| GILCREASE (LAS VEGAS) ANIMAL DANGER |
Emotional precautions are indicated prior to further
reading, as this page is an animal abuse allegation report.
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Slaughter at Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary Las Vegas Nevada, NOT Rehab Sanctuary...
Goat leg with a rope around it...found January 2008 in the dumpster. 2006 they were allegedly fined by the Health Department for slaughtering animals in the backwoods of our homes... and dumping of solid waste improperly. A witnessed employee stated workers were told to back hoe animal bodies into the dirt. Although they claim to be a wildlife rehabilitation rescue facility requesting 501 tax status donations, they DO NOT disclose to the community that….
Employee Allegations of Animal Abuse, Torture & Neglect
Allegations of kicking to severe injury, forced animal restraint and dragging, punishment of dogs with no food or water during summer, selling pigeons for target practice, animal slaughtering & inappropriate city code disposal, allowing feral cat attacks on site rescue pigeons…
*Dropped off pigeons by the community believing this was a rescue situation…however birds left in cages without water in temperatures of over 110. *Cockatiels left without food because site managers went on vacation. *Chihuahua attempting to mate. Oscar Munoz Gilcrease (animal manager with numerous employee complaints against him) kicked small dog so hard it is now blind in one eye. *Employees asked to manually kill sick birds by breaking their necks. *Well birds left during the day found with broken legs the next. *Breeding Chihuahuas and selling for $330 a dog. *Goat dragged out of petting zoo and throat slit on flat bed truck. *Veterinarian documented malnutrition of site birds. *Dog being kicked & tied up in the middle of the summer without food or water on a short cord because of chicken killing. *Dogs being locked up for days in dark concrete feces infested outside rooms because of barking at night. *Animal slaughter in back woods. *Baby donkey born early January, left outside in the cold…no special care was given and the donkey died in 2 days. *Allowed 4 large Iguanas to freeze to death this winter. *Rabbit left in cage with severe eye injury. Staff refused vet care until a volunteer took the animal herself. *Rabbits left in heat and severe cold in SMALL cages sometimes cramped with each other and not allowed out of cage exercise for months. *Stated they had no money for animal care but came back from trip after buying a small herd of cows. *Many large parrots are left in small cages for months and months without vet care, proper food, disinfected cages or enrichment protocols needed to STAY ALIVE!
Community Funding & Donation Fraud
Employees killed and ate on site petting zoo goats, chickens, ducks, pigs. Selling birds, goats, as slaughter food or for target practice (pigeons). Gilcrease is believed to have a Million Dollar+ trust and large land properties, however board members continue to use false community marketing information for community donations. Reselling and stealing of donated animal food by employees. Leading owners dropping animals off to believe FULL care will be given such as nutrition, enrichment and veterinarian support. As stated by board members a LARGE donation was given for habitat correction...where is it!!!??
Nutritional, shelter & housing temperature management and veterinary access are of great worry. Portions of large parrot population left in small cages for months and months without natural habitat instinct support such as foraging, climbing and socializing. Reported days of missed feedings… Large portion of avian population is now in a weakened, malnourished state, many showing severe signs of stress. If they arrived in this state they are NOT being fostered in a wellness direction and left in the same state as arrival. Witness reports state animals allowed to become sick and die on site. Site cages and feeding supplies never properly disinfected.
Proper recording of animals on site as well at ID tagging not being done.
Unsafe or no adoption and breeding prevention guidelines are not being implemented. Once babies are grown they fall into the neglected adult population. Animal Records were never submitted to me to proceed with avian record updating and Oscar claimed they were misplaced. A witness has stated they were moved from Charlene’s belongings to the main office. (Tortoise permit up to date
Surrounding housing endangerment
Fire and electrical code concerns. Improper dumping areas on site backwoods. Dead animal carcasses being left around site. At one Gilcrease board meeting it was acknowledged by an electrician that the exterior fencing was mistakenly electrified due to improper grounding. It was believed attempts to correct this were occurring however this is not known. (Elimination: City Fire Code: 229-0366 Inspector violations: #222403)
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If you have sound information about animals at risk at Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary in Las Vegas please contact
Clark County Animal Control
2901 E Sunset Road
Las Vegas, Nevada 89120
Phone: 702-455-7710
...HOWEVER...
A full report with witnessed statements and pictures were sent to Animal Control. However during their short investigation they did not take their own on site photos, did not proceed with vet or witnessed interviews, did not review fire and building code safety, did not review animal documentation and sent an officer that does not have aviary expertise! The final Animal Control report is VERY VERY weak for documentation history to verify allegations about animal welfare care and allegation corrections.
Animal Control, Steve Ross, Chip Maxfield have been notified and have done nothing that we know of.
It appears that WE the people will need to help. Call County Animal Control with legitimate complaints...start a paper trail. Call your city and county councilmen for a RESPONSE! DO NOT leave these animals with these humans!! This property can be can beautiful and amazing aviary rescue home.
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Gilcrease has been offered extensive educational and adoption support from external local organizations but they have so many secrets these outside groups are discouraged from helping.
September of 2007 a four month assessment of Gilcrease began with the intention to provide Gilcrease with educational set up support of a full parrot enrichemtn center. This set up was being done on a volunteer basis. Numerous ideas were submitted during this time as well as documentation forms in the beginning stages.
Initial Submitted GOALS:
1. To decrease stress induced dis-ease patterns such as self mutilation, agitation, depression, respiratory dis-ease, eating disorders, neurological disorders?
2. With the development of a Parrot Enrichment Department in areas relating to out of cage mobility for stress reduction, avian socialization security, digestive and respiratory systems support, physical balance and neurological strength protocols, natural movement and communication behaviors...
3. Create documentation and assessment formulas for drop off, adoption, special needs and fostering parrot candidates.
4. Assist with providing a visibly healthy, educationally supportive, respectful animal care site, so as to promote community support.
5. The final goal was to train employees to take these activities over during their daily routine. However most of the employees did not speak English. This program was to eventually belong to the Gilcrease site & its animal residents.
Also contacted were veterinarian and other various support experts in the community. Manager Loraine Debusk became angry stating this would create trouble by inviting these groups onto the site. This was a confusing reaction me but it was decided to continue on with minimal support. Once general guidelines were up and running, medical and expertise support would be readily welcomed.
A supervised four hour clean out of another building for a rehab extension was comlated as well ( the red building as the idea of expanding the internal parrot enrichment area was not being supported by site managers).
October 24 2007 submitted site deficits that needed to be corrected right away for the health and welfare of the animals. Numerous repeated submission on these matter were given as well as a face to face meeting with Lorraine, Oscar, Bill, and Sandy a board member November 2008 giving them a handout of these concerns.
Animal Nutrition changed and verified by a veterinarian. Records up to date.
Staff veterinarian for medical quarterly walk through consultation or more as needed.
Prior Avian medical screening before bird accepted into main bird site population.
Sick animals have proper veterinarian access. However much of the site illnesses are due to incorrect nutrition.
Cages properly disinfected during cleaning activities. Increase staff to animal care ratio will be the only way.
Key access to cages updated and emergency fire and animal rescue disaster plan put in place.
Assess animal housing temperature management.
Measurable Fostering and permanent Adoption programs implemented. No breeding until this is activated.
NO on site dog breeding.
Drop off ?owner? Avian wish list: ex: grooming perches. (With the correct nutrition and perching needs beaks and nails should not need grooming).
Identification tagging of site animals.
Set flying community birds free. Use birth control pigeon food around site.
Consider Avian Flu disinfectant spray around site.
FYI: Employees and animal handling volunteers should have tetanus shots up to date
FYI: Volunteer liability form sign off and training prior to hands-on with site birds. Proof of own medical coverage may also be indicated.
FYI: This site needs to be rebuilt at one time with a licensed contractor.
FYI: Gilcrease money needs to be released before asking the community for donations.
FYI: Board member?s to handle own areas in: Membership, Education, Grant Writing, Volunteer, Marketing, Site Cleanup?.
Safety signs for small fingers. Birds are unpredictable and may bite. They can easily break a child?s finger.
Others attempts at helping with funding support by including this site with a rocignzied animal care program in conjuncture with a major university.
A food dehydrate was purchased (one of a planned few) to extend and rotate fresh donated food life. The red building kitchen could have been renovated (Fund this project already available) for hygienic food preparation for site animals as well. Much food was allowed to rot and sit in dirty holding areas. She discussed this with Oscar Munoz Gilcrease. He had NO interests. It was also mentioned to Lorraine that the Gilcrease web site could also begin to contain a nutritional page for aviary owners that were Gilcrease club members. Site management did not finalize a response.
Gilcrease paid for an external web site when Amy Herzlich showed them how to set up a site, domain name and hosting package for free. She also offered to show Lorraine how to handle security management of this site and teach a board member how to run it. Lorraine chose to pay. Amy Herzlich offered to show them how to run this new site again for free as it was believed they would have to continue to pay their webmaster. This would keep calendar and memberships updated. Amy, Lorraine, Bill, Jessica and the web master met to discuss and transfer this site, however Lorraine was not interested in the activity being done for free and felt more comfortable paying for this.
Amy Herzlich set up a membership community marketing web site with Meetup.com paid for by Amy and added a main web page on her own personal web site. Both of these were solely for Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary marketing support. Board members were sent Email invitations but not one responded.
At community pet fair booths Amy Herzlich?s company repeatedly asked for promotional handouts but was give minimal to none. This community marketing would have coincided with her support of creating educational Gilcrease workshops with all proceeds going to Gilcrease aviary care.
Lorraine stated Gilcrease purchased a $700 laptop for the new treasurer and are discussing a very expensive security system but still NO financial care for the animal areas appeared to be improving.
A payment of $500.00 was made for a drawing of birds (Gilcrease logo) by a community artist brought in by Thalia D. (board member). Lorraine stated she did not know there would be a charge for this until he sent a bill. This appears to be a questionable expenditure when a photo of Bill Gilcrease and a parrot would have been much more financially prudent allowing this bulk payment to go directly to aviary care. Amy Herzlich?s husband, an amateur photographer offered a photo shoot with pictures being given to Gilcrease for marketing. They were also speaking about trade marking this logo, a very expensive endeavor. I mentioned to Lorraine that perhaps Copywrite may be a more financially prudent path since complaints of having no animal care money continued.
Amy Herzlich prepared to create a handout map of the site with a membership form and a coloring bird picture on the back. This would have been used to promote education for the school field trip program. Lorraine told Amy Herzlich her son was working on this. A summer camp was also a concept shared but again there was no completed interest by Gilcrease concerning these community supported approaches.
Amy Herzlich spent 4 extensive hours with Liz Hanson clearing out a large red building to create an out of cage enrichment extension room for large macaws and cockatoos. The room was found to be infested with spiders and roaches. Prior to this it was suggested that the building attached to the new enrichment building be cleared of chickens and pigeons. This way Amy Herzlich and employed and volunteer staff could work as a team for feeding, cleaning etc. It was imperative to Amy Herzlich that the enrichment program be taken over by site employees. Oscar Munoz Gilcrease refused to proceed with this project. They also continued to hire non English speaking workers not interested in animal care development. Communication with staff training was unable to progress due to this.
Amy Herzlich proceeded with documentation for enrichment activities, labeling cages, and identification photography and record keeping. Oscar Munoz Gilcrease was not interested in supporting this process as he continually made complaining remarks to Laurie H. and other employees about what an unhelpful bother this activity was. Documentation forms are available upon request. She also created an educational atmosphere within the clinic planning on a similar format in the red building for community interest and support. (Photo: Office supplies, site animal framed art, large donated perching station available upon request)
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Board of Directors What do they reallt want wiht a 501 animla sanctury and animla nelgetc goion on...land...money????
Bill is over 90 years old...what are they wating for????
William O. Gilcrease – Founder of GNS, President on GNS Board of Directors, expert in Gambel’s Quail and other indigenous animals to the area.
Helen Mortenson – Vice-President GNS Board of Directors, vice president of Cygnus Scientific, previous secretary for the Nevada State Parks, secretary and co-founder of Archaeological Institute of America (So. Nevada chapter), member of the National Paleontological Society, numerous special honors.
Thalia Dondero – Chairperson GNS Board of Directors, Member on the College Board of Regents, past Chair on Clark County Commissioners, past Chair Las Vegas Valley Water District Board of Directors, past Chair Southern Nevada Water Authority, Executive Director Frontier Girl Scouts Council for Las Vegas, appointed by Dept. of Interior to serve on the National Bureau of Land Management Committee, numerous special honors.
Jack DeBusk – Temporary Treasurer GNS Board of Directors, Attended Fresno State and UNLV for Business and Banking, Retired State of Nevada Senior Bank Examiner, Former Manager at Bank of Nevada, several certifications in State Banking and FDIC training.
Corinne Escobar – Historian GNS Board of Directors and temporary Secretary, MA in Anthropology. President of the Preservation Association of Clark County, a non-profit organization. Local business owner.
Charlene Chadwick – GNS Board of Directors member – previous owner of a successful pet store, knowledgeable about avian health and care.
Robert Murray – GNS Board of Directors, Robert has an Associates Degree in Metallurgical Engineering and is a mechanical technician for the Las Vegas Valley Water District. He spends his free time working with his children in the local Cub Scout program as a den leader and coaching baseball, soccer, and hockey for the parks and recreation department.
Bill Allan – GNS Board of Directors member, Manager of the Gilcrease Orchard Foundation, Certified in Herbicide/Insecticide use, many years experience in agriculture.
Sandra Salinas – GNS Board of Directors member.
Terri Robertson – GNS Board of Directors member, Activist since late 1960’s in conservation and preservation, founder and co-founder of Red Rock Resources Citizens Advisory Committee, Friends of Sloan Canyon, Friends of Tule Springs, CACTuS (Citizens Action Committee for Tule Springs), Friends of Gold Butte, recently retired from Clark County School District as Office manager.
Jessica Pigula - GNS Board of Directors member, Honorable discharge from the Army 2003, recently awarded the Warriors Medal of Valor, two Accommodation medals, and many awards, presently is a Material Coordinator for QualComm, is active in procuring donations for her firm as well as GNS.
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