For immediate release:
October 14, 2021
Contact:
Moira Collie 202-483-7382
Rochester, Minnesota. – Governor Tim Waltz received a letter from PETA this morning asking Minnesota Attorney General to indict animal cruelty charges against Dan Moulton, owner of the infamous Moulton Chinchilla Ranch (MCR), who has just lost his U.S. Department of Health. An Agriculture License (USDA) was ruled “ineligible” by a federal judge for “startling” information about violations of federal animal welfare laws.
A few months ago, a PETA investigation revealed that Moulton had denied veterinary care to chinchillas for exposed bones, open wounds, and other painful conditions. It took a court decision to force local officials to issue a search warrant, and they captured at least 10 animals from the MCR. It was revealed that the Fillmore County attorney and the sheriff were friends of Moulton on social media, and the case was referred to the Rice County attorney, who a few months later cited a pending USDA civil case as a reason not to press charges. even though the USDA does not have the authority to enforce state anti-cruelty laws.
While the revocation of the USDA license means that Moulton will be barred from doing business as a laboratory and pet wholesale dealer without government intervention, he can still continue to operate – now without any federal oversight.
“PETA is asking Gov. Waltz to see to it that justice is done and the law is upheld in Fillmore County, where over 700 chinchillas still languish in this hellish hole,” said PETA Senior Vice President Daphne Nachminovich. “Since Moulton does not seem to fear the consequences of federal oversight or those he knows in the county government, the governor must save the animals and the county’s reputation.”
PETA, whose motto is in part that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way,” is opposed to arrogance, a worldview focused on human superiority. For more information on collecting news and reporting on PETA investigations, please visit PETA.org or subscribe to the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram…
This is followed by PETA’s letter to Walls.
October 14, 2021
The Honorable Tim Waltz
Governor of Minnesota
Dear Governor Waltz!
I hope this letter will correct you. On behalf of nearly 70,000 PETA supporters in Minnesota and every person with an aversion to animal cruelty, we ask you to intervene to ensure that flagrant, well-documented and we believe criminal offenses against animals are prosecuted. in Fillmore County. A shocked judge revoked the plant’s federal license, but the district did not take any action. It is clear from your past animal welfare that you take animal welfare seriously, so we are confident that you will consider this an emergency.
PETA’s investigation into Moulton Chinchilla Ranch (MCR) found that owner, Dan Moulton, refused veterinary treatment to chinchillas for pus-filled, swollen eyes; exposed bones; open wounds; and other painful conditions. Based on our evidence, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at MCR in January and opened a criminal investigation.
Moulton is friends on social media with Corson, as well as Fillmore County Sheriff John DeGeorge. Last April, after a reporter mentioned these online friendships to Corson and asked if they influenced his decision, Corson referred the case to Rice County Attorney John Fossum. Six months later, the Fossum office announced that it had refused to file criminal allegations citing false information, including that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil The federal case against Moulton covered the same facts and provided for harsher penalties, when in fact the actions of the federal agency included the implementation of laws completely unrelated to the state’s atrocity statute, relating to conduct that occurred several years ago, and did not nothing to protect or defend desperately needed the help of the more than 700 chinchillas who still languish in MCR in dire and illegal conditions – something that only the state has the authority and jurisdiction to enforce.
A USDA complaint against Moulton recounted his repeated failure to meet minimum standards of care set by federal animal welfare laws, including leaving sick and injured chinchillas to suffer from untreated chronic diseases and keep them in filthy conditions for a long time. 2013 year. PETA’s investigation revealed similar suffering long after the USDA case was filed in 2018, and Moulton, apparently unstoppable by any action by the federal government, continued to cite the same abuses as recently as this spring. Although a USDA judge described Moulton’s history of violations as “utterly astounding”, declared him “unfit” to be a licensee, and revoked his license, Moulton is no longer subject to supervision or scrutiny – he has the right to keep those for years. suffer from chinchillas in whatever conditions he wants, obviously confident that those he knows in law enforcement are not interested in or intent on enforcing Minnesota’s animal welfare laws.
We respectfully request that you instruct Attorney General Keith Ellison to exercise the powers of District Attorney as mandated by Minnstat. Anna. § 8.01, and initiate an animal cruelty prosecution. You and Mr. Ellison – the only hope of these vulnerable chinchillas – everyone else has failed them, and they will continue to languish until Moulton is prosecuted for their neglect.
Thank you for your time and for your important work. Looking forward to your reply.
Sincerely,
Daphne Nachminovich
Senior vice president
Abuse Investigation Department
Copies: Keith Ellison, Attorney General of Minnesota