Florida Domino Effect ranch banned from soliciting FREE horse donations

Domino Effect Rescue Ranch is no longer allowed to ask people to donate free horses or any other donation. The ranch has been under scrutiny since last November, when a blindfolded horse bound for the Domino Effect ranch was severely injured.

Under a signed agreement with the State of Florida, the Domino Effect Rescue Ranch has agreed to stop soliciting for donations in exchange for avoiding criminal charges from the Florida State Attorney's Office.

Robert Ashcraft, the owner of Domino Effect Rescue Ranch, failed to report his recent felony convictions on his Department of Agriculture application to solicit donations. Convicted felons are not permitted to solicit in the State of Florida.

Ashcraft is allowed to continue operating as a horse dealer, but must do so only with his own money.

According to the Settlement Agreement signed by Ashcraft, failure to comply will result in the State of Florida, "imposing the maximum penalties authorized by Florida Law, and may seek additional remedies in court." (see photo)

 

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Hernando Co Animal control responds to Domino Effect ranch conflict of interest

On Monday, a photo of Hernando County Animal Services Officer, Terri Blake was published on the Domino Effect ranch website. It was in response to a series of complaints and published reports of alleged wrong-doing at Domino Effect ranch, beginning in November 2011.

Below are the emails that followed. They have not been edited and are being published for information purposes as a matter of public record.

From: Maryann Tobin
To: Liana Teague, Manager, Hernando County Animal Services
March 26, 2012

Lianna,

Would you like to officially comment on the photo of your Animal Services officer, Terri, hand delivering public records /emails to Robert Ashcraft at Domino Effect on March 26, 2012?

Since requests for public records must be picked up by those who request them, I welcome your official statement on why they were personally delivered.

Please feel free to add your remarks on how the photograph of Terri and Mr. Ashcraft holding papers in his hand should by no means be considered any indication of a conflict of interest between Domino Effect and Hernando County Animal Services.

Thank you.






Domino Effect "Terri come to see us today to hand-deliver more harrassing e-mails towards us. DRAMA, DRAMA, DRAMA!!!"


The official reply from Hernando County Animal Services follows:

Liana Teague lteague@co.hernando.fl.us	4:24 PM (2 hours ago)
to me, Mike

Officer Blake visited Domino Effect to conduct an inspection pursuant to another complaint that was received.   While she was there she did provide a copy of the public record emails which were requested by Domino Effect.  We do not make special trips just to deliver public records documents. In fact, Domino Effect came in and picked up their last public records request.  This is not a conflict of interest.   Domino Effect has also been inspected by the Department of Agriculture and the Sheriff’s Department with the same findings made by Hernando County Animal Services.

Thank you, Liana

Liana Teague, Manager

Code & Animal Services

19450 Oliver Street

Brooksville, FL 34601

(352) 796-5062

ac@hernandocounty.us


In response, the following email was sent to Hernando County Animal Services
on March 27, 2012, from Maryann Tobin

Liana,

Thanks for getting back to me. If you don't mind, please clarify your statement, and if you don't mind, please answer some addition questions, which I have listed below.

Why would office Blake be conducting an inspection at Domino Effect out of uniform?

Where is the report for the inspection you said she was conducting? Do I have to make a formal public records request for it?

Why would an Animal Services Officer, whose salary is paid by taxpayers, personally hand deliver emails to Mr. Ashcraft under any circumstances?

Can you name anyone else you have also extended this type of personal service to?

If I order public records from your office, will you also have an officer hand deliver them to me?

Were these emails part of the original request that included conversations between myself and you/HCAS, or have personal email complaints from customers and others also been given to Ashcraft whether he requested them or not?

Has Ashcraft made additional public records requests?


Additional important questions:
Domino Effect has had their solicitation license revoked because Ashcraft lied on the State of Florida application, which is a crime. Has any action been taken on that? Or will he be allowed to break the law without fines or any sort of penalty?

If Ashcraft faces no consequences for lying on his Florida solicitation license, please state why such exceptions have been granted.

According to blog and Facebook statements by Mrs. Ashcraft, Domino Effect has applied for another license under a different name. If the state grants such a license knowing that Mr. Ashcraft is still associated with Domino Effect, please state why you would not consider that money laundering, since solicited funds would simply be coming in through a different name, but still end up at Domino Effect.
In your initial inspection report on Domino Effect, there were violations found that included horses being sold and transported without coggins. Please explain why Domino Effect paid no fines, but was instead granted several weeks to obtain the necessary documents.

Is this common practice for HCAS and Dept. of Agriculture to grant exceptions and/or extensions for violations? If So, can you name other rescues that have also been granted exceptions to Florida law with regard to transporting and selling  horses without a coggins?

You official replies to theses questions would alleviate all basis for presumptions or accusations of inaccurate information. All I am interested in are the facts.

Since I realize you may be giving this email to Mr. Ashcraft for him to publish it on his blog, I see no reason for me to not to make it public.

You may answer all the questions, some of the questions, or none of the questions. Your replies, or absence of replies will be noted and may be published in a news report.

If you think any of the questions are unfair, please feel free to say why you think that is the case.

Thank you for your cooperation in providing the facts regarding Domino Effect ranch in Weeki Wachee, Florida.






The response of Hernando County Animal Services will be published if and when a reply is received.

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