Progress?

If any of you have reached out on the pigs at Ayrshires behalf I THANK YOU.

I am in talks with some important folks and am hopeful for progress in the near future.

At the very least the situation is under further review and on some important radars.

Please share the page

https://www.facebook.com/ayrshirefarmabuse

Mr. Rogers and Mr Yudd,

I would like to draw your attention to a petition I started to allow people to sign their name to let Loudoun County know the people believe Ayrshire Farm needs to be held accountable for their various violations of Virginia State Welfare Codes.

At this time the petition has 5,222 signatures and counting.

The petition calls for Loudoun County Animal Services to:

"Hold Ayrshire Farm responsible for animal cruelty. Owner Sandy Lerner allows a cycle of abuse, cruelty, and neglect through Large Livestock Manager Crystal Ritenour and staff. You have been provided evidence that shows they routinely violate state code."

https://www.change.org/p/loudoun-county-animal-services-director-tom-koenig-hold-ayrshire-farm-responsible-for-animal-cruelty-owner-sandy-lerner-allows-a-cycle-of-abuse-cruelty-and-neglect-through-large-livestock-manager-crystal-ritenour-and-staff-you-have-been-provided-evid

After a thorough review of FOIA documents, speaking with legal council, investigative reporters, Loudoun citizens as well as citizens of Virginia and even nationally, there is a growing concern about the relationship between Loudoun Animal Services and the role it is playing in preventing Virginia State Code to be enforced without exception to the individual or species of animal involved. Looking through cases in Loudoun Animal Services past they have pressed charges for animal cruelty for a fraction of what I have shown them evidence of which occurs at Ayrshire Farm.

I was told in a meeting between Loudoun Animal Services and the Commonwealth Attorneys Office they do not deny abuse occurred but trust Ayrshire Farm has made the appropriate changes to prevent it from occurring in the future. I was specifically asked why I too didn't trust Ayrshire Farm to make and adhere to these changes.

I worked on at Ayshire Farm for 9 months and saw willful neglect, animal abuse, and a variety of inhumane treatment of the pigs at this farm. I did my best diligently to make changes while I was at the farm but the Large Livestock Manager Crystal Ritenour and her staff, as well as the farm owner Sandy Lerner do not make animal welfare a priority. It is not even an after thought.

Humane Farm Animal Care inspected the farm before Loudoun Animal Services did and found a "zillion" major and minor nonconformances citing Crystal Ritenour as the problem. It was not acts of God that created these issues, but human neglect. Ayrshire Farm had to immediately euthanize and or medicate various animals in order to stay Certified Humane. Then Loudoun Animal Services inspected. At that time Ayrshire Farm has been forced to euthanize suffering animals and it is quite likely there was now treatment started (forced in order to remain Certified Humane). I showed Loudoun County Animal Services pictures and videos of just how bad these pigs got before HFAC intervened and required treatment...and indeed that would be considered neglecting to provide medical treatment. The document emailed to Loudoun County Animal Services from Ayshire Farm on 7/31/2014 is full of statements that are false and displace blame of why the animals were sick. It was not due to older sows or colostrum transmission but neglect. I can prove through litter sheets that the claims Crystal Ritenour makes are incorrect. During the 9 months I was on the farm not one Veterinarian so much as looked at a pig at Ayrshire Farm.

In a public statement on their Facebook page Ayrshire Farm admits to having to humanely euthanize several animals last summer. These deaths were avoidable and indeed are a result willful neglect. I provided Jason Faw written documentation from a Veterinarian outlining how Ayrshire Farm has failed to meet State Code. As far as I know I am the only one who has had a veterinarian review evidence and documentation from the Ayrshire Farm. Loudoun Animal Services failed to involve the Virginia Department of Agricultural and Consumer Affairs. They denied resources available to them to have state Veterinarians physically look at pigs at the farm or review my evidence.

The fact Ayrshire Farm as received a behind the scenes slap on the wrist and was essentially forgiven and defended through the County "trusting" they have made the appropriate changes is unacceptable. Furthermore, nothing has been done to verify these changes are ongoing. Loudoun Animal Services Mark Stacks said unless another complaint is made they will not check on the welfare of the animals. This coming from the same individual who earlier this year told me there were no limiting factors to evidence being used to take them to court for animal cruelty, who told me when they were ready to blow this up they would.

I and 5,222 people and counting are requesting Loudoun Animal Services to reopen the criminal case against Ayrshire Farm and press criminal charges. We are requesting State Veterinarians review evidence. We are requesting Ayrshire Farms claims for treatment are verified. We are requesting an open line of communication between themselves and myself to help with any questions they may have that would limit charges going forward.

Loudoun County Virginia is an area known for its wildlife, equestrian activities, and in the western parts its smaller farms. For the most part these farmers take great pride in their work and take excellent care of their animals. This is not the case at Ayrshire Farm. It is the duty of Loudoun County to make sure these farmers adhere to State Code and when violations occur to bring charges against them, not blindly trust that changes have been made. I will certainly not stop working towards justice for these pigs and more will be accomplished working together than working against each other. At this time the same management and staff continue to work with the pigs. This is a serious issue and it needs to be addressed through Loudoun County Animal Services intervention. Virginias animals all deserve to be treated within the standards that the State Code outlines for welfare, regardless of the socioeconomic status of the farm owner or the personal relationship between Loudoun Animal Services and the owner of these animals.

I and many others find it highly suspect the farm where Animal Control Officers, Community Relations Staff, and various other employees of Loudoun Animal Services are wined and dined at crystal and silver plated luncheons is given a pass of criminal animal abuse and is simply trusted to make the appropriate changes. This is not the precedence Loudoun County should be setting.

Again, I and over 5,000 other people request you reopen the criminal case against Ayrshire Farm and bring the evidence to the Commonwealth Attorney for prosecution.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to respond.

Thank you,

Meredith

Loudoun County Animal Services Director Tom Koenig: Hold Ayrshire Farm responsible for animal...

Ayrshire Farm located in Loudoun County in Upperville, VA. has an operation of +/-350 pigs at any given time. The farm is owned and operated by Sandy Lerner and severely mismanaged by Large Livestock Manager Crystal Ritenour and the ethical consequences are undeniable. There is seemingly no animal h…

change.org

All,

Please contact Adele Douglas the founder and director of Humane Farm Animal Care at the email or phone number below and request Ayrshire Farm have their Certified Humane certification removed. Evidence is provided below from Adele Douglas and her lawyer acknowledging major and minor nonconformances, zillions of changes needing to be made, and repeated failed inspections.

Ayrshire Farm does not meet Certified Humane standards and this was proved when inspected by Humane Farm Animal Control.

"Humane Farm Animal Care (HFAC) is the leading non-profit certification organization dedicated to improving the lives of farm animals in food production from birth through slaughter. The goal of the program is to improve the lives of farm animals by driving consumer demand for kinder and more responsible farm animal practices. When you see the Certified Humane Raised and Handled® label on a product you can be assured that the food products have come from facilities that meet precise, objective standards for farm animal treatment."

Allowing Ayrshire Farm to remain Humane Certified is not in line with their claims of care and compromises the integrity and credibility of the label.

If Humane Farm Animal Care allows this type of treatment abuse and neglect at Ayrshire Farm what is happening on other farms?

Founder Adele Douglas
Adele@certifiedhumane.org

Humane Farm Animal Care
PO Box 727
Herndon, VA 20172
(703) 435-3883
info@certifiedhumane.org