Non-Profit Sanctuaries CEO's Goal Is To Fraud The Public For 6 Million Per Year

Online, February 9, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Tampa FL - Carole Lewis Baskin, CEO and Founder of Big Cat Rescue (BCR) of Tampa, FL has developed a five-year plan to defraud the public of six million dollars per year, over the next five years, doing something as simple as exploiting people on the internet with false accusations and slander in order to garner donations for Big Cat Rescue.

Leaked documents from BCR's Company Intranet site, http://bigcatrescue.me, reveal that Ms. Baskin told staff members BCR does not have the room to take in more big cats. However, on the same site, in a letter to Ringling Bros. Circus, Ms. Baskin offers to board their big cats for a fee.

In response, Joe Schreibvogel of Wynnewood, Oklahoma has dedicated the next 57 days to exposing Ms. Baskin and the truth about what makes Big Cat Rescue tick. Mr. Schreibvogel has set himself up as a target of propaganda and lies by making Youtube.com videos calling Ms. Baskin to the rug with more leaked documents from Big Cat Rescue and Carole Baskin herself. Mr. Schreibvogel hopes that a national talk show will pick up his story, and finally educate the public about the fraud and the real truth about exotic animals in captivity and get officals to launch an investigation, and "blow the lid off BCR once and for all."

"She is getting rich and making millions pretending it is all going to help animals. When in fact, she is killing animals and hurting people by telling lies and exploiting them on the Internet so she can seek donations," said Schreibvogel. "Ms. Baskin has an entire website dedicated to bashing other facilities and owners, yet refuses to include her own statistics while pointing fingers at everyone else."

Mr. Schreibvogel toured Big Cat Rescue in the summer of 2010 and videotaped a tour guide he says lied to guests about from what circumstances many of the exotic cats ended up a BCR. "I found it completely mind-boggling that the guide stood there and lied to the tour guests about where these animals came from just to tug on the public's heartstrings to get them to reach into their pocketbooks. The tour guide had no clue that just outside BCR gates in my truck were copies of receipts proving Ms. Baskin bought most of the animals on our tour this same guide claims were rescued," says Schreibvogel.

He also stated that he went as far as to rent a helicopter and fly over Big Cat Rescue in order to locate the more than 100 big cats the "world's largest big cat sanctuary" claims to house and provide care, and therefore needs the public's donations. Instead, he discovered that there are only 12 large cats on the property.

Schreibvogel, who is President of the United States Zoological Association, is very upset that Ms. Baskin is also lobbying for lawmakers who are uneducated about exotics to take away American's rights to own exotics without ever researching the facts before passing ban laws. "More and more people should file lawsuits against States require you to be AZA-accredited, because it is illegal. Neither the State nor the Federal government can force you to join a nonprofit organization. It creates an illegal monopoly."

"More people are killed in one airplane crash or by cars in one day than those who have died by exotic animal attacks in total. Therefore, why can't a tax-paying American choose an exotic animal career, or have the right to own an exotic animal. The risk is known, and the option should be theirs," says Schreibvogel. "As long as it is done legally and professionally."

Regardless of the politics, the fact remains that defrauding the public for money with lies and misleading information should be illegal and punishable under the law because it defrauds the public and hurts legitimate non-profit organizations, and makes fundraising efforts more difficult due to the lack of public trust based on the actions of nonprofit CEOs such as Baskin.

For more information, or to find out how you can help, contact Cecilia Simon at [email protected]