Exotics

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, May 1996:

Doll Stanley-Branscum of In
Defense of Animals on April 2 filed cruelty
charges against erstwhile exotic animal rescuers
Catherine Graham and Lawrence
Twiss of Philadelphia, Mississippi, for
allegedly keeping a menagerie including 46
lions, 21 tigers, six ligers, five bears, five
cougars, a camel, and a leopard in crowded
and filthy conditions, often without
water––and bid for custody of the animals at a
Chapter 7 bankruptcy proceeding. According
to Stanley-Branscum, Graham-Twiss “started
her personal collection from rescues and
allowed them to breed.” Stanley-Branscum
said many of the animals had lost their tails in
fights, while some cubs had been eaten.

Humane Society of the U.S. director
for companion animals Martha
Armstrong on March 11 told representatives
of ferret interest groups that HSUS will no
longer oppose legalization of ferrets in
California, the last state where they are still
banned, if the state keeps a ban on selling ferrets
in pet stores, requires that pet ferrets be
neutered, requires permanent microchip or tattoo
identification, prohibits the estabishment
of commercial ferret breeding farms, and
“requires all independent breeders to be registered
or licensed.”
JES Exotics, of Sharon, Wisconsin,
has announced the split of founders Jill and
E.J. Shumak. Surviving a zoning dispute
with local authorities, the sanctuary is now
raising funds to buy out E.J.’s share in the
property. “I’m donating my half to JES
because it’s important for me to know my
work will be continued 100 years from now,”
wrote Jill, who carries on with son Corey and
volunteers.
Bartlett, Illinois, on March 5
adopted an exotic animal ban in response to the
presence of a half-Siberian, half-Bengal tiger
cub named Cujo, who was born at the Land
O’Lorin Exotics wildlife refuge in nearby
Batavia. Bartlett realtor Lois Kieffer, a
refuge volunteer, brought the cub home to
nurse on December 26, intending to return
him to the refuge when older.