The people who eventually came to the aid of the FLOCK cats referred to the worst of them — which were little more than skin and bones — as “pancakes.” There were 748 cats in all when Nye County Animal Control seized control of a Pahrump rescue sanctuary last July. The facility was owned and operated by FLOCK (For the Love of Cats and Kittens), a non-profit organization based in Las Vegas. Operation of the sanctuary was immediately handed over to Best Friends Animal Society.
Although stories differ about how operations at the FLOCK sanctuary came so completely off the rails, there is general agreement about the resulting conditions. Many of the cats — like the facility itself — were filthy. Most of them were starving and dehydrated, their only activity limited to finding what little shade was available. Read more…
We received an e-mail from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary CEO and Founder Gregory Castle in response to our inquiry about what Best Friends was doing to help build the case against FLOCK. We were concerned because the Nye County DA’s investigator had told us that she was getting no response from anyone at Best Friends. After reading Gregory’s e-mail, I firmly believe that the people at Best Friends simply needed time to organize themselves. After all, the arraignment was sprung on all of us rather suddenly.
Gregory has asked us to share his e-mail with everyone and so here it is:
I’m not sure what you’ve heard but actually Best Friends has been significantly involved in the FLOCK case all this week.
Maybe your information predates this. A Best Friends staff attorney has been talking with the investigator, prosecutor and animal control officer helping prepare the case, offering witnesses, photo and documentary evidence etc., and we are prepared to send at least three people there as witnesses if they want that. The investigator has been talking to these potential witnesses today. The DA initially did not return calls from our attorney, but has since exchanged messages and knows that we are fully engaged.
At this point rest assured that Best Friends is seriously committed to do what we can to help prosecute the case and encourage a significant penalty. The DA’s office have told us that they intend to make this a significant prosecution.
You also might like to see this story and petition on Best Friends website posted last Monday.
It would be helpful if you could pass the contents of this email on to the volunteers you know about, so that they have accurate information. Many thanks.
Targeting: District Attorney Robert Beckett (District Attorney, Nye County)
Started by: ANIMAL LAW COALITION
FLOCK, a 501c3 non-profit, in Nevada, may finally go to trial on Feb. 11, 2010 in Nye County on charges of animal cruelty and neglect.
In 2007 animal control discovered hundreds of cats trapped in FLOCK’s desert compound, living in filth, covered with flies, starving, dehydrated and suffering from the extreme desert temperatures, and from untreated diseases, illnesses and injuries.
Read more about this egregious case of institutional hoarding and cruelty and how you can help make sure this organization is prosecuted fully.
Many of us who are still involved with the cats of the Great Kitty Rescue had begun to wonder if this day would ever come. We are the adopters, foster families, caregivers and volunteers who lost their hearts to these feline survivors. We speak on their behalf and fight for justice for the atrocities they suffered at the hands of FLOCK. Read more…
The world’s largest single kitty rescue ever attempted, over 800 cats saved from near death in the Nevada desert. Best Friends Animal Society moved in to save starving, abused and near feral cats from an abusive situation outside Vegas.
The cats of the Great Kitty Rescue have touched many lives and changed them in subtle and not so subtle ways.
I believe that these cats are "angel cats" who through their resilience in light of such a horrific ordeal have taught we humans many lessons of unconditional love, compassion, patience and more.
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