Ed Sayres
Please See Update
Ed Sayres former CEO of the ASPCA has now been ‘OFFERED’ the position of CEO and President positions at PIJAC. What does this mean to pet owners everywhere and more specific the exotic pet keeper. In our personal opinion not a whole lot. It’s like any other political move. The tangible changes occurring when we vote one out for another lesser evil are fairly null and void.
Does he have a track record of being what some would say is hard edge? We can see where some might get the idea reading some news ‘quotes’. Thing we’re forgetting, a lobbyist is just a mercenary. Whomever is paying the highest dollar that’s what they’ll fight for, why do you think it’s always ‘consultants’?
A few facts about Ed Sayres that should interest anyone that supports PIJAC or has been thinking about supporting PIJAC.
Ed Sayres a Discovered History
1. On May 14, 2014 PIJAC published a statement involving New York State’s ban on happy and healthy kittens and puppies in pet stores.
“This bill damages pet-choice by limiting where responsible pet stores in the city can find legitimate sources for purebred pets. If pet stores in the city have fewer sources of purebred pets to choose from, there will be fewer purebred pets available to New Yorkers as there will be no pet stores selling pets in the city.”
This bill was backed by Ed Sayres during his tenure with the ASPCA and goes against what PIJAC stands for.
2. On October 23, 2011 a 15-year-old horse gelding named Charlie collapsed and died on his way to work as a carriage horse in NYC. According to published reports the horse was to be handed over to the Health Department then to the Sanitation Department then make the trip to Cornell University for a necropsy. Instead it was handed over to the ASPCA. Seven days later the ASPCA released this statement inside it states
“According to Pamela Corey, DVM, director of equine veterinary services for the ASPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement department, Charlie was not healthy for a career in an urban carriage horse business. Charlie, who was licensed in August 2011, had been working as a carriage horse for only a few weeks. On average, New York City carriage horses start working at 10 years of age; some start as early as 5 or 6.”
On November 7, 2011 the NY Times posted a correction by Pamela Corey, DVM stating “in fact there was no evidence that the horse, Charlie, was experiencing any pain, that the ulcers he had were common in all breeds of working horses, and that any implication that Charlie was being abused was misleading.”
Pamela Corey, DVM was then suspended by the ASPCA without pay until Jan 30 2012 when she then forcefully resigned as head equine veterinarian for the ASPCA. Pamela stated in an interview with DVM Newsmagazine that the “Gag Order” ASPCA was trying to implement would destroy her future career as an equine veterinarian.
“It wouldn’t really have allowed me to work in equine welfare,” she explains. “The severance agreement would have lasted forever.”
See Update
Again this is at the hands of the CEO of ASPCA Ed Sayres. Read Pamela’s interview and you can decide where you stand.
Oreo
3. In 2009 a one year old puppy was thrown from a sixth floor apartment building. Oreo, her name received two broken legs and a cracked rib from the fall. ASCPA took this dog in and rehabilitated her. Shortly after her recovery Ed Sayres stated that Oreo also known as the miracle dog started to show signs of aggression. (Who wouldn’t?)
It takes time to heal and learn that people aren’t all bad. Due to these signs of aggression Ed Sayres decided it was in the best interest to euthanize Oreo. Pets Alive a NO Kill sanctuary close to the ASPCA came to Oreo’s rescue. They offered to care for Oreo and continue rehabilitation and if she couldn’t be adoptable would provide Oreo a happy life at the sanctuary. Ed Sayres and the ASPCA denied these attempts by Pets Alive and even took as far as escorting two of Pets Alive volunteers out when they went to discuss Oreo’s fate. ASPCA never did return any phone calls or emails to Pets Alive and eventually killed Oreo on a November morning.
4. July 11, 2000 a lawsuit was filed against Feld Entertainment by Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) on behalf of the ASPCA, AWI, FFA, Tom Rider, and three other individuals. Eventually, their key witness, Tom Rider was in fact labeled a paid witness by Judge Sullivan.
“The Court finds that Mr. Rider is essentially a paid plaintiff and fact witness,” Sullivan stated in a decision handed down in December 2009, “who is not credible, and therefore affords no weight to his testimony regarding the matters discussed herein.”
In August of 2007 Feld Entertainment filed a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations action against the ASPCA. In 2012 the ASPCA decided to pay Feld Entertainment 9.3 million dollars to settle the RICO action. During the majority of time Ed Sayres was the CEO of the ASPCA and had this to say about the lawsuit
“After more than a decade of litigating with Feld Entertainment, the ASPCA concluded that it is in the best interests of the organization to resolve this expensive, protracted litigation,”
5. According to a NY Times article Ed Sayres joined forces with Stephen Nislick to replace carriage horses with electric cars. Ed Sayres even went as far as taking $400,000 of ASPCA money to fund the non-profit start-up New Yorkers for Clean, Livable and Safe Streets (NY-CLASS). His partner in NY-Class, Stephen Nislick was caught saying “want money from people and they want your vote,” This was an attempt to gain backing from NYC politicians in return they would receive campaign contributions.
Fast forward 6 years from this NY Times article and Mayor of NYC Bill de Blasio takes office in 2014. Stephen Nislick being his biggest supporter. The newly elected mayor makes this statement in his inaugural speech
“I am getting rid of all the horses.”
Marilynn K. Yee/The New York Times Ed Sayres, left, and Steve Nislick of NY-Class, the group that sponsors the cars.
Coincidence?
6. In 2006, the ASPCA budgeted $125,000 for a “dog walk”. Which Ed Sayres was supposed to hire a consulting and fundraising firm. Mr. Sayres in turn hired Mr. Schwartz of MBS Associates. According to a 990 form filed with the IRS, Mr Schwartz was paid $400,000 for the “Dog Walk”. The walk eventually took place and only netted $14,000.
PIJAC Standing or Falling?
Is this who you want to be the CEO and President of an organization like PIJAC? Who’s mission statement is:
- PROMOTE responsible pet ownership and animal welfare
- FOSTER environmental stewardship &
- ENSURE the availability of pets
Now then, with this track record of being associated with anti-pet legislation it’s a hard pill to swallow when the powers that be, at PIJAC (ANYONE ASSOCIATED) would allow either by their inaction or direct action to elect a person such as Sayers to their board. This goes without mentioning that in any corporation which PIJAC is like it or not. The CEO/President has the final say on ANY decision to do with the company as a whole. We here at the Reptile Apartment Group will join Brian Potter in his stance of no longer supporting PIJAC.
“In light of the very recent hiring of PIJAC’s new President Ed Sayres, NARBC will be sending all money collected at its auctions to USARK. We thank PIJAC for their work in the past but cannot support a group that would hire the former leader of ASPCA.”
Bob Ashley & Brian Potter
Alliances and otherwise
Reptile Apartment Group we will NOT support USARK until such a time when it’s made public that neither corporation (PIJAC and USARK) will support anyone involved with anti-pet/animal legislation; preventing humans from ownership of animals. As is seen by the ‘carriage’ incident, PIJAC by defacto of offering Sayres a position, not only concerns exotic pet trade but animal trade period. This could extend much farther, reaching not only exotic pet ownership but also into the known legislation impacting farmers of working and food animals.
USARK has advisory members on the board of PIJAC whether they have a voice or not we hope they would in fact make the right decision when it comes to supporting the industry of herpetoculture. We will not become detractors of either group and we will not support either of them until such a time when a statement is made outlining what their TRUE ambitions and legal standings are with regards to exotic pet legislation. As the old saying goes
“Birds of a feather flock together.”
Let us know your thoughts over at the Reptile Apartment Group Facebook Fanpage.
*If you want to support the opposition to the hiring of Ed Sayres make your voice heard Oppose PIJACs Appointment of Ed Sayres.
**This article was co-authored by James Tintle and John F. Taylor of the Reptile Apartment Group.