HELPING WILDLIFE AND COMPANION ANIMALS TAKES DEDICATION AND PERSEVERANCE.

I have a proven track record of assisting new wildlife rehabbers get their permits, and sharing accurate information to educate the public so they can help animals too. I respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. When humans cooperate, animals benefit.

This article was published by St. Louis Magazine in January 2018. Even though I did not take any of the photos in this article, on February 16, 2018, my Mo Dept of Conservation (MDC) agent issued a citation for the “exhibition” of wildlife. MDC never issued a citation to St. Louis Magazine. I knew the ticket was a result of a green-eyed rehabber that enjoys nothing more than bullying other rehabbers, but at the time I was too afraid to stick up for myself. I watched as other rehabbers posted whatever photos they wanted. I was a relatively new rehabber, and I was afraid I was going to lose my permit. I felt as though I had no choice but to watch MDC selectively enforce their interpretation of “exhibition” to their favored wildlife rehabbers’ foes.

I received my MO Dept of Conservation Wildlife Permit in 2016. It has been a pleasure and pain. I am thrilled to wake up in the morning and pursue my passion. Unfortunately, there have been many mornings I also faced bullying by fellow rehabbers that rapidly turned into an MDC agent issuing a citation. I experienced this three times. St. Louis County reduced one to a traffic violation. My attorney not only donated his time but also paid my fine and court fees for the “exhibition” citation. MDC insisted that I attend a court date for my second citation. Though I prided myself on my paperwork- my MDC agent felt like my paperwork deserved a citation. Well, you can imagine how the busy St Louis County Prosecuting Attorney reacted to my MDC agent’s determination of what was a good use of the St Louis County taxpayer’s money and the PA offices time. The prosecuting attorney apologized to me and told me he was making the citation, “go away”, and that he did- poof! The third citation my MDC agent issued, was deemed “moot” by MDC own legal department. Regardless of no wrongdoing on my part related to my wildlife permit, dealing with the selective enforcement was time consuming, interfered with and contradicted with the mission of the MDC Wildlife Rehabilitation Permit objectives. Each citation fueled me and gave me courage to face the next. I knew if I was experiencing this treatment other innocent rehabbers were experiencing the same.

Unfortunately, I was right. I routinely hear stories of other wildlife rehabbers just trying to save or make comfortable injured or orphaned wildlife. Whether it is compassionate, skilled people that are denied a rehabber permit, or told that they must relocate to a Missouri county where the MDC agent wasn’t denying permits because there were “already too many”. Most recently, another rehabber was given a “warning” for the “exhibition” of wildlife after a hastily scheduled “inspection”. This rehabber was issued a verbal warning for posting photos of animals being rehabilitated under their care. The agent told the rehabber to remove all photos of wildlife from his social media. The agent also informed the rehabber that MDC didn’t like rehabbers asking for donations for the supplies needed to rehab wildlife. Even though there are countless photos of other rehabbers with at least as many images on their websites and social media sites and just as many if not more had requests for donations.

I shared with a friend that was supportive during my MDC citation bully issues. I asked my friend to attend the rehabbers inspection and act as a witness. Afterwards, she was disgusted to discover that the hard-working people of Missouri were funding the bullying and selective enforcement of MDC’s creative interpretation of some of their codes and of the First Amendment.

My friend as a concerned taxpayer sent a letter to MDC. She requested clarification and supporting documents for the warning the MDC agent expressed verbally to the wildlife rehabber. The MDC reached out to schedule a meeting with her and two representatives from the MDC.

I want to share some of the information that resulted from that letter to MDC. MDC sent this information to my friend fifteen minutes before the planned phone conference.

“Until this complicated matter can fully addressed, we intend to pause any future enforcement associated with posting photographs on social media.

As stated above, the Department has historically prohibited the exhibition or display of wildlife in part to prevent them from being exploited and used for commercial gain. Again, we recognize that the use of photographs on social media was not contemplated at the time of the original rule promulgation, and we do not intend to pursue enforcement for photographs on social media, regardless of the purpose used, until such time as updates can be made to the regulations to clarify what is meant by the term “exhibit.” I would add that we will continue to enforce the prohibition of any other “exhibition”, such as direct display of wildlife to the public, for the protection and well-being of the wildlife being rehabilitated.”

Feel free to verify the above information with:

Jennifer Frazier

Missouri Department of Conservation

General Counsel and Custodian of Records

2901 W.Truman Blvd

P.O. Box 180

Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180

573-522-4115, ext. 3210

573-508-9008 (cell)

A serendipitous meeting led to an experienced wildlife rehabber in Kansas City sharing her story. This woman was initially denied a rehabber permit when she left the employ of a MCD beloved wildlife rehab clinic. She expressed that she thought the director of the clinic felt threatened and was retaliating. Her attorney and my attorney shared notes and eventually, she was granted her permit. In the last year 2 other people in Southeast, MO were denied rehab permits and reached out to me.

Most recently, a woman that has been helping me rehab who lives in a county with no wildlife rehabbers was denied her permit. Armed with shared experiences and knowledge, she was just granted her permit.

I am sharing these stories because I hope to reach out to the minority of us that are bullied and the rehabbers that work almost as hard at staying under the radar as they do rehabbing wildlife so they will not be bullied. I am hoping to the degree we are all comfortable with that we will in earnest support other genuine rehabbers and diminish the bullies that plague the wildlife rehabilitation community. I am asking we encourage and help new wildlife rehabbers get their permits. I am asking that we please keep our ears to the ground and when we hear of a skilled compassionate person denied an opportunity to rehab wildlife, that we find them help. I am asking us to work together to be more supportive of other genuine veteran and new rehabbers.

Admittedly, rehabbing wildlife around the clock has made me exhausted and cranky. We need more dedicated wildlife rehabbers. We need to pass on our knowledge and experience to the next generation. If anyone is interested forming a cadre or a forum or system for sharing ideas to recruit and support new wildlife rehabbers I would like to hear from my bullied and under the radar cohorts. If you can’t do anything more but to send anyone in need of help or support my way, I will do my best to help anyone in need or with the desire to help wildlife. If you are interested in sharing ideas about recruiting and supporting new rehabbers, please let me know. Let’s share our ideas!

I also want to thank all of you that have unconditionally supported me through my battles with the bullies- it has meant the world to me.