IMAGES
IMAGES IN
IMAGES IN THIS STORY YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE ARE VERY GRAPHIC.
4@ 4@
4@ 4@4@
4@4@
4@4@ IT'S
4@4@ IT'S A SELF- PROCLAIMED ANIMAL
REFUGE IN SOUTHERN INDIANA CALLED WILDLIFE IN NEED-- AND
TONIGHT THE U-S-
D-A IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO
SHUTTING4@
IT DOWN.
OUR FOCUS INVE4@STIGATIVE TEAM
STARTING LOOKING INTO WILDLIFE
IN NEED
ALMOST A YEAR AGO.4@
AFTER BRINGING WHISTLE BLOWER
CLAIMS TO THE USDA... THE FEDS4@
HAVE
REVOKED THE FACILITY'S LICENSE--
AND FINED THE OWNER MORE THAN
300- THOUSAND-DOLLARS.
300- THOUSAND-DOLLARS. HERE'S FOCUS INVESTIGATOR SHAY
MCALISTER.
MCALISTER. 4@
4@
4@ WALKING IN 054@4@
"BIG CIRCLE, BIG CIRCLE"
4@4@
4@4@
4@4@ 4@
4@4@ 4@ 4@
4@ 4@
4@ 4@ 30
4@ 4@ 30 PEOPLE FILE INTO THE ROOM.
SHOW OPEN
23
"WELCOME TO WILD LIFE IN NEED
EVERYBODY."
THEY'VE EACH PAID 25- DOLLARS TO
BE HERE. SHOW OPEN
04 APPLAUSE
04 APPLAUSE TO WATCH WILDLIFE IN NEED OWNER
TIM STARK INTRODUCE SOME OF HIS
EXOTIC ANIMALS.
EXOTIC ANIMALS. SHOW OPEN 28
"YALL READY TO GET YOUR
KICKED BY SOME
ANIMALS TODAY?"
GASPS
10
GASPS 10
GASPS 10 CHILD GASPS
THE ACCESS IS UNMATCHED--4@
ANIMALS
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL. LAUGHS
20
CROWD LAUGHS
BUT WE DIDN'T JUST GO TO SEE THE
SHOW-- WE WENT LOOKING FOR
SOMETHING ELSE-- SOMETHING FORMER STAFFERS SAY IS EASY TO
MISS WHEN INSIDE THIS ROOM.
JORDAN
JORDAN JONES/FORMER VOLUNTEER 305 "THEY'RE MISSING HOW MANY
ANIMALS ARE CRYING BEHIND CLOSED
DOORS, THEY'RE NOT
SEEING THE MOLDY FOOD, OR NO FOOD AT ALL. THEY'RE NOT SEEING
THE LACK OF WATER. THEY'RE NOT
SEEING OPEN WOUNDS THAT ARE NOT
BEING TREATED." JORDAN JONES
USED TO VOLUNTEER AT WILDLIFE IN
NEED.
NEED.
NEED. SO
NEED. SO DID KIRA, CARLY, LAUREN AND THREE OTHERS WHO DIDN'T WANT T4O
BE NAMED-- BUT DID WANT TO TELL
THEIR
THEIR STORY. ANONYMOUS/FORMER VOLUNTEER WHEN DID THIS VOLUNTEER WORK THERE? 2315
"IF THEY'RE DYING ANYWAY WHAT'S
THERE
THERE TO
THERE TO BE AFRAID OF BY TRYING TO STAND UP
FOR THEM?" FOUNDED IN 1999-- THE FACILITY
IS
REGISTERED AS A NON-PROFIT
DEDICATED TO RESCUING AND4@
REHABILITATING
REHABILITATING 4@
4@
4@ INDIGENOUS WILDLIFE. CARLY
BRIGANAN/FORMER VOLUNTEER DID WE
VERIFY SHE VOLUNTEERED AND WHEN
SHE VOLUNTEERED?
SHE VOLUNTEERED? 8144@ "IT IS NOT WHAT IT CLAIMS TO BE.
IT IS NOT
IT IS NOT
IT IS NOT A RESCUE. IT DOES NOT REHABILITATE, IT DOES
NOT RELEASE. ANIMALS THAT GO4@
THERE- THEY SUFF4@ER A VERY
TERRIBLE LIFE."
LAUREN CROOKS/FORMER EMPLOYEE
1019
"NOW LOOKING BACK AT EVERYTHING-
YOU
YOU
YOU DON'T
YOU DON'T REALIZE THE RED FLAGS THAT
YOU'RE
YOU'RE
YOU'RE SEEING THEN. NOW LOOKING BACK- THERE
WERE SO MANY."
400 PAGES FROM THIS USDA CASE
FILE DETAIL
COMPLA4@INTS, INCIDENTS, FAILED
INSPECTIONS AND MORE.
IT TOOK US NINE MONTHS TO GET4@
OUR4@
HANDS ON THE DOCUMENTS-- RECORDS
SHOW
SHOW ALLEGATIONS OF NEGLECT GO BACK AT LEAST TEN YEARS. JORDAN JONES/FORMER VOLUNTEER
3642
"HE'S BEEN OPERATING SINCE 1999-
THIS IS
THIS IS
THIS IS ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN SWEPT UNDER THE RUG. IT'S
THE4@
NORM."
THE4@ NORM." ACCORDING TO USDA RECORDS-- THE
FACILITY HOUSED 43 ANIMALS IN4@
2012 AND NEARLY 300 ONLY SIX YEARS LATER.
4@
FORMER STAFFERS TELL US THE
NUMBERS
ARE EVEN HIGHER THAN THAT NOW--
BUT THE AMOUNT OF HELP HAS NEVER
BEEN ENOUGH.4@
BEEN ENOUGH.4@ INSPECTORS HAVE CITED THE FACILITY AT
LEAST TWICE FOR "INSUFFICIENT
STAFF"--
RESULTING IN A LAPSE OF ANIMAL4@
CARE.
ANONYMOUS/FORMER VOLUNTEER WHY
ANONYMOUS?
650
ANONYMOUS? 650 "THEY DIDN'T HAVE KNOWLEDGEABLE
PEOPLE THERE AND THEY DIDN'T
HAVE4@ ENOUGH PEOPLE THERE, EVEN WITH
ALL4@
OF THE VOLUNTEERS."
SYSTEMATIC BREAKDOWN SEEMINGLY
STARTED SE4@VEN YEARS AGO--4@
WHEN SEVERAL ANIMALS DIED,
ACCORDING TO USDA 4@RECORDS.
A SERVAL, OCELOT AND COATIMUNDI
DIED
DIED
DIED WITHOUT EXPLANATION, RECORDS4@ SHOW. JORDAN JONES/FORMER
VOLUNTEER
30184@
VOLUNTEER 30184@ "I'VE NEVER IN THE TWO YEARS I
4@WAS THERE- I
NEVER SAW A VET."
IN MARCH OF 2017 TIGER CUBS--
DECLAWED-- LATER RULED A
VIOLATION OF
THE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT- BUT NOT
BEFORE
BEFORE
BEFORE THE PAWS GOT INFECTED, ACCORDING
TO USDA RECORDS.
LAUREN CROOKS/FORM4@ER VOLUNTEE@
855
"IT WAS AWFUL. I WALKED IN AND I
IMMEDIATELY WANTED TO THROW UP."
FORMER STAFF WE SPOKE TO SAID
WILDLIFE IN NEED OWNERS REFUSED
TO
TO
TO BRING
TO BRING IN AN EXPERT TO ADMINISTER
CARE.
CARE.
CARE. CARLY BRIGANAN/FORMER VOLUNTEER
1528
1528
1528 "I
1528 "I COULD NOT BELIEVE AN ANIMAL4@ THAT
THAT
NEEDED
NEEDED MEDICAL CARE AND MEDICAL ATTENTION- HE WAS REFUSING TO
GIVE. KAIKI DIED WITHIN A WEEK."
FACILITY OWNERS WERE CITED FOR
CLAIMS ABOUT THEIR VET-- INSPECTORS UNCOVERING THE VET
THEY LISTED FOR THE FACILITY
"DID NOT AGREE TO PROVIDE CARE
FOR ALL ANIMALS AT THE
FACILITY." LATER THAT YEAR--4@
ANOTHER SUSPICIOUS
DEATH-- INSPECTORS NOTING THE
OWNER DESCRIBED "EUTHANIZING" A
LEOPARD BY HITTING IT WITH A4@
BASEBALL BAT. JORDAN JONES/FORMER VOLUNTEER 4345
"HE SAID THE LEOPARD THEN AFTER
LUNGING 4@FELL DOWN AND STARTED
HAVING A SEIZURE, AND INSTEAD OF
WAITING FOR THE VET TO GET
4@4@4@
4@4@4@
4@4@4@ THERE, HE SAID A PROPER FORM OF
EU4@THANASIA WAS BLUNT TRAUMA TO
THE4@ HEAD, REPEATEDLY."
MORE THAN JUST A LACK OF PROPER
4@
MEDICAL ATTENTION.FORMER
MEDICAL ATTENTION.FORMER 4@4@4@
4@4@4@
4@4@4@ STAFF DESCRIBE A LACK OF
EVERYDAY NECESSITIES-- INSPECTION REPORTS
DETAIL - "ENCLOSURES WITHOUT4@
WATER", FEEDING ANIMALS "EXPIRED MEAT
AND
ROADKILL", A FOOD STORAGE ROOM4@
WITH
"AN EXCESSIVE ACCUMULATION OF
RODENT FECES ON THE FLOOR" AND
LACK OF4@
ENRICHMENT.
ANONYMOUS/FORMER VOLUNTEER
1353
"WE WERE TAUGHT TO CALL THEIR
CAGES ENCLOSURES BUT THEY ARE
CAGES- THEY ARE
NOT HABITATS- THEY'RE NOT THE
ENVIRONMENT
THAT THAT ANIMAL I4@S SUPPOSED O
BE IN."
BE IN."
BE IN." FORMER STAFF GAVE US THESE4@ PICTURES--
SHOWING REPTILES LIVING IN4@
PLASTIC TUBS.
FIRE 911 CALL
00-12
OPERATOR
00-12 OPERATOR "CLARK COUNTY 911 WHAT IS THE
ADDRESS
OF YOUR EMERGENCY?"4@
EMPLOYEE
4@"3320 JACK STEEPLE ROAD." THEY
WERE HOUSED IN THE "REPTILE4@
BARN". FIRE 911 CALL4@
00-12
OPERATOR4@
00-12 OPERATOR4@ "3320 JACK STEEPLE ROAD?"
EMPLOYEE4@
"YEAH- MY BARN IS ON FIRE."
OPERATOR
"YOUR BARN IS ON FIRE?" EMPLOYEE
4@
"YEAH"
4@ "YEAH"
"YEAH"
"YEAH" 4@
4@
4@ 4@
4@ 4@ JORDAN JONES/FORMER VOLUNTEER
731
"I REMEMBER, I RECEIVED A TEXT
MESSAGE SAYING OH SORRY JORDAN I
4@
GUESS
4@ GUESS
4@ GUESS YOU DON'T GET TO WORK WITH THE
REPTILES NOW BECAUSE THEY ALL
DIED AND.
"
830
" 830
830
"I
"I WAS
"I WAS MADE FUN ABOVE BY TIM AND ANOTHER STAFF MEMBER BECAUSE I
GOT UPSET THAT HE DIED. THEY MADE FUN4@4@
OF THAT."
AT LEAST 40 ANIMALS DIED IN THAT
4@4@
2014 FIRE.
ARSON INVESTIGATORS NEVER4@
RELEASED THE CAUSE.
ANONYMOUS/FORMER VOLUNTEER 1952 4@ "THE FIRE WAS PORTRAYED AS A
TRAGEDY AND ACCIDENT, BUT FROM
SOME OF THE THINGS I'VE SEEN
THERE I THINK
THAT WAS ALSO JUST NEGLECT. JUST
BEING
BEING
BEING IN
BEING IN OVER YOUR HEAD, NOT BEING ABLE TO
MAINTAIN THINGS, NOT BEING ABLE
4@
TO KEEP
THINGS SAFE. NOT EVEN4@
UNDERSTANDING
HOW TO KEEP THINGS SAFE IN THAT
SITUATION."
SITUATION." THE STAFFERS CALL WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE "HOARDING" AND
SAY ITS LEAD TO ANIMAL NEGLECT-
ANIMAL
ANIMAL ESCAPES-- AND PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN HURT.
GOTTEN HURT. HYENA ATTACK 911 CALL 00
OPERATOR
00 OPERATOR "CLARK COUNTY 911 WHAT IS THE
ADDRESS OF YOUR EMERGENCY?"
EMPLOYEE
"I NEED AN AMBULANCE PLEASE."
JUNE 2019-- IT WAS ONE4@ OF THER
OWN.4@
OWN.4@
OWN.4@ HYENA ATTACK 911 CALL 154@
OPERATOR
154@ OPERATOR "OK- WHAT'S GOING ON THERE?" 28
EMPLOYEE
EMPLOYEE
EMPLOYEE "AN ANIMAL BITE." OPERATOR
WHAT KIND OF ANIMAL BITE?
EMPLOYEE
"HYENA. I'M GOING DOWN THERE4@
NOW.. HE SAID HE'S WOUNDED."
GRAPHIC PICTURES FROM SCENE SHOW
THE DAMAGE. A MAN'S ARM RIPPED4@
OPENED. ACCORDING THE INCIDENT REPORT-
HE
WAS TRYING TO GET THE ESCAPED
HYENA
BACK IN A CAGE.
ONE MAN CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY
FOR4@
EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED ON
THIS
PROPERTY.
THIS PROPERTY. THAT MAN IS TIM STARK. AND A4@
QUICK 30 MINUTE DRIVE FROM
LOUISVILLE--
-- PUT US ON HIS PROPERTY--4@
WHERE HE
AGREED TO AN INTERVIEW. TIM
STARK
CLIP 1
725
"ITS KIND OF FUNNY HOW THEY WILL
SIT THERE AND SAY WELL LOOK AT
THIS- IT WASN'T CLEAN. OH LOOK4@ AT THAT- IT WASN'T DONE. UGH.
WHO'S FREAKING JOB
WAS IT? THEIRS. 735 IT WAS THEIR
JOB TO
JOB TO
JOB TO CLEAN THAT DAMN, T4@HAT SAME EXT
CAGE THAT THEY WANTED TO TAKE A
PICTURE OF THAT WASN'T CLEAN. IT
WAS
WAS
WAS THEIR
WAS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY." 800 "THAT REFLECTS BACK ON ME? I
DON'T THINK
SO. " 8064@
WE KNOW HAVE
QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS
NEXT--
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE ANIMALS AND
WE HAVE
WE HAVE
WE HAVE THE SAME QUESTIONS-- WE ARE WORKING TO
GET ANSWERS.
WHAT WE CAN TELL YOU IS TIM
STARK HA4@S
35 DAYS TO APPEAL THE DECISION--
UNTIL THAT
UNTIL THAT DEADLINE HE CAN CONTINUE OPERATING
AS USUAL-- WE TALKED TO HIM
TODAY AND HE SAID HE PLANS TO DO
JUST THAT. FOR FOCUS- I'M SHAY
MCALISTER.
MCALISTER.
PUBLIC
PUBLIC GOLF COURSE CONTRACTS ARE APPROVED
APPROVED
APPROVED AND TONIGHT WE'RE LEARNING HOW4@ MUCH
MUCH