On May 2nd, 2012, the Caboodle Ranch blog posted melodramatic and self-pitying accounts of Craig Grant and Nanette Entriken’s visit to inspect the cats seized by the ASPCA. The visit was authorized by the court as part of the discovery procedure for their hearings.
The post made a number of incriminating and false statements, and was deleted from the blog minutes later — but not before alert animal lovers captured screenshots of the incriminating evidence, including Craig’s confession that he regularly used Clorox Wipes on cats’ faces.
The text of the now-deleted blog follows, with commentary and related documents. (The image of the original blog may be viewed here.)
VISIT TO SEE THE CATS
Nanette and I were allowed to see our cats yesterday (May 1st) at 7pm. Nanette drove, I haven’t driven since the raid on the ranch. I’ve been sick, “post traumatic stress disorder” and am on medication for that and depression. There are time I don’t want to live anymore.
Hoarding behavior and depression are frequently linked, and Craig has stated that cats had “become my happiness.” Without therapy, hoarders may lapse into depression and suicidal behavior, or quickly return to hoarding animals once their hoard has been removed. Animal hoarding has a 100% relapse rate when untreated.
In route, my stomach churns, I want to see them so bad. While Nanette went to see her cats, Rob (my son) and I went to view my cats. We were escorted by someone with an attitude of a prison guard. I was prohibited from any contact with the cats (meaning I was not allowed to touch them).
On the Caboodle Ranch Facebook page, a video clip of the visit was posted. On the basis of this account, it can be assumed that the person recording the visit was Rob Grant, Craig’s son. It is unknown at this time whether Rob was authorized to record and distribute this video to the public, and until we have confirmed that, we have opted to withhold that video.
Meatball was so happy to see me after two months! There was never a day that went by in the last 11 years when Meat-z went without attention. Toot was there, too scared to come to me, and Crackers. Rob said “Look! Tommy!” I can’t believe he’s still alive! He raised his body up the cage door to greet me. I wanted to cherish his body but the guard reminded me not to touch him. So painful, these bums ripped my babies from me.
Cats under the care of the ASPCA are receiving daily attention and veterinary care — significantly more than they received during their time at Caboodle Ranch. Comparing photos of Tommy at the time of the raid with this video reveals a dramatic improvement in his condition since ASPCA took over his care. All of the cats are receiving proper veterinary care now, and not just Craig’s favorites like Tommy, Snoop Dog, and Meatball.
In a dank corner, Snoopie (Snoop Dog) came to the door. He’s been with me at the ranch for 8 years. He looks bad, lost some weight, is drooling. He and Tommy both should have had teeth removed by now. But no one ever asked about any of the cats medications that Dr. Lewis prescribed.
I said “Look Rob, ‘Plummer’”, poor baby came to the ranch and had been shot in the face and had received 3000.00 worth of corrective surgery prior. Dr. Lewis examined him and would continue his care. He only has half a tongue and has to scoop the water into his mouth and tilt his head back to swallow. Rob had fostered him during his transition. He needs two lower fangs removed which cut into his top lip, but all the tag said on his cage was something about his eye, which is off to the side. So sad.
Craig does not disclose why Tommy, Snoop Dog, and Plummer’s pre-existing dental problems were not treated at the Ranch despite ample funds to do so.
Some cats with respiratory issues, but no more than a dozen had clogged noses. Yes, I used Clorox wipes always-keeping noses clean and my hand sanitized as I handled so many cats…
This is likely the passage that caused Caboodle Ranch to hastily delete their post. It is the first public admission by Craig Grant that he used toxic Clorox wipes on the noses of cats with respiratory infections. Clorox Wipes have the following warnings displayed prominently on every package:
Not for cleaning or sanitizing skin.
PRECAUTIONARY STATEMENTS: HAZARDS TO HUMANS AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS
CAUTION: Causes moderate eye irritation. Avoid contact with eyes or clothing. Wash thoroughly with soap and water after handling.
FIRST AID IF IN EYES: Hold eye open and rinse slowly and gently with water for 15-20 minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present, after the first 5 minutes, then continue rinsing eye. Call a poison control center for treatment advice.
This statement is an unambiguous admission by Craig Grant that he is guilty of cruelty to animals.
It was hot in there, my cats are used to enjoying air conditioned spaces on the ranch. It was three weeks before I could return to the ranch after the raid. I was afraid to see my place so deserted where so many played and enjoyed life.
I guess they have run every test known to man now on my herd and will drag me through the mud in court.
The tag at the right is from the veterinary records for Snoop Dog. Until the ASPCA’s intervention, many of the “herd” had not been tested for life-threatening illnesses such as FIV and FeLV.
I paid off a portion of the ranch. I leased the property from my name to Caboodle Ranch for the next 20 years so that if I died, my cats will always have a place on earth.
Craig told reporters that Caboodle Ranch had been paid off, and told several visitors the same lie. Here, he returns to the claim that Caboodle Ranch was leasing the property.
I don’t want the place if my cats don’t come back. I gave my life to these cats, I was so proud, so happy, and now stripped of everything.
Craig Grant was given ample opportunities to correct the problems at Caboodle Ranch. He refused. He was given more than three years of warnings. He ignored them. He was repeatedly offered help. He declined it. Ultimately, it was Craig Grant who forced the closure of Caboodle Ranch. It is Craig Grant who bears responsibility for the loss of his cats, and the loss of his pride — which apparently carry equal significance for him.
All day I dreaded the road trip to Jacksonville to go to the “undisclosed” warehouse where my babies were being held.
Dreaded it because as much as I want to see my precious cat family, I know I will have to walk away without them. The time finally came when my sister and I, and Craig, got on the road to make the 2 hour drive into Jacksonville . We get to the place and wait about a half hour until out lawyers arrived (so surreal) and be let in by prosecuting attorney Reeves and ASPCA officers.
No one is smiling, everyone is very official.
It would be very unusual for the people caring for a hoarder’s animals to greet that hoarder with smiles. It’s a credit to the ASPCA that they remained professional while dealing with a belligerent woman who helped enable the abuse and suffering of nearly 700 helpless cats.
They decide to let me see my babies first that are being held separately from the ranch cats in a trailer.
I can already feel the tears welling up in my eyes and I am trying so hard to “stay strong.” I am escorted with my lawyer and FIVE other people into a small air conditioned trailer and see my babies right away. I can’t help it, I break down. I had to lean over the counter to compose myself. Then I go cage to cage and see my babies beautiful faces. I call each one by name and I can see the recognition in their eyes as they see me and hear ‘mamas’ voice.
I cry harder at every cage I stop by. They won’t allow me to touch my cats, like I am a criminal.
My cats reach out to me, using their paws through the cage trying to touch me instead. I let them. I tell each one that I love them and that they will be home soon. They are in good condition and in large cages. But they are in cages, and not at home with me where they should be.
“They are in good condition and in large cages.” Caboodle Ranch supporters have repeatedly suggested that the ASPCA is mistreating the cats or withholding care. Here, we see that that’s not the case. In the video recording of Tommy, he appears to be in better condition than when he was at the Ranch.
Anonymous sources report that Craig’s cats are being held in cages with large indoor and outdoor runs of equal size, 24 square feet of space in each section. They can move indoors or outdoors at will, and have a variety of cozy boxes and baskets to curl up in.
Nanette’s cats are being held in an air-conditioned trailer. Each cat has its own 6′ tall vertical cage, roughly 10 square feet at the base. These multi-level cages have hammocks, shelves, and ledges for the cats to climb and relax on.
I took pictures of all of them and keep crying as I have to say goodbye to them. They don’t understand why they cant come home with me, and I certainly don’t understand any of this and what they have put me through for just moving to this town and trying to make a fresh start with my life.
Take note of Nanette’s claims of being persecuted.
Nanette is the property manager for Caboodle Ranch and partner to Craig Grant. She was in the process of moving onto the property, and had brought 39 of her own cats onto the Caboodle Ranch grounds. She is intimately involved with the operations of the Ranch, and she is directly involved in the scheme to conceal neglect and abuse on the Ranch. She is well aware of the charges against Caboodle Ranch, Craig Grant, and herself.
But in Nanette’s eyes, this is a Byzantine plot to persecute her “for just moving to this town and trying to make a fresh start,” and not because of the treatment of the cats. In other words, they are “out to get her,” although there is no apparent motive for doing so.
This behavior is a common element in many models of animal hoarding.
Tomorrow is the ranch hearing and mine. Our attorney’s are confident that the judge will be fair, honest and make the right decisions aand see through this insane circumstances that have taken place and let our cats come home and put an end to this nightmare. I try to have the same confience, but I look around my empty house for the past 9 weeks and wonder…
I can’t help but Wonder: Why didn’t PETA or the ASPCA or the Sherriff come to Craig and talk to him about doing more improvements on the ranch, getting more help.
From 2008 through 2012, Caboodle was offered help by various animal welfare agencies in order to resolve the problems at the Ranch. Craig and Nanette were urged again and again to hire staff and accept volunteer help. Those agencies advised immediate veterinary care for the sick cats, and to correct the dangerous conditions at the Ranch before taking in more animals.
Real, meaningful help was offered. And Craig and Nanette refused to accept it. To correct the problems at the Ranch, they would have to stop compulsively acquiring cats, and neither one was willing to take that necessary step.
Why didn’t they donate just a spec of what it has cost “them” to house the cats and pay staff etc and put that to good use at the ranch and the care of the cats.
One does not correct a hoarding situation by assisting the hoarder in obtaining more animals. As detailed in court documents, Craig and Nanette are not capable of providing care to the cats. No amount of improvements at the Ranch can change Craig Grant’s hoarding tendencies. He once stated that he would like 3,000 cats, and that there was no limit to the number of cats the Ranch could take in; providing financial support to Caboodle Ranch would only have worsened the situation. Treating, sheltering, and re-homing 3,000 cats is significantly more challenging than caring for 700.
Instead an agendad group comes in as if it were the law itself and raids the ranch, and instead of taking the cats in question they take hundreds and hundreds of healthy happy cats.
The ASPCA did not raid the Ranch. Law enforcement of Madison County raided the Ranch, on the authority of a warrant obtained through legal channels, on the basis of overwhelming evidence of cruelty and neglect.
Neither the ASPCA, nor PETA, nor any of the more than one dozen animal welfare groups assisting in the care of the animals has the authority to conduct a raid and seizure of animals. But when the Sheriff asked these groups to assist in the care of the animals, they gladly obliged, because protecting animals from cruelty and neglect is their mission.
Why? Well that’s a question no one seems to want or be able to answer.
That’s a question that’s been answered many, many times. The real question here is here is why Nanette is unwilling to acknowledge those answers.
-Nanette-