Case Details

USDA exhibitor charged under AWA
Palm Harbor, FL (US)

Incident Date: Monday, Aug 31, 1998
County: Pinellas
Local Map: available

Disposition: USDA Citation

Person of Interest: Anna Mae Noell

Case Updates: 1 update(s) available

Case ID: 6059
Classification: Neglect / Abandonment
Animal: other wildlife, captive exotic, rabbit (pet), goat
View more cases in FL (US)
Login to Watch this Case

In September 1998, the U.S. Department of Agriculture charged licensed animal exhibitor Anna Mae Noell, doing business as Chimp Farm Inc. in Palm Harbor, Fla., with violations of the Animal Welfare Act.

"While all of these charges are serious, there is one that involves the mishandling of two chimpanzees," said W. Ron DeHaven, acting deputy administrator for animal care with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a part of USDA's marketing and regulatory programs mission area. "The mistreatment of animals whether by intent or oversight, will not be tolerated by this agency, and when we see it, we will act on it."

APHIS is charging that Noell handled two chimpanzees in a manner that caused unnecessary discomfort and also failed to:

-- Maintain programs of disease control and prevention, euthanasia, and adequate veterinary care under the supervision and assistance of a veterinarian;

-- Maintain complete records on the premises showing the acquisition, disposition, and identification of animals;

-- Provide sufficient distance and/or barriers between the animals and the general viewing public during public exhibition;

-- Keep a responsible, knowledgeable, and readily identifiable employee or attendant present at all times during periods of public contact;

-- Construct structurally sound housing facilities for nonhuman primates and maintain them in good repair so as to protect the animals from injury;

-- Remove excessive rust from housing facilities for nonhuman primates;

-- Remove jagged edges or sharp points that might injure animals from housing facilities for nonhuman primates;

-- Design and construct structurally sound primary enclosures for the species of nonhuman primates they contain;

-- Maintain primary enclosures that allow nonhuman primates to remain dry and clean;

-- Follow an appropriate plan for environmental enhancement adequate to promote the psychological well-being of nonhuman primates;

-- Construct an enclosure for a brown bear that allows sufficient space for normal postural and social adjustments with adequate freedom of movement;

-- Keep food in the goat pen free of contamination and make it of sufficient nutritive value to maintain the animals in good health;

--Construct a structurally sound enclosure for a rabbit and maintain it in good repair to protect the animal from injury;

-- Provide sufficient space in a nonhuman primate enclosure for the animal to make normal postural adjustments with freedom of movement;

-- Include in the environmental plan specific provisions to address the social needs of the nonhuman primates;

-- Establish and maintain an effective program for the control of insects and other pests so as to promote the health and well-being of the nonhuman primates and reduce contamination;

-- Construct structurally sound housing facilities for goats and maintain them in good repair so as to contain the animals and protect them from injury;

-- Store supplies of food to protect them against deterioration and molding;

-- Provide rabbits housed outdoors with an artificial cooling system when the temperature exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit;

-- Construct housing facilities for nonhuman primates in a manner that allowed them to be readily cleaned and sanitized;

-- Store supplies of food and bedding for nonhuman primates in a manner that protects them from spoilage, contamination, and vermin infestation; and

-- Equip housing facilities for nonhuman primates with properly constructed, installed, and maintained drains.

Case Updates

Nov. 13, 1998 A U.S. Department of Agriculture administrative law judge has found Anna Mae Noell of Palm Harbor, Fla., guilty of violating the Animal Welfare Act.

"Noell's Chimp Farm, Inc., didn't provide the minimum standards of animal care required by the Animal Welfare Act," said Michael V. Dunn, Under Secretary for marketing and regulatory programs. "The housing facilities lacked proper ventilation and drainage and, in some instances, were not fit for the types of animals they contained. Two violations involved the mishandling of her primates; it was in the best interests of the animals that we revoked her license."

USDA inspectors found AWA violations in several areas, including housing, handling, and recordkeeping.

Noell was fined $25,000 and her license revoked. She has until early December to appeal the decision and can remain in operation while an appeal is in process.
Source: USDA - November 13, 998
Update posted on Dec 11, 2005 - 8:01PM 

Neighborhood Map

For more information about the Interactive Animal Cruelty Maps, see the map notes.

Back to Top

References

USDA - September 22, 1998

« FL State Animal Cruelty Map

Add to GoogleNot sure what these icons mean? Click here.

Note: Classifications and other fields should not be used to determine what specific charges the suspect is facing or was convicted of - they are for research and statistical purposes only. The case report and subsequent updates outline the specific charges. Charges referenced in the original case report may be modified throughout the course of the investigation or trial, so case updates, when available, should always be considered the most accurate reflection of charges.

For more information regarding classifications and usage of this database, please visit the database notes and disclaimer.



Send this page to a friend
© Copyright 2001-2008 Pet-Abuse.Com. All rights reserved. Site Map ¤ Disclaimer ¤ Privacy Policy