry. The room they are currently housed in is for storage of boxes and miscellaneous items not used for the animals. Animal enclosures must not have any miscellaneous items stored in with the animals to protect the health of the animals because they are free to roam around the room. The licensee must remove all shelves with miscellaneous items and all items not pertaining to the husbandry practices for these sloths. Correct by 10-9-2015

The alpaca and goat enclosures do not prohibit unsupervised contact between the animal and the guests at the facility. Unsupervised contact between the animals and the public puts the animals and the public at risk of potential harm. Steps should be taken to minimize such risks, either by assuring that a trained attendant is present any time contact could occur, or by installing sufficient barriers to prevent such contact. To be corrected immediately via temporary means, and with a permanent correction to be completed by 12/1/15.

The enclosures for the alpacas and for the goats contained elements that are potentially hazardous to the animals: - The alpaca enclosure had exposed electrical wires on the ground, inside the enclosure, within reach of the animals. - The goat enclosure contained wooden pallets that had protruding nails. Two exotic feline enclosures were in need of repair: - In the inside shelter enclosure for the bobcat the linoleum on the floor was peeling, and deteriorating. - In the inside shelter enclosure for the serval named "Ptah" the linoleum floor was discolored, buckling and lifting from the floor, suggesting that moisture had gotten underneath of it. Next to the door there was bare wood exposed. Additionally there was a small hole in the wall opposite the door (less than an inch in size), and upon examining the back of the enclosure from the outside it was observed that there was severe deterioration of the wood, threatening the structural integrity of the enclosure. Failure to maintain enclosures in good repair could result in injury or escape. Sharp objects and electrical wires could cause injury or death. Deteriorating surfaces present an ingestion risk, threaten structural strength, and impede cleaning. Animal enclosures should be free of objects that could cause injury to the animals. Enclosures should be maintained in good repair, so that they can be kept clean. Enclosures should be regularly repaired so as to maintain their structural integrity and prevent escape or injury. Steps should be taken immediately to remove all hazards from enclosures. Repairs should be completed by 12/1/15. An exit interview was conducted with facility representatives.

***During the inspection, the licensee stated to the Veterinary Medical Officer that she had recently, within a couple days, preventatively dewormed the kittens (6 animals) using Nemex-2. The licensee could not supply any prescriptions or directions on medication usage from the AV nor was the usage detailed in the program of veterinary care. Injuries and diseases that are not treated properly (as directed by a veterinarian or detailed in the program of veterinary care) may be painful and can lead to prolonged suffering, infection, and other veterinary care problems. The licensee must use appropriate methods to prevent, control, diagnose, and treat diseases and injuries. All medications used by the licensee in regulated animals, must have detailed directions regarding their usage, from a veterinarian. To be corrected by 10/14/15.

All of the dogs were last vaccinated for Rabies, Distemper, & Kennel Cough on August 5, 2014. The program of Veterinary Care, and a conversation with the attending veterinarian's office, indicates that the dogs shall be vaccinated yearly. Yearly vaccinations are required to protect the dogs from communicable diseases, and the lack of timely revaccinations are not an appropriate method to prevent diseases. Your dogs shall be vaccinated according to the veterinarian's recommendations on the Program of Veterinary Care. The licensee has recently moved. This inspection is to approve a new location. When the above non compliance is corrected, please contact this inspector to schedule another visit. You may not conduct any regulated activity until this location is approved. The exit interview was conducted with the licensee and interpreters.