Dancing Star Sanctuary: Have the Rescuers Become Unnecessary Killers?

This weekend, a reader sent me a link to a terribly upsetting story: "Sanctuary becomes killing field for 'protected' animals." There's so much there that because of time constraints today, I can't begin to summarize it adequately. I will share extracts here because I know not everyone will follow the link to the article itself, but I do recommend that you read the whole in-depth article for all the details.

What is particularly horrifying (and ironic) about this case is that the Dancing Star Foundation operators, according to current and former employees, are ordering that essentially all animals with any maladies at this California sanctuary be killed, even though the original operator founded it as a sanctuary for "elderly and handicapped farm animals" (she entrusted the foundation and her substantial funds--as much as $40-some million--to the current operators when she was dying of cancer). Even one of the foundation's tax forms notes, "The foundation provides aged, disabled, infirm, or unwanted animals with food, shelter, and veterinary care."

But in another news story, former employee Jennifer Smith is quoted thus: "'I felt like I was involved in a death camp,' Smith said. 'I was told if there were any animals on medication or needed to be in a stall, they were to be euthanized.'" And another station quotes her saying this: "'I was told on the day before I was putting down the five that I was to come up with 15 more,' said former employee Jennifer Smith. 'I was to come up with a list of 15 animals to euthanize.'" (Several employees have spoken out, by the way; she's not the only one.)

And although the operators have claimed financial woes are among the reasons for the killing, this is all happening while the president, vice-president, and vice-president of finance ordering the deaths are taking salaries from the sanctuary of $285,500, $244,000, and $240,000, respectively; spending gobs of money on new buildings; and sitting on tens of millions in assets. I'm open to considering that this all isn't as bad as it sounds if proof of that comes through, but so far, the testimony and evidence seem pretty damning. At the end of these extracts I'm posting a related video; I'll introduce that when we get there. Continue reading after the jump.

A husband and wife team of internationally known environmentalists, paid handsomely to oversee a San Luis Obispo County sanctuary for infirm animals, has ordered the accelerating slaughter of many of their wards.

Former and present employees of the Dancing Star Foundation claim that its top officers, Michael Tobias and Jane Gray Morrison, intend to focus on endangered animals. They say the pair has commenced the systematic elimination of aged and infirm farm animals under the foundation’s care, contrary to the foundation's purpose.

Tobias and Morrison have reportedly told employees that economic issues prompted the kill policy . . . [but] the foundation’s 2007 IRS Form 990 filed Oct. 6, 2008, [showed] the group had more than $43 million in assets. Tobias, as president, receives a yearly salary of $285,500; Vice President Morrison, $244,000; and Vice President of Finance Don Cannon, $240,000.

The foundation was created by Sue Stiles in 1993 with a focus on providing a refuge for elderly and handicapped farm animals. She opened one sanctuary in Paso Robles for burros, and another in Cayucos which hosts horses, cows, dogs, burros, pigs, and a goat. In January, more than 200 animals were cared for at the Cayucos sanctuary, situated south of Harmony on 700 rolling acres along U.S. Highway 1. A herd of burros wandering among the oak trees is often visible from the highway below.

“Stiles took care of animals in dire need,” said Kathy Duncan, a Morro Bay resident who took her 27-year-old horse to live out its days at Dancing Star. “Sue knew all the animals by name. She asked me to visit when I could, bring carrots, and pet the animals.”

Dying of cancer, Stiles choose Tobias to preside over her non-profit foundation. Tobias is a world traveler and author of 35 books and numerous documentaries focusing on environmental history and animal rights. In 1996, Tobias received the “Courage of Conscience Award” for his commitment to animals. His wife and vice president of the foundation, Morrison, is an ecologist and filmmaker. . . .

“Tobias is stating that the foundation does not have the funds to support these animals that Sue had taken under her wing,” an employee said. “He and his wife have ordered the mass killing of horses, burros, and cows. Originally, it was 20 animals. Then it was five cows and five horses or burros every week until we reached 50 animals. We are nearing that number. Now, there is a new list. We feel this will continue. We also feel their intentions are to close the sanctuary.”. . .

Both Evans and numerous employees noted that while foundation officials are firing staff and eliminating animals, they are spending funds on the construction of new barns and upgrading existing facilities.

“They built a new barn for $120,000 then killed the animals in the barn below,” Rowley added. “They are building shelters with no limits. However, they are putting down the animals with health problems and the older ones. You can see were the money is going.”

Sources claim the last round of killings included a group of viable animals.

Carmel was a wild horse and as such required the use of a squeeze (a cage that tightens around an animal’s body) to put her down. Carmel fought and fell in the squeeze, her legs caught in the bars. Her eyes were wide and wild with fear. The vet tried to inject enough drugs to drop the winter-coated mare, but Carmel continued to fight and only part of the killing drugs could be administrated on the first try. During Carmel’s long and painful death, employees stood by weeping.

An 8-year-old paint, Grace, was on and off lame due to a leg deformity. The spirited mare ran back and forth while her barn mates were slaughtered, unaware of the fate she faced. She loved to play and appeared not to be in pain.

Grace didn’t fight as her caregivers stroked her neck to distract her from the prick of the veterinarian’s deadly needle. She fell to the ground amidst the tears of Dancing Star employees.

Both Grace and Amigo, a gelding his caregivers said “was full of life and not ready to go yet,” received a shot of poison through a vein in their necks during the last round of animal eliminations.

“I think they are trying to close the sanctuary,” an employee said. “They are killing healthy animals. It is a sanctuary; all the animals have some problem. We signed on for an animal sanctuary, not a cowboy slaughter ranch. We love the animals; they don’t care.”

When the soft-spoken Tobias took over after Stiles’ death, he promptly banned volunteers and fired all employees hired by the sanctuary’s founder, an employee added. New employees sign an agreement they won’t tell anyone anything about the sanctuary, including that they work there.

As long as what I just included is, there's far more in the original article. Below is a video someone at the sanctuary filmed the day the horses mentioned in the article were killed. It's difficult to watch. You can hear the person filming crying periodically, and chances are you'll find yourself sobbing at some point too. It is heartbreaking. And it is infuriating. Many animals beyond these four have been killed by the sanctuary, and many others have been scheduled for death. It's not over yet.