Barring a last-minute legal intervention, which appears unlikely, federal, state and county authorities have put the nearly 400 animals at Lory Yazurlo’s 15-year-old Pig Tales Sanctuary in Bunnell on death row.
Flagler County Administrator endorsed recommendations from the federal and state departments of agriculture to euthanize the pigs, without exception, soon. A date or place for the operation has not been determined.
“Mr. Coffey has agreed to move forward with the recommendation of the USDA for humane reasons and also to protect the public,” Sally Sherman, Flagler County’s deputy administrator, said this morning. Coffey is off today.
Click On:
- USDA’s Recommendation to Euthanize
- Craig Coffey’s Letter to the State Attorney and the USDA’s Report
- County Court’s Sentencing Order
- Lory Yazurlo’s Pig Tales Website
The fate of the pigs is ultimately in the county’s hands, not state or federal authorities, which are only recommending, not ordering, euthanizing the animals. A court order against Yazurlo, signed by County Judge Sharon Atack on Nov. 9, gave the county “immediate custody” of the pigs, which have been quarantined at the sanctuary for several years, “and assume responsibility for the care of said animals and to coordinate care for the animals with the appropriate state and federal authorities.” The order said nothing about euthanizing the pigs. The Flagler County Humane Society has been feeding the pigs since the order was handed down. George Pavone, Yazurlo’s companion and helper at the sanctuary, says the society has not taken adequate measures to water the pigs. But he and Yazurlo are barred from helping.
The county on Thursday released a statement that it was “the collective decision of all the agencies involved that the only course of action is to remove approximately 400 pigs from the property and euthanize them for both disease control and humane reasons.” Carl Laundrie, the county’s spokesman, would not specify who in the administration had actually made the decision to endorse state and federal recommendations to endorse the federal and state recommendations, attributing the decision to the “county administration.”
County Attorney Al Hadeed, Coffey and Sherman have all worked on the issue, but it is ultimately Coffey’s decision, or that of the county commission, to sign off. The county commission has been kept informed of every step in the process. But it has not yet acted to take responsibility for whatever decision is actually made. County Commission Chairman George Hanns and Commissioner Barbara Revels said they may well do so at the commission’s meeting on Monday (Nov. 15, at 5 p.m.).
“Maybe for coverage for our staff we need to do that,” Revels said, recognizing the sensitivity off the issue–and why the administration might be hesitant to put a face to what, ultimately, is a fatal decision for the pigs. “Everyone has always been very, very careful in how their action have been taken for the owner of Pig Tales, Ms. Yazurlo, because of her condition and her position. Everyone has really tried to bend over backward to make sure everything has been done properly. So I believe there is a sensitivity to the entire situation.”
Whatever the county was to decide, it was not going to come out looking good for one group or another. If it did not address the situation, it would be criticized for letting a potentially hazardous public health issue fester. It would also be criticized for assuming the financial responsibility of feeding and caring for the pigs, at more than $100 a day, a responsibility the county neither wants nor can afford. By endorsing the recommendation to euthanize the pigs, the county runs the risk of looking cruel and attracting the wrath of animal-protection advocates locally and elsewhere: shooting pigs in a sanctuary doesn’t look good.
So the county has tried to dilute its direct decision-making involvement by ascribing the decision to a collective effort with federal and state authorities–which, in fact, it is.
On Nov. 10, the United States Department of Agriculture’s C. Dix Harrell, the assistant area veterinarian in charge, wrote Coffey that based on state and federal findings, the agency’s recommendation “is that the herd be humanely euthanized and disposed of.” Dix noted, using another euphemism for killing the pigs: “Depopulation is is conducted as a whole herd operation and not on a piecemeal basis.” The reason: the USDA is blaming the likely prevalence of two diseases among the pigs. Yazurlo disputes those findings.
Dix added: “There are other potential courses of action; however, they entail prolongation of the situation and uncertainty regarding an actual resolution of the disease situation.” (Read the full letter.)
Yazurlo will not be compensated monetarily or otherwise for her losses. Whether she may have bills to pay as a result of the government agencies’ actions is not yet clear. Sherman said those numbers have not been tallied yet, nor a decision made about whether to assess costs or the operation to Yazurlo. Nor have dates or manner of execution been worked out for the euthanization. “We’re still working wit USDA and a number of agencies in order to move forward with the actual operation, so that has not been determined,” Sherman said. “We are working quickly because it is imperative that we address the matter.”
Solid plans have not been conveyed to county commissioners.
“I do not have in my possession, nor have I seen , a game plan,” Hanns, the commission chairman, said Thursday evening, though he was not opposing the euthanization recommendation. Like Revels, he said the commission was likely to take up the matter formally on Monday.
lawabidingcitizen says
Why on earth aren’t these pigs being slaughtered and distributed to the needy for food?
Orion says
I heard that the City of Palm Coast, was going to have a Pulled Pork Festival, that weekend.. any coincidence?
Pepper2156 says
No. 1 comment, these are pot bellied pigs which is not enough to feed a person. 2. city commioner Elbert Tucker is a neighbor of Lory’s . Conflict of intrest, is what I call of it! Now he wants to use his so called position of power to try and “fix” this problem. 3 – Lory has spent most all of her workman’s comp money (from CSX who she subcontacted work from and in 20 yrs. has refused to settle with her from her trucking accident that made her paralyzed) and has gotten food for her to eat out of dumpsters like Winn Dixie and the former Food Lion in Flagler to feed her self. The majority of these pigs are over 13 yrs. old and when an animal gets that old no matter how much you feed them they WILL not gain weight!
The former state vet that was on this case from the beginning was on Lory’s side and Flagler county amazingly got him taken off the case and had a vet, who supported Flagler county on their side. That’s two reasons as to why you just can’t fight city officials as our U.S. govt. has proved!
As most animal lovers know, their pets are their babies. These pigs are Lory’s babies and what has helped her live, especially in the condition she is in. If these pigs are put down, Elbert Tucker and his “good old boys” friends and Flagler County will be RESPOSIBLE for Lory’s death!! It will be on their heads, no one elses!! These pigs DO NOT hold any threat to any humans. Just like last year when swine flu came out and Mr. King, who is the father of Andrew King ,who lives behind Lory and owns the NAPA dealer in Bunnell was giving out “free mask” to anyone who lived close to Lory’s property to use in case of catching swine flu, which was not possible to catch from her pigs, but then again he is one of Mr. Tucker’s, “good old boys” network!
Until people know the FULL story, they have NO right to make Judements on other people and their behaviors and what people love and I know the Full extent of people’s judement in Flagler county, which is one of the most behind the times of EVERY county in this nation. Flagler county is full of the most judgmendal, racist people I have ever come across and I am ashamed to admit I live in Flagler county just as ashamed I was to live in Samsula, which is in Volusia county where my daughter went to school and their was not one African American who lived there, and my daughter who went to Samsula Elem. which had not one Afrcan American child in that school or teacher. Not one person in America lives in a glass house, every person in every country , has sinned, and unless you are perfect, you have NO right to judge anyone. Yes, you do have a right to your opinion and most people will say that we have a right of “Freedom of Speech”, which living in America, we are very lucky to have our rights. But we should not judge a person or their lifestyle unless we expect to be judged ourselves!!
milo says
Thank you Pepper2156 for having the wherewithal to stand up and call it the way you did. This is yet another case of overzealous city officials heading out on a kill. These pigs should not be killed and Tucker should be charged with animal abuse for killing the pigs that strayed onto his pasture. Surely he could have herded them back to their property, but no, he reached for his gun.
Sure it’s easy to kill them all and be done with it, but that is WRONG… morally and ethically. And should not even be on the table.
Pepper2156 says
Thank you Milo for appreciating my truths and vents! When Lory moved onto that property in the early 90’s on Tucker’s property were cattle. Many days we saw dead cows lay there for days and also undernourished and we made comments to each other that someone should report this to the county. So Mr. Tucker what do you have to say for yourself???? At least Lory’s money HAS ALWAYS gone to those pigs care and I CAN attest to that! Also when his cattle escaped and they did quite often Lory or no one who helped her pulled a gun and shot his cattle!! If a pig was ever sick, Lory humanly put them down. When her pigs started getting loose alot of the times her front fence had mysteriosly been openned. Well who might have done that?? Makes you wonder? Also when the county and animal control was called their reponse was it was okay to shoot domesticated pigs but yet if you shoot a horse, dog or cat that is domesticicated, you would be arrested. What a double standered!! Obviously Elbert Tucker because he has money and maybe has bought his way through the councilmen commision can do what he wants, regardless off who or what gets hurt. I do not have anything to back this up but it sure seems to me that what Mr. Tucker wants, he gets! Mr. Tucker, Andrew King and other friends of theirs would sit out there with rifles just waiting or like I said helping gates open to let the pigs out! Lory was there before Andrew King moved behind her land, so if he has a problem, he has only himself to blame because he knew the farm was there, so if he has a problem he should not have bought that land!! Iam quite sick and tired of these men complaining but then what again do you expect from hunters who feed deer so they can call themselves “men” when hunting season opens and they kill bucks for food. These guys are not men, they are just PATHETIC babies. There have has also been incidences when people from trucks shot pigs and quite frankly anyone who shot these pigs, were lously shooters who injuried pigs and left them to die slow deaths AND LORY TO CALL PEOPLE WITH RIFLES TO PUT THES PIGS WHO WERE SHOT AND NOT KILLED TO PUT HER PIGS OUT OF MISERY!!
If this causes Lory Harm or she Dies from being upset (which she will be), then Flagler county, Elbert Tucker, Andrew King and all their friends will have her death on their hands but I don’t them to care. Elbert Tucker told someone, he was a businessman who had to protect his crappy piece of property that does not have enough grass to even properly feed his precious cattle, that I bet are sold to peple to eat!
The Mondexian says
Great news, sorry for Yazurlo, but those 20 acres look like crap and smell like crap too. The county needs to dig a huge hole, round the pigs up, kill them and bury them. It could be done in a week and then they (the County) can go on their more important business of running a county. I smell those swines from here……..
On another note how can she take care of those pigs from her wheel chair when she can not take care of her own health,…………
Haw Creek Girl says
No disrespect, Pepper but……as you mentioned, please know all the facts before you rant. Andrew King’s dad has been dead for about 35 years. His father in law owns NAPA. Also, it’s not factual but I have a strong belief that Elbert Tucker is one of the most ethical, caring politicians you will ever come to know. Sorry for Lory’s loss but sometimes, if you can’t properly care for animals it’s the humane thing to do to end their suffering. Peace to you and yours but personally, I will be relieved not to have the eye sore and ‘nose sore’ in our county.
country neighbot says
These are PIGS….. need I say more? If you can’t support them -you can’t have them.
And I dont believe for a second that that many pigs were abandonded – these pigs come there and multiply. It’s a nasty nasty place. Nobody wants this in their area – you can smell the stink miles away. It’s just gross.
Caring; not judging says
country “neighbot”, your name says it all!!
Regarding the odor, no doubt your nose is much keener than mine, but I’ve asked many people if they detect an odor–intelligent people with expert noses, and they smelled nothing out of the ordinary (unless the pigs are chowing down on a pile of cabbage, and that’s a different “pig tale”). The pigs haven’t had that pleasure since the quarantine.
Regarding the “nasty nasty” place–pigs root; that is their nature. However, they are very intelligent (more so than most animals and many people) and neat when kept inside. They do not poop where they sleep. They remain together as families. They display love.
Sadly, to some folks, their only use is as dinner on your plate. Thank God in the USA we don’t eat horses, dogs, and cats; at least we have reverence for the lives of some animals.
Hope you don’t choke on your ham. Chew it carefully–every bite!
DSC says
I am certainly glad I don’t live in that God Foresaken place of Bunnell. Lots of ignorant people it seems and it’s probably not their fault. If something is repeated often enough, people begin to think it’s true. Let some “official” tell them, or put it in the newspaper or on the news and it simply MUST be true.
I really feel sorry for lawabidingcitizen, orion, mondexian, and country neighbot since it is so clearly obvious they have not a clue what they’re talking about. They smell the smell because they’ve been told that pigs smell…and in a factory farm situation I would bet they do…but not in a free range situation…now if Lory was feeding them slop like people are accustomed to thinking pigs eat, then the slop might smell…and if they were being given old produce products, the rotting produce that was not consumed might smell and contrary to popular notion, pigs DO NOT eat just everything…but I have news for all of you…pigs themselves do not smell…and if you feed them grain products, their feces doesn’t smell either. Pig poop is quite different than dog poop, cat poop, or human poop in both smell and consistency. It is more akin to rabbit poop. But nobody really cares anyway. Everybody just wants to pick a side and have something to say. Nobody CARES what the truth is. And you can believe there is very little truth in the stories being told. Fact is, we do live in a police state, unbeknownst to most who are so self absorbed they haven’t noticed. Somebody in the “ruling class” decided they didn’t like whatever was going on at Lory’s place. Simple as that. The pigs paid the price with their lives.
IF this country was what we were all indoctrinated to believe it is, something like that could not happen. The pigs were Lory’s personal property and as such not subject to illegal seizure. We no longer have “rights” in this country. We have people who have money and position and people who don’t. The ones with money and position run and work the system and the ones without can’t get a fair shake. In Miami Dade County, for instance, anyone who needs a public defender to keep them out of jail, innocent or guilty, can expect their attorney to spend 45 minutes on their case. Got that? It is a verifiable statistic…Less than an hour. What do you figure are the odds of them NOT going to jail…Lindsay Lohan, on the other hand…how long does she or Charlie Sheen or Paris Hilton spend in jail for things everyone KNOWS they did?
Don’t kid yourself about this for one second…the powers that be in Flagler County decided they didn’t want the pig sanctuary to exist anymore and so constructed a story and built a case scenario they hoped the public would buy (for the most part) so they could go in and take what didn’t belong to them in the first place. And they had to dispose of the lack of evidence in a big hurry lest the public might actually figure out what the hell was going on. But the public is fickle and has a very short memory. You’ll see. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness be damned! And what was that 14th Ammendment thing?
Caring; not judging says
DSC, you have such a clear understanding of what went down in Flagler County!! You are 100% correct. Lory was railroaded, just as CSX, her former employer, has railroaded her for the last 17 years. Think Simon Legree. She’s been tied to the tracks, and fighting for survival. CSX and Flagler County and the State of Florida have had all the money, lawyers, and power. She was just a disabled person stuck in a wheelchair, who wanted to share her land with creatures that needed a home. She has fought a valient battle to protect her animals and herself with very little help. CSX has constantly criticized her for “abusing” her wheelchair by using it on the property that they found and purchased for her in a life trust estate. I guess she was just supposed to stay inside and look at the land. She was determined to do the best she could, despite her disability but, as Neil Diamond says, money talks. CSX has money. Flagler County has money. The State of Florida has money. All have high cost lawyers. Lory has none. She survives at CSX’s mercy. And the State and County make up the rules as they go along.