Hi friends! Reef the fox here with your weekly “Reef’s Report.” I have some big news to report this week.
On Aug. 18, we had a visit from veterinarian Mario Mercado with the USDA-APHIS (Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service). My mom, Nicole Navarro, has been considering the idea of becoming a USDA-licensed sanctuary for a while now, so she submitted her application two months ago and last Friday was the day of our pre-licensing inspection.
Regulations established under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA) set standards for the humane care and treatment for certain animals that are exhibited to the public. Facilities using regulated animals for regulated purposes must provide their animals with adequate housing, sanitation, nutrition, water and veterinary care, and they must protect their animals from extreme weather and temperatures. Inspectors use the AWA standards and regulations as the baseline by which they assess a facility’s level of care provided to animals. If a facility is meeting the federal standards, USDA knows the animals there are receiving humane care and treatment.
When a facility is licensed by the USDA, that means it can allow the general public to visit and take animals out of the facility for public education presentations, which also is something my mom has been considering for a while now so she can raise even more awareness about the cruel fur trade that is happening here in the United States.
I am happy to say we passed our inspection with flying colors. No changes were needed during the pre-licensing inspection, so our license was issued the same day. I, of course, was my usual, charming self. All of the other foxes just lounged around while Mercado observed how we live. He even told my mom that he wouldn’t mind living here once he retired; that’s how comfortable we all are.
So what does that mean for you all? It means in the coming months my mom will be implementing a way for people to book appointments to come see us in person, get in-depth education on our stories, fur farming and how you can advocate even more for a fur-free fashion world. I am super excited to start meeting new friends. I will keep you all posted on how you can book a tour of the sanctuary when it is all set up.
If you have any questions in the meantime, feel free to email me at reef@pawsitivebeginnings.org, but keep in mind we are not accepting visitors yet. There is still a lot of planning that needs to happen first.
Anywho, that’s all for this week. Until next time, Reef, over and out!
