Complaint Review: Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center

Direct Action Everywhere (DxE) Investigation: CRUEL ZOO= SWCC Scottsdale Southwest Wildlife “Conservation Center”

FREEDOM IS EVERY ANIMAL'S RIGHT

WE WANT LIBERATION FOR ANIMALS.

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A recent investigation by DxE finds a CRUEL ANIMAL PRISON in a Scottsdale neighborhood backyard. This one falsely calls itself a “Conservation Center” to make it seem legitimate. Here is a list of OUTRIGHT LIES being propagated by Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center in Scottsdale: not speaking out against SWCC will encourage other for-profit "backyard zoos" by Arizona residents in rural areas where the zoning and animal rules are lacking. It is critical that DxE assert a stance against SWCC.

Not to ignore some of the good work that SWCC does: They do give care and tend to injuries of wild animals which are injured or orphaned, but the VAST MAJORITY of the animals at SWCC are perfectly healthy wild animals that should be RELEASED TO RESUME LIVING IN THE WILD, rather than small cages at SWCC. Once the animals are healed, they ought to be released immediately.

1) SWCC States: “We are a conservation center”
FALSE: SWCC is a ZOO according to their official application records from the Game and Fish department:

Website Excerpt: See Attachment #1

In other words, SWCC is a zoo that calls itself a “conservation center” because that sounds better to some people who don’t know any better.

In fact, the owner of the ZOO, Linda Searles seems uneducated about her own facility, and didn’t even know the difference between a zoo and a conservation center during a recent video news interview:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxuDj3lIS2g

SWCC are kept in small cages on a small 5-acre property in a residential neighborhood in Scottsdale. Here are what REAL and legitimate animal conservation centers IN ARIZONA AND THE SOUTHWEST are supposed to look like:
--a 1,800- acre animal conservation center: http://www.keepersofthewild.org/
--a 400-acre animal conservation center: http://www.animalsanctuary.org/
--a 160 acre animal conservation center: http://wildlifewaystation.org/
--a 35,000+ acre animal conservation center: http://bestfriends.org/
--a 2,000 acre, $2.2 million sanctuary is in the works on the arizona-nevada border: http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevada/2000-acre-animal-sanctuary-envisioned-near-arizona-nevada-line

These sanctuaries are in Northern AZ (where its higher in elevation and cooler) and are described as “state of the art” -- NOT hundreds of wild canines cooped up in small wire cages, with minimal shade in the middle of a residential area, in the hottest part of the Sonoran desert.

2) SWCC is “one of the largest “sanctuaries” in the Southwestern US.
FALSE: Linda Searls, the SWCC/zoo owner, actually tells people on her website that she is one of the “largest animal sanctuary in Southwest!” Her backyard is one of the largest animal sanctuaries? LOL!! Talk about InSAnE!!!

Website Excerpt: See Attachment #2

Reference:
http://www.movoto.com/guide/scottsdale-az/moving-to-scottsdale/

WITH HUNDREDS OF NON-NATIVE ANIMALS STUFFED INTO five (5) acres, SWCC might be THE SMALLEST SANCTUARY/ ZOOS in AMERICA!

3) SWCC says on its homepage that it “does not breed, buy or sell animals:
Website Excerpt: See Attachment #3



http://www.southwestwildlife.org/

FALSE: SWCC has a breeding program:
Website Excerpt: See Attachment #4



Reference: www.scottsdaleaz.gov/Asset66074.aspx

SWCC has a breeding program. SWCC literally states that they have: “a captive breeding program” They breed these animals only to keep them in captivity in small crowded cages FOREVER for entertainment for gawking, paying tourists.

Read for yourself -- SWCC even admits it has no intention of releasing healthy animals: They state on their website that they breed and keep wild animals in cages PERMENANTLY.

Website Excerpt: See Attachment #5



References:
http://www.paysonroundup.com/news/2012/sep/07/wildlife-rehab-center-offers-shelter-cattle-killin/
-and-
http://www.southwestwildlife.org/conservation/mexican_gray_wolves.html

In other words, Linda Searles at SWCC Scottsdale breeds their wild animals, in cages, only so that they can keep them in captivity for eternity. After all, releasing their Mexican Grey Wolves into the wild or a real sanctuary would be much healthier for her animals, but bad for SWCC’s business, right?

All of Linda Searles’ Animals at SWCC Scottsdale are closely confined, lack privacy, and have little or no opportunity for mental stimulation or physical exercise. These conditions often result in abnormal and self-destructive behavior, known as “zoochosis” Which according to recent SWCC visitors, is clearly evident in over half of caged animals at SWCC. Click on: zoochosis for a sample video of such behavior.

SWCC purposely solicits and obtains animals from all over the United States -- as far as New York State-- from the wild to bring them to a lifetime of captivity and sweltering summer heat in SMALL CAGES at SWCC and have NO INTENTION of EVER releasing them.

4) SWCC Needs your donations!
FALSE: SWCC solicits most of its “donations” in the form of cash from thousands of visitors who are duped into visiting the facility, thinking that it is a legitimate “conservation center.”

The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust refers to SWCC Scottsdale as a “renowned, accredited sanctuary.”
Either Carol Schilling, Kent Agness and Lisa Shover Kackley of the The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust are a bunch of imbecils, or they were lied to by the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center. As is clear, SWCC is not a sanctuary; it is a ZOO according to its official application. Still, the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust still gave $100,000 to this cruel zoo, thinking that they were a legitimate and “conservation center” like the REAL centers in #1.

Additionally, My sister’s closet donated $30,000 to help fund SWCC cruelty, again thinking that they were giving money to a real and legitimate “conservation center.”

It's hard to know whether all of that money going to the animals there, or Linda Searles’ million-dollar-plus home on the grounds of SWCC!! These hundreds of animals are basically being kept in her backyard.

5) “We educate visitors” at SWCC.
FALSE: All zoos like SWCC claim to “educate” SWCC Scottsdale is all about Entertainment and money for Linda Searles, NOT “Education.”

Children and adults do not need to see imprisoned animals to be “educated” about them. A young child can tell you more about a dinosaur than an elephant; you don’t need a dinosaur in a cage to learn about them. Caging wild animals is not acceptable. Showing caged wild animals to children sends the wrong message about how humans should treat wild animals.

SWCC claims to provide educational opportunities, but most visitors spend only a few minutes looking at each animals display, seeking entertainment by caged wild animals, rather than enlightenment. The fact is, like SWCC, all zoos on the planet offer “tours” and “education” but, this argument does not justify the imprisonment of the individual animals. They may also argue that spending time with the animals inspires people to protect them, but SWCC’s idea of protecting the animals consists of taking them out of the wild to confine them in cages and pens. Furthermore, animal advocates would argue that the main lesson taught by the zoo is that we have the right to imprison animals for humans to gawk at.

An Oxford University study based on four decades of observing animals in captivity and in the wild found that animals such as polar bears, lions, tigers, and cheetahs “show the most evidence of stress and/or psychological dysfunction in captivity” and concluded that “the keeping of naturally wide-ranging carnivores should be either fundamentally improved or phased out.” A survey of the records of 4,500 elephants both in the wild and in captivity found that the median life span for an African elephant in a zoo was 16.9 years, whereas African elephants on a nature preserve died of natural causes at a median age of 56 years. Researchers concluded that “bringing elephants into zoos profoundly impairs their viability.” I wonder what SWCC Scottsdale and Linda Searles would think of those statistics? Probably not much….she is too busy counting all her cash donations from all of suckers who donate to her ZOO, and remodeling her million-plus dollar home on the SWCC grounds.

6) “SWCC is proud to be holding facility for the repopulation of the endangered Mexican Wolf population”
FALSE: This is NOTHING to be proud of. All of SWCC’s zoo enclosures are very small, and in fact, SWCC may be the smallest ZOO or “conservation center” anywhere in the USA!!!!

SWCC’s animals’ normal behavior is seldom discussed, much less observed, because their natural needs are rarely met. Natural hunting and mating behaviors are virtually eliminated by SWCC’s small cages, regulated feeding and forced breeding regimens.

In the wild, grey wolves and coyotes typically walk between 3 and 12 miles per day and enjoy running up to 35 miles per hour…. It's fair to assume that they are not doing any of that in SWCC’s small cruel cages.

7) “SWCC is the only large animal sanctuary in the Southwest”
FALSE: As stated above in Item #1, there are multiple sanctuaries in Arizona with better climates and hundreds -- or even thousands -- of acres which more closely mimic the natural environment of these animals, and where the animals are kept in huge enclosures, NOT IN SWCC’s SMALL, UN-SHADED CAGES!

SWCC has also lied, claiming through The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust that they are the only facility in Arizona “capable of servicing large animals” in effort to cheat the The Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust out of a $100,000 donation. (See Item #3)

Website Excerpt: See Attachment #6



Reference:
http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2016/04/04/southwest-wildlife-conservation-center/82588710/

8) We Love animals at SWCC
FALSE: If Linda Searles really loved animals she wouldn’t want them locked in small cages and Linda Searles wouldn’t threatening to euthanize her animals if she was told to move. This proves that Linda Searles is only in it for the money.
See proof below of the multiple times SWCC owner Linda Searles has threatened to euthanize her wild animals if she can't have her zoo, in spite of there being larger and better equipped sanctuaries in Arizona: Better yet, she can JUST FREE THE HEALTHY IMPRISONED WILD ANIMALS!!!!!

Website Excerpt (a): See Attachment #7



Reference:
http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/laurieroberts/2016/02/26/roberts-wildlife-sanctuary-under-fire-neighbor/80943664/

Website Excerpt (b): See Attachment #8



Reference:
http://www.abc15.com/news/region-phoenix-metro/north-phoenix/man-suing-southwest-wildlife-conservation-center-in-north-scottsdale-over-noise-

Website Excerpt (c): See Attachment #9



Reference:
https://forcechange.com/153562/save-important-wildlife-conservation-center/

Website Excerpt (d): See Attachment #10



Reference:
http://scottsdalerealestate.com/southwest-wildlife-conservation-center-under-fire/

Linda Searles would rather euthanize the hundreds of animals at her facility rather than move them to another wildlife sanctuary in Arizona or another state! Does that sound like someone who should be in charge of HUNDREDS OF ANIMALS?????
Outrageous!!! Disgusting and CRIMINAL behavior by Linda Searles!!!

9) Our animals are well cared for and loved at SWCC
FALSE: With the exception of a very few native species, most animals are SWCC suffer in the inhospitable climate of the Sonoran Desert in SMALL CAGES.
WOULD YOU leave you dogs outside in Arizona in the burning heat of the summer and the freezing cold of the winter??? SWCC does that with hundreds of animals, day after day, year after year.

SWCC cages black bears, mountain lions, black bears, deer, jaguar, none of which are native to the desert. All of these animals and would better be served by one of the other much larger sanctuary facilities in Norther Arizona and the Southwest (See Item #1) where the climate is more suitable and where the cages would, at least, be replaced with proper, larger enclosures.

In addition to the above animals, despite their name, The “Mexican” Grey Wolves are long-haired animals which are native to the colder climates of “mountainous forests and woodlands” of “Canada and Alaska” not the deserts of Arizona where the temperatures in the summer routinely exceed 100 degrees.

Likewise, the many coyotes kept at SWCC are long-haired animals which are accustomed to colder climates, not summers in cages, without shade in scottsdale.

SWCC also keeps ARCTIC WOLVES and ARCTIC FOXES. Yes…. you read that correctly: ARCTIC WOLVES and ARCTIC FOXES. In Arizona. Outdoors. 24/7. In the summer. In small cages. With minimal shade.

a) See Attachment #11

b) See Attachment #12

c) See Attachment #13

It is considered animal cruelty to keep your dog outdoors day and night in the freezing cold and in the sweltering summer. SWCC is doing the same with the hundreds of non-native long haired, bears, mountain lions, wolves and coyotes. Furthermore, many of these small cages do not even have shade to protect the animals. See pictures.

10) We release animals back into the wild once they are healed.
FALSE: Linda Searles keeps hundreds of PERFECLTY HEALTHY animals in her backyard FOR. THE. MONEY!!!

At least 70% of the animals there could be released immediately, but it would be “bad for business.” Because she couldn’t be able to attract paying tourists if all she had were a few caged injured/orphand animals.

IF SWCC REALLY CARED FOR ANIMALS, THEY WOULD RELEASE EVERY SINGLE HEALTHY CAGED ANIMAL BACK INTO THE WILD, OR AT LEAST, A REAL ANIMAL SANCTUARY IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!!

11) Here are some pictures of what SWCC looks like. Imagine wearing a fur coat in Arizona in July and having to live in one of these 24-7:

While Zoos are shutting down all over the world.  SWCC Zoo in Scottsdale is being defended by Richelle Fatheree who owns a “Pro-zoo” PR  firm.  Apparently, Richelle Fatheree thinks the captivity and imprisonment of hundreds of thick-haired animals in cages, without shade, in the Arizona heat is a great idea, according to her website www.ppqty.com (whatever the heck THAT is…!  See Screenshot from Richelle’s website: 

Alongside Richelle Fatheree, is a miserable hack Arizona Republic journalist Laurie Roberts who appears to have a long history of spewing stupidity in her articles.  Laurie Roberts also thinks it’s a good idea to imprison hundreds of cold-climate animals, in cages, in the AZ desert with no shade!  These animals cry and scream all night to be let out of their cages according to Laurie, HER focus is on the rights of the SWCC Zoo.  How delightfully progressive…

Contact us nationally, internationally or locally:
#WHATANIMALSDESERVE
http://www.directactioneverywhere.com/
Find a chapter in your state or country:
http://www.directactioneverywhere.com/find-a-chapter/
Every month, DxE unites activists across the world -- in 165 cities and 32 countries. Join us!