Jul 9, 2012: Caboodle Ranch Owner Files Appeal
Attorneys for Caboodle Ranch owner Craig Grant have filed an appeal in the civil case to determine who has custody of the more than 600 cats seized from the ranch back in February.
The judge in the case previously ruled in favor of the Madison County Sheriff's Office and placed all of the cats in their custody permanently.
Grant's attorneys requested a stay in the case so the cats can remain in the temporary custody of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The judge granted the stay, but set a a $1.8 million dollar bond.
David Collins, the attorney representing Caboodle Ranch, released the following statement:
"We are filing a motion to reduce that cost bond based on the fact that it exceeds the Court's jurisdictional limits to assess cost. We believe the maximum amount is $15,000.00."
Grant has until July 16, 2012 to post the bond. If he is able to post that bond, the cats will remain with the ASPCA until the appeal has been resolved..." Link
Jun 26, 2012: Ponte Vedra man charged with animal cruelty won't regain custody of Caboodle Cats
The Ponte Vedra Beach man charged with animal cruelty after his cat sanctuary was raided Feb. 27 won’t regain custody of most of the 691 felines seized, according to a judge’s ruling.
Judge Gregory Parker’s eight-page ruling states the cats seized from the Caboodle Ranch in Lee are remanded into the Madison County Sheriff’s Office’s custody. They will stay under the care of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Jacksonville until the criminal charges against Craig Grant are heard in August.
Grant had gone to court in May to regain custody of the cats he cared for after their owners gave them up over the past few years. The Caboodle Ranch’s Facebook page calls Friday’s judge’s decision “the beginning of our biggest fight,” urging fans of the ranch to respectfully “protest this unconscionable decision” and ask Parker to overturn his Friday decision.”
Grant’s attorney, David Collins, said they will consider an appeal as they prepare for the criminal trial on multiple animal cruelty charges.
“It was tough for us to take. Quite honestly, we totally felt that we were right and the government was wrong, but we have to respect the court,” Collins said. “ ... I haven’t spoken to him [Grant] yet, but I am sure he is dismayed. But we haven’t given up and we feel very, very good for our chances on appeal and in the criminal matter.”
The society states it has spent about $1.2 million to care for the cats since they were “rescued from the dire conditions” at the ranch in February, according to a June 11 letter to Parker.
That includes ongoing medical treatment for respiratory infections, lymphoma, blindness, polyps and bowel disease at a Westside Jacksonville site, and preparations for adoption if Grant loses..." More
The Ponte Vedra Beach man charged with animal cruelty after his cat sanctuary was raided Feb. 27 won’t regain custody of most of the 691 felines seized, according to a judge’s ruling.
Judge Gregory Parker’s eight-page ruling states the cats seized from the Caboodle Ranch in Lee are remanded into the Madison County Sheriff’s Office’s custody. They will stay under the care of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Jacksonville until the criminal charges against Craig Grant are heard in August.
Grant had gone to court in May to regain custody of the cats he cared for after their owners gave them up over the past few years. The Caboodle Ranch’s Facebook page calls Friday’s judge’s decision “the beginning of our biggest fight,” urging fans of the ranch to respectfully “protest this unconscionable decision” and ask Parker to overturn his Friday decision.”
Grant’s attorney, David Collins, said they will consider an appeal as they prepare for the criminal trial on multiple animal cruelty charges.
“It was tough for us to take. Quite honestly, we totally felt that we were right and the government was wrong, but we have to respect the court,” Collins said. “ ... I haven’t spoken to him [Grant] yet, but I am sure he is dismayed. But we haven’t given up and we feel very, very good for our chances on appeal and in the criminal matter.”
The society states it has spent about $1.2 million to care for the cats since they were “rescued from the dire conditions” at the ranch in February, according to a June 11 letter to Parker.
That includes ongoing medical treatment for respiratory infections, lymphoma, blindness, polyps and bowel disease at a Westside Jacksonville site, and preparations for adoption if Grant loses..." More
After PETA operation, hundreds of cats await rescue
By Leonora LaPeter Anton
One day last September, a woman arrived at Caboodle Ranch, a fenced sanctuary for more than 500 cats in the middle of a northern Florida pine forest.
The woman offered to help the owner, a lonely man named Craig Grant. She cleaned out litter boxes and laid out bowls of food and water for the cats that meandered though a miniature village with a doll-sized post office, town hall and Walmart.
Unbeknownst to Grant, the woman was an investigator for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. She took video of wheezing and sneezing cats with oozing eyes and drippy noses. She showed cats that could barely lift their heads, lying in vomit and feces. She documented a fridge of medical supplies crawling with maggots.
On Monday, Madison County sheriff's deputies arrived at Grant's property in Lee and charged him with one count of felony animal cruelty, three counts of cruelty to animals and one count of scheming to defraud. His bond was set at $250,000..." More
Watch PETA's undercover video:
Watch PETA's undercover video:
Video: Hundreds of Cats Rescued from Caboodle Ranch
New law could create more hoarders like Caboodle Ranch
by: Noël McLaren
They came to this sanctuary to be saved but instead investigators say a Ponte Vedra Beach man left hundreds of cats to die.
Craig Grant's Caboodle Ranch in Lee, Florida was raided because of overcrowding and unsanitary conditions. Grant was hoarding nearly 700 cats. Some of those cats are being taken to shelters in Jacksonville. Shelter workers in our area are calling it a disgusting crime.
"It is the antithesis of what it is we're working for that's for sure," said Denise Deisler, executive director of the Jacksonville Humane Society.
"It's a sad situation," said Rick Ducharme, director at First Coast No More Homeless Pets. The organization operates a no kill adoption center in Mandarin. He says pet owners didn't get what they bargained for at Caboodle Ranch..." More & video
Craig Grant's Caboodle Ranch in Lee, Florida was raided because of overcrowding and unsanitary conditions. Grant was hoarding nearly 700 cats. Some of those cats are being taken to shelters in Jacksonville. Shelter workers in our area are calling it a disgusting crime.
"It is the antithesis of what it is we're working for that's for sure," said Denise Deisler, executive director of the Jacksonville Humane Society.
"It's a sad situation," said Rick Ducharme, director at First Coast No More Homeless Pets. The organization operates a no kill adoption center in Mandarin. He says pet owners didn't get what they bargained for at Caboodle Ranch..." More & video
Caboodle Ranch's Website: here
Facebook page dedicated to exposing the Ranch: here
10 comments:
another on the peta media train.sigh. for someone who has visited this place I find it funny how this man is crucified over an " investigation ". many animals are dropped and abandoned already injured and sick. of course that was never mentioned. this man needed help. not a cross to bear.
Uhm, this was a shelter -- not an individual hoarding animals. Their website says as much. The site states that Caboodle Ranch is a 501c3 non-profit cat rescue sanctuary.
Do you have evidence that they are not in fact a non-profit rescue sanctuary?
The Peta video is so fony, listen to the "volunteer" making sure we know this unused fridge stinks, and she films the litter trays, as if they are an unusual site before morning clean-up, which she was supposed to be doing in there, not filming the sick kitties waiting for their morning care, food and meds !
This is so remenisent of "witch"-hunting. ie Authorities composed of self-interested groups, arresting and incriminating people who were a source of happiness in competition with what they wanted people to believe in (and donate to).
I feel most sorry for these cats. Seizing them and removing them from this property is likely NOT going to result in a happier ending for them. How likely is the ASPCA going to be to care for and adopt out feral cats? How likely are they to find shelters to take hundreds of cats when the shelters they associate with are probably already killing 50% or more of the cats they take in? These cats would likely have been far better served by the ASPCA sending folks in to help.
I have been to Caboodle Ranch and seen how dedicated Craig Grant was. He worked tirelessly from sun-up til sunset caring for these animals. If things were as bad as PETA says, why did it take 5 months before anything was done. Animal Planet filmed there for a week. A licensed vet came in every week. Something just doesn't seem to add up here. Many stories have been done by newspapers and various TV stations over the years. I think what they've done to this man is the crime. They claim it was of overcrowded, it was 30 acres. They claim he was a lonely old man. He was very loving and kind. They claim he was a hoarder. There was no secrecy about this place. Shame on all you organizations. Jacksonville Humaneless Society, who will only take in a perfect cat that is owned. No strays. They charge a fee to take in the cat and a fee to adopt a cat. Otherwise take it to the pound. The way this entire thing was handled is disgusting. Shame on all you Grant haters. All your organizations would rather murder these poor little critters than to have helped save these animals lives. Why do people think cats are desposible animals. I tried take kittens to the humaneless society. I didn't own them, they told me take them to the animal control. Have you ever seen the conditions there. Horrible. This was a vendetta. No doubt about it. God knows Craig's heart.
I am so disappointed in how big business has corrupted PETA and the ASPCA. They will never get anymore of my money and I have contributed to Craig's legal fees. Caboodle's Ranch is obviously a place of love and dedication to animals who PETA and the ASPCA had failed to help. God only know how many of the Caboodle cats have already been euthinized just because they did not have room.
This is incredible.. He has over 30 acres and is taking care of these animals by himself and in walks a stranger posing to help him and with his giving heart he lets her in and now bam a lawsuit... I hope you realize that you have done nothing but a dis service to this man, others like him trying to help and these animals that were pretty much ok outside of their own owners just dropping them all off here to get rid of... This just disgusts me, How about we try to find real criminals and send all of our volunteers into help this gentleman... It would be really nice if america and the ridiculous government would wake up and realize that we have spoiled our own population where in other countries you would not see this to this extent. I bet there is a school close by, how about 20 kids each weekend coming by and fixing up and donating old clothes and blankets to help clean and fi things doing community service hours and learning how life should be about helping others that do help..... I am just sad.. shame on all of you who can't just wake up!!!!
I think this is a crime against the cats by the ASPCA and PETA, not a crime by Mr. Grant. I have followed the Caboodle Ranch for years, and I too have contributed in the past for the care of the cats, and recently for legal fees. I agree with the poster above, let's help by sending in volunteers that truly love pets / cats, rather than a volunteer that is really an undercover evil excuse for a human.
This is BS! This page needs to be taken down. This man has dedicated his life to these animals NO ONE WANTED!!! PETA and the ASPCA are so corrupted. Taking these cats away and calling it hoarding is ridiculous. Definition of Animal hoarding (keeping higher than usual numbers of animals as pets without having the ability to properly house or care for them, while at the same time denying this inability). Craig cared for these animals and is able to provide for them so he is not an animal hoarder.You people call yourselves an organization that helps animals when your organizations kill more animals than most. This is so morally wrong. I cannot believe anyone would think where these cats are now is a better place. Just give them back............I hope you all rot in HELL.
This is really absurd, causing confusion on such a sensitive issue, creating a very thin line between hoarding and animal cruelty can really just be dangerous.
I would like to correct some of the misinformation in the comments posted here.
Anonymous says: "Craig cared for these animals and is able to provide for them so he is not an animal hoarder."
This is completely incorrect. Craig allowed cats to suffer and die without veterinary treatment. Dead cats were found in the furniture of the "General Store" where Craig spent much of his time. He allowed cats to be exposed to disease, and failed to treat them when they succumbed to their illnesses. There were twice as many FIV+ cats loose on the Ranch than there were in the FIV barn. He clearly did NOT care for them, and the evidence is clearly visible in the horrific suffering of the cats he neglected.
Another anonymous Caboodle Ranch enabler said: "He has over 30 acres and is taking care of these animals by himself..."
First off, I don't think anybody is foolish enough to believe that one man can care for 700 cats. Secondly, Craig had repeated offers of help that he consistently refused: veterinary assistance, volunteers, expert guidance to resolve the many problems of Caboodle Ranch and turn it into a REAL sanctuary. He refused all of them. Finally, Caboodle Ranch is not 30 acres, it's a 7-acre area on a 30-acre property owned by Craig Grant. That's a frequent (and fraudulent) misrepresentation by Caboodle Ranch.
Another anonymous person commented: "God only know how many of the Caboodle cats have already been euthinized[sic] just because they did not have room."
NONE of the Caboodle Ranch cats have been euthanized for lack of space, although at least 14 had to be humanely euthanized after the severe neglect they suffered at Craig Grant's hands. The ASPCA will make every effort to adopt and rehome these cats, but unfortunately, Caboodle Ranch is dragging out the court proceedings and recently request a stay to prevent the ASPCA from adopting out the cats.
Hysteria and misinformation hurt animals. If you call yourself an animal lover, you'd better be willing to research the facts and do what's best for the cats. And what's best for the cats is clearly to get them out of the hands of the out-of-control hoarder who was killing them with neglect.
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