Wednesday 30 May 2012

Caboodle Ranch Custody Hearing Continues

All testimony in the custody hearing of the Caboodle Ranch cats concluded on May 29, 2012 and each side has until June 11 to submit their proposed order as to the fate of the Caboodle Ranch cats. On or before this date, the judge, who is a cat owner, will issue a ruling and draft an order based on his decision. This practice is common in this type of hearing.
Caboodle Ranch in happier times

The judge has requested briefs on whether the court or the sheriff has authority over disposition of the cats. Also in question is whether the court is permitted to return a portion of the cats or whether this is an all or nothing decision.

A good many supporters of Caboodle Ranch turned out to witness the trial.

Ron Grant testified on behalf of Caboodle Ranch. It was stated in an article at www.unitedcats.com/en/forum/275/58996/caboodle-ranch-closed-controversy/200 that their attorneys hope to prove the case against them is based on heresay, lies and that the PETA photos were "doctored."

Neither Nanette Entriken nor Craig Grant testified at the hearing. Craig was unable to testify because of his pending criminal charges.

According to Caboodle Ranch, Inc. Facebook page, the judge told Craig he has a "Servant's Heart!" On the other hand, the judge was concerned at the decline in health of the Caboodle Ranch cats between the inspection on January12, 2012 and the time the cats were seized.

Regardless of the judge's ruling on the custody case, the cats will remain as evidence until the criminal case has been tried and a decision made on whether Grant is guilty of any wrong-doing.

Whether Craig Grant is innocent or guilty, I find it very disturbing these cats must remain in cages until the entire situation is settled. Why can't they be placed into some kind of foster care situation? These poor cats are probably wondering what they did to deserve this. Holding them hostage is just making this situation much worse. The cats have all been examined and treated and I'm sure it would harm no one to allow them to live in a loving home until this custody fight is over.

Comments anyone? I only have one question that keeps nagging away at me. How do you "doctor" a photo of a cats eyeball hanging out? Is this something that can be done with Photoshop? I'm completely serious here. I can understand how photos could have been entered into evidence showing parts of the ranch not in use. But the injuries of the cats were very graphic and I would think this would be hard to manipulate digitally.

I'd especially love to hear from anyone from either side who was at the hearing. Comments can be made on this page and it can be shared on Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus One using the buttons below.



Selected associated articles from Elisa:
  1. Caboodle Ranch: Cat Heaven Or Cat Hell? - this is a very well visited web page.
  2. Caboodle Ranch Faces Class Action Lawsuit
  3. Caboodle Ranch Owner Speaks Out

12 comments:

  1. The conspiracy theory that Caboodle Ranch was unfairly attacked by those with a personal vengeance and the case against them is based on hearsay, lies, and "doctored" photos does not hold any water. All one has to do is review the evidence of cruelty dating back to 2009, well before PETA came on scene, to realize their claims of a conspiracy are bogus. Witness testimony, professional assessments by veterinarians, court records, photos, and proof of embezzlement can all be reviewed at http://www.caboodleranch.net

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  2. There is a filter in Photoshop called "eyeball hanging out" which you can find in the "Filter" drop down menu under "Distort." This hysteria with keeping cats contained in cages is overblown. It is the ONLY way to monitor if the cat is eating, to make sure they are peeing. To see whether there is any parasites in their fecal matter. Cats like small spaces where they can feel safe and protected. This is a short term solution--just a few months--which will have a lifetime of benefits. Please get over this tired argument.

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  3. I'm very familiar with Photoshop, and if you are really good you can doctor photos. But with the right tools those photo's can be proven to be doctored. It would not be hard to find someone that could prove it one way or the other. Even if PETA doctored the photos what about the ASPCA, what about Dr. Levy, what about all the other photo's taken by witnesses over the past 3 years. All of them doctored also- I don't think so.

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  4. I have been at the hearing since the beginning. The photos introduced into evidence were authenticated by the person who took the photographs, i.e. the ASPCA, and the attorney for Mr. Grant and Ms. Entriken did not object. As a result the photographs offered into evidence are considered "true and accurate" and it was agreed by ALL parties they are accurate. Thus for anyone to say they are phony or photo shopped is grasping at straws because they do not want to believe the truth.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The question as to why the ASPCA is not putting cats into foster homes should be asked directly to them as they are the only ones who can answer that question definitively. We can only speculate. My speculations are that the reasons have to do with several things including continued monitoring of health and legalities. Secondly, even if they were able to legally place the cats in foster homes, where are they going to find hundreds of foster homes?

    The cats are getting daily exercise, treatment, and attention. Many are in large dog-type kennels. Being caged, as previously mentioned, is temporary. Not long term. And the only reason they are still in cages is because Craig Grant is selfish and fighting for custody. These cats could have been on their way to finding a home a while back.

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  6. As for the cats being held in a warehouse in cages. This is also NOT true. The cats are being held in Jacksonville at the old Animal Shelter which has very large cages for the cats to play in, and they have kennel runs for the cats to get outside and have exercise. The reason they cannot be placed in a foster situation is because they require daily medical treatment and attention, some are still even receiving IV fluids and may not make it. Also there is the contagious disease factor by which you have to isolate cats with deadly contagiuos diseases which means any foster home would have to be free of any animal unless already infected with the disease. And most people who foster have pets of their own and to let cats with contagious diseases be exposed to the healthy ones is against the law. Thus they remain in large kennels with outside runs and getting treatment for their conditions, some of which are now permanent. If you want to see the shelter, go to this link and see the huge shelter with the runs the cats and two dogs are being kept in. http://www.facebook.com/CaboodleRanchLiesCatsDie?filter=2

    ReplyDelete
  7. The reason to keep animals in custody during cases like this, I think, is so that the animals don't "disappear." While foster is a wonderful thing, think about how hard it would be for the prosecution teams to keep track of the animals, which are being held as evidence, if they were parceled out to multiple fosters. In this type of situation, I agree with the decision to hold them.

    I am choosing to trust that the animals are getting good care and are not cramped into tiny kennel cages like you'd see at the vet. Despite all that's happened with this and other cases, I STILL have faith that there are good people out there.

    I just find the idea that CG could get ANY of the animals back to be horrific! No!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm so glad to hear the cats are in cages large enough to play in. You're right about cats liking small spaces. We rescued a critically injured cat in February who's had to live in a cage until this latest round of surgery heals. He really doesn't seem to mind. Thank you for the Photoshop info. I have a degree in photography and still can't master the software.

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  9. I'm not there to witness all of this. I can only go by what's being said on the Caboodle page and on the page of those who want Craig to lose the cats. What I'm finding difficult to understand is how the photos that have been entered into evidence have now been sworn to be real photos and both sides have agreed these photos weren't altered in any way. I've seen a lot of the photos showing cats in horrible condition. The judge has also supposedly said he's concerned about the deteriation between the inspection and the raid. How does Craig plan to get the cats back and why are so many still supporting him when the photos are so horrific. I can understand people dropping off sick cats but there seems to be a lot more involved than a lot of sick cats

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  10. Elisa,

    The explanation is simple for those still supporting Caboodle Ranch and Craig Grant. Its because they think that its OK to live the way cats did at Caboodle because its better than death. This is what one of their most avid supporters posted:

    Elizabeth Ann Scarborough Oddly enough, the behavior of the opposition and their representation through all of this has been what is described as "dog in the manger." THEY don't want these kitties, at least not to adopt and care for.

    "Craig is the only one who wants them and their only goal is to keep him from having them back, no matter how hard it is on the kitties" --what do they care? They just want to kill them anyway.
    End of post

    Notice the line, "No matter how hard it is on the kitties". This is why they still support, they do not have empathy for the cats as they claim. I am sure you read the new evidence about the PETA confidential informant and how Grant continually refused care for the cats. Its a mentality we can never understand and they will never change. Thus the reason every state in the US has to have animal cruelty laws on the books because of people just like Craig Grant, Nanette Entriken, and all the CR supporters. Some of them have even been arrested for animal cruelty and are awaiting their own criminal trials. So birds of a feather flock together. One of the supporters even committed perjury on the stand to protect Craig probaly so she can continue to receive money under the table. Yet they claim to be animals lovers. Not true at all.

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  11. It's not a coincidence that several supporters on the Caboodle Ranch Fan Page have been charged with animal cruelty in the past, mainly animal hoarding. One fan even had her children removed (due to neglect) when her self pro-claimed rescue was raided due to hoarding.

    These people all feel wronged and seek each other for support as those of the same mind-set are able to empathize with them.

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  12. I tried to post on the FB page you mentioned but I cannot find the button you are talking about, so I will post here. I am a Trustee of Caboodle Ranch. They just don't like that because it makes me look credible. As for their attorneys giving up trying to stop me. They have NOT made one attempt to. I have an attorney who filed a notice of appearance in ALL of Grant's cases and THEIR attorney could have objected at the time it was submitted to them prior to the first day of the hearing, but instead, they did not object to me being a Trustee, just that my attorney might want to ask questions. Also their attorney has YET to contact my attorney to tell me I am not a trustee and to show me the evidence that I am currently not a trustee. If they did that, then I would say I am no longer a trustee, but to my knowledge I am still a Trustee and have a duty to ensure the safety of the cats, and that is what I am doing. They are upset that I am the person getting the truth out to everyone and as a result they are losing support and those persons our coming over to our side to support us. I am sorry you are in the middle of all this, but please review all the evidence you have access to and make your own determination. Just remember, they asked you to google CR and see all the wonderful photos they provided as proof CR was a great place. However, anytime some one posts pictures of the photos taken at Caboodle Ranch that are not favorable to them, even evidence submitted at the hearing that their attorney did not object to and allowed them to be admitted into evidence, they say they are photo shopped, and of course, you see the standard line that I am a liar. Yet, they have not proved it in any way shape or form. I am out to save the kitties of Caboodle Ranch so they will have a healthy, safe, clean environment to live and receive medical attention when needed, and not just tossed into the sick ward with the mantra, "they will heal on their own". I assume you read the Confidential Informant report on the www.caboodleranch.net. I had nothing to do with that. Also, I do not run that site, but I do provide the pubic records I obtain from the court files. Notice how the phots on the CR.net site have evidence stickers, and criminal number stands to ID locations. If I changed those photos in any way, I could be arrested and prosecuted for a fraud crime for altering evidence photos after I recieved them and claimed them as the true evidence. So if the evidence photos on the CR.net are not the ones entered into evidence, all their attorney has to do is show it to the police and I would be arrested. But I have not because the evidence photos are true and not photo shopped.

    ReplyDelete

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