The Board of Directors of The Wild Animal Orphanage in San Antonio, Texas, announces the existance of a financial, personnel, and management crisis at their sanctuary where more than 400 wild, exotic, and domestic animals reside.  The sanctuary has been in operation for 24 years and the decline in contributions along with the recent discovery of severe personnel and management issues have created this crisis.  Steps have been taken by the Board of Directors to resolve some of the problems including replacement of the CEO with an acting director, Mr. Jamie Cryer, a Texas businessman, who has willingly agreed to work without compensation to assure the feeding and care of the resident animals.
 
Funds are needed immediately to continue providing food and care for the lions, tiger, bears, wolves, cougars, primates, and other species that reside at the 2 sites of the WAO.  Compassionate animal care-givers are still reporting to work to feed, clean, and care for the animals, however, there are no funds available for payroll and their pay is already several weeks behind.  Six of the animal care-givers are temporarily working without compensation.
 
The Board of Directors is reaching out to all caring individuals and humane organizations to please step up to the plate and help us take care of these 400 animals that have no one to depend on except generous people.  The immediate needs are:
 
1.  Stores and individuals in the San Antonio area to donate fresh fruits, vegetables, red meat, chicken, bear food, primate food, dog food, and domestic cat food (17 domestic cats are at the WAO).  In addition, cleaning supplies are needed.
 
2.  Monetary contributions to the WAO to pay for food, care-giver employee salaries, electricity, and other necessities to give proper care to the animals.
Donors can rest assured that ALL contributions will go toward direct animal care; donations are carefully monitored and secured.  Contributions may be made on-line at the WAO website:  http://www.wildanimalorphanage.org

or checks/money orders made payable to WAO & mailed to: Wild Animal Orphanage, P.O. Box 690422, San Antonio, TX, 78269-0422
 
3.  If you would like to help the WAO get through this extremely difficult crisis situation and to save the precious animals whose home is now in jeopardy, PLEASE HELP!  Time is not on our side.
 
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be measured by the way its animals are treated." — Mahatma Gandhi
 
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NEWS RELEASE
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Date:  May 5, 2010
 
To:   All National & Texas News Media
To:  All Animal Welfare/Protection Agencies
 
Contact:  Jamie Cryer, Acting Director, Wild Animal Orphanage, Telephone:  210-288-8297;   E-mail: j65ac@yahoo.com or WAO Board member Elise M. Matthes, telephone:  941-924-2505, E-mail: smatthes@aol.com
 
Subject:  Emergency Situation at Wild Animal Orphanage, San Antonio, Texas