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Home→Animal Rescue→Let’s Adopt! Global, an animal rescue organization, courting controversy (2022)

Let’s Adopt! Global, an animal rescue organization, courting controversy (2022)

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Viktor Larkhill

Viktor Larkhill. Screenshot.

Let’s Adopt! Global (LAG) is an animal rescue organization founded in Turkey in 2008 by Viktor Larkhill and Fulya Ulusoy. Since 2011 it has had headquarters in Massachusetts, USA. It is a non-profit animal rescue. Yet for some reason which I am yet to fathom it courts massive controversy. One possible reason, it is said, is that Viktor Larkhill is an outspoken person who has rubbed people up the wrong way.  There is a bunch of women who have publicly claimed on Facebook and perhaps other online media that the owners of Let’s Adopt! Global are acting fraudulently. These are the “LAG haters”.

Update July 2022: His organisation is now called Let’s Adopt International. Their website tells us that the rescue organisation began on January 8, 2008 in Istanbul Turkey. Viktor Larkhill tells us that his desire to rescue animals came when he stood outside a veterinary clinic in the rain while his dog, Simba, died on the operating table when he shouldn’t have. He implies that it was because of a lack of proper care due to a lack of facilities which caused Simba’s death. The next day he embarked “upon a mission that would change the lives of thousands of animals and their families”. He says that over the years his rescue became known for “veterinary excellence at the service of homeless animals”. His rescue started to receive “pleas for help from the world over for animals in extreme conditions, abused animals with impossible injuries”. They say that they are in extreme rescue because “we will go to the end of the earth to save a life. Extreme because we only work with the very best veterinarians, contributing to progress and excellence in veterinary medicine”. And finally, “because we live in a cruel world and aim to be a beacon of hope for animals that are otherwise abandoned to die alone.”

The charity is registered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands by the way. And if you leave a legacy in your will you need to have their tax ID which is on the website.

This page was written on April 10, 2015. That’s more than seven years ago. People have commented and their comments may help us understand the situation. There is a video (date March 30, 2022) in the comments section of his rescue. He is courting more controversy because his rescue center (or one of them) is in a residential area and his neighbour is giving him hell – please scroll down to see the comment and video. I don’t know in which country this rescue is based. His neighbour appears to be speaking in Spanish. I think therefore this is in Spain. It does seem a bit murky but I can’t criticise because I don’t know. His name is a bit strange because isn’t he Turkish? Perhaps he has changed his name?

Let's Adopt! Global is controversial

Let’s Adopt! Global is controversial

To be fair there is a lot of fraud in animal rescue because there is potentially, a lot of money to be made in animal rescue on social media, particularly Facebook. There are many animal lovers with some disposable income. You can tap into it if you are smart. I called it the dark side of animal rescue. But I don’t know enough about LAG to make an assessment as to their honesty. From what I see they do fantastic work, genuinely rescuing animals. Here is a video on their YouTube page. Their Facebook page is used to encourage donations.

Note: This is a video from another website. Sometimes they are deleted at source which stops them working on this site. If that has happened, I apologise but I have no control over it.

I’ll write a page later today about a lion rescue that they are involved in. They do present a bold image, perhaps brash and brazen which may upset some people. But if it is effective, who cares?

Things became heated and serious. What appears to be constant sniping and criticism by detractors forced LAG management to commence defamation proceedings in the summer of 2013. I don’t know the outcome, which is strange. There are 38 defendants in the USA, Canada, UK, Germany and Turkey.

One of the defendants is a newspaper: Toronto Pet Daily. Another is Barbara Nemeth who I believe is an American. She counter sued or was prepared to sue in a civil action of harassment against the management of LAG.

LAG state in the defamation papers that they are…

the victim of a defamation campaign led by the defendants against its good name and reputation. According to the claim, some of the most egregious allegations by the defendants accuse Let’s Adopt! Global of stealing donation money for the personal gain of its officers; that Let’s Adopt! Global tortures, murders, and rapes animals; and that Let’s Adopt! Global defrauds its donors.

Also, a website has been created by supporters of Let’s Adopt! Global. Click here to see it.

The authors of the website state that…

a group of women have been trying their best to harass, sabotage and hinder Let’s Adopt! Global in and outside of Facebook with only one goal in mind: to undermine and destroy the work of Viktor Larkhill and LAG.

As there are 38 defendants there are quite a lot of people who are against Let’s Adopt! Global. Why? What evidence is there? Can someone assist in a comment?

Below are some more articles on animal rescue.

Comments

Let’s Adopt! Global, an animal rescue organization, courting controversy (2022) — 47 Comments

  1. Viktor Larkhill is not his name, evidently, and he was arrested in 2018 for fraud. He only spends no more than 15% of the money he collects on animals. I’ll never donate to him again. He is apparently a con man.

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  2. Viktor takes in dogs and cats other people would euthanize. Just go look at a few of his video’s OMG and accusing him of sexually assaulting dogs in the crazy crap QANON and MAGAT Americans say to discredit people. What’s happening to Viktor really pisses me off!

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  3. I have seen Viktor save the most horrendously abused and sick dogs and cats in Turkey. I think this harassment started when Viktor saved a dog in a wheelie. 9 month later the adopter just left him at the airport and Viktor shamed them. Since then he’s been attacked by these people and their friends. Viktor spend a lot of money saving Dickens and many people wanted him. A few years ago he was forced to move because of these peoples accusations. I’ve seen Viktor save a mother and son who looked like stone from mange. I’ve supported Viktor for over 10 years and have never known him to lie, cheat or steal! Dickens story went world wide and his POS owners were pissed!!! They have gone after Viktor for 5 years! But Viktor has never blamed them I think this is what happened.

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  4. I have read some of these ridiculous comments about Victor Larkhill.. Where does the person accusing him of sending 100 dogs to China think he found all these dogs. He must have scoured the streets for months to find that many dogs.

    I don’t think a girl like Maribell, who obviously has a great love of animals, work for a man accused of the monstrous deeds they have thought up.

    Why when somebody is doing such a great job for abandoned and abused animals, have to put up with such ridiculous ideas that some people cook up to hurt him

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  5. https://www.facebook.com/Lets-Adopt-Global-Caution-402538943168869/?hc_ref=ARQ7bjniCrd0y7M9eOXSQLOOL7–8IAnJPXk3dQAjYGHKrNzq2USUQ_KpPjoQi0eWuo&fref=nf&__tn__=kC-R

    https://www.zenger.news/2020/09/22/pic-charity-founder-charged-with-using-donations-for-a-luxury-lifestyle/

    What a scum! I saw one video of his on YT, got bombarded by the requests for support and immediately decided to look him up. Unfortunately my intuition (which is never wrong) is that HE (and his accomplices) were the true abusers all along. All those real videos of pain and suffering were most likely manufactured by them.

    I truly hope that I am wrong and that all those abused dogs were not deliberately maimed/put in cruel and terrible situations for his fake money grabbing charity and YT channel. Someone needs to do to this dirt bag everything that he has done to all the hurt dogs on his YT channel.

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    • It was my worry too that these people are deliberately harming animals to make money, hence I ended up searching for information on the organization and people. The cruelty these animals suffer is extreme and unusual. I think they are the abuser or paying others to abuse animals.

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    • You are an idiot you knock the guy then say you hope it’s not true than you turn around and knock him again. Get your story straight first before you destroy someone based on heresay.

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  6. It’s so funny how you only replied to those that agree with this post. Seriously, Victor hardly EVER gives updates on animals. It’s not that hard to see what’s going on. Especially when he is blocking people who question where the other animals are.

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  7. I never thought I’d have to comment on Viktor Larkhill but I now will. Whilst this “pandemic” stalled normal life as we all know with many businesses having to close their doors forever, thus many people becoming unemployed, animal lovers world wide of course wondered rightfully how this would impact rescue organisations around the globe. Knowing that Spain has more KILL than NON-KILL shelters, I of course kept watching update videos of Viktor Larkhill on YouTube, where we learned of him 2 years earlier.As we expected things to become frugal for Viktor due to that exact fact that he’d probably lose a lot of supporters due to people’s financial restraints, we were initially surprised to see his initial compassionate videos in which he told his supporters to take care of their families first and that he’d understand if people couldn’t give at the moment due to their own problems during the pandemic. Then suddenly videos were posted that his neighbor (he never mentioned if that was a NEW neighbor or why this had never been an issue before) was harassing them, for the incessant barking of dogs (which btw could be heard throughout the video in the background)! Of course, we as everyone else, knew that MANY people globally who used to be at their jobs during the day were suddenly either completely out of work, due to LOCKDOWN measures, or they were sent off into “home office” meaning, they’d do whatever work from their respective homes. He never mentioned this neighbor before, so we too thought, he’d seek to reach out to the lady and try to find an amicable solution for both. But Viktor instead rather questioned if the Lady who did yell very mean things throughout his posted recording, possibly had mental issues. Viktor claims to have animal behavior therapists on his team. Well, if you run an animal rescue in a residential area, you need to make sure that your animals do not become a problem to your neighbors. Instead of whining about the Lady next door, he could have tried to make sure that the dog/s incessantly barking throughout his video would receive ample therapy/training to stop the continuous barking. But Victor made no such efforts. It’s clear to most rescues, that dogs which bark up a storm are no good candidates for adoption. Especially in/throughout Europe it is normal that people live door to door/wall to wall and people do get in trouble with authorities if they home a dog that proves a constant nuisance barking all day, carrying steep fines to being forced to surrender such an animal as you cannot make YOUR dog a problem to the entire neighborhood! Next Viktor kept posting a rather naive/offensive video basically alleging, that those who rightfully refuse to have themselves vaccinated against Covid19 as of yet, are stupid to believe they might be “magnetized/chipped”! This made me very angry too. Is Mr. Larkhill a medical doctor? Nope he is NOT! So why on earth would you offend people who have a right to refuse the vaccine altogether or to wait until the producers of the vaccine have eliminated the many deadly spontaneous SAB’s, sinus bleeds, thrombosis, strokes! Who is he to think he has the right to imply people are stupid for not wanting the vaccine as of yet? Next comes an “exciting announcement video”, where Viktor’s brother now launches a channel supposedly updating viewers on the part of the rescue dealing with the “behind the scenes/day to day operations”! Might that have to do with the pending legal drama, around the use (legitimate) of funds? We don’t know…but we are allowed to be suspicious! And in between rescue videos asking for donations/support, suddenly a video implying that some sort of new DREAM residence/”sanctuary” is in the making long time viewers even more suspicious…where is the money for such a rather expensive” project suddenly coming from? Does anyone else find this rather suspicious? The economy has become very expensive, prices for food, everyday needs has risen drastically since the economy has been allowed to open up again and most people are financially hurt from the lockdown measures. To spend money building makes people question the desperate video pleas for donations over the past month! We no longer hear how the situation with the next-door neighbor developed…nothing. Call me a fool but I call this suspicious! I and 2 befriended families whom we made aware of the Viktor Larkhill animal rescue, stopped our support since the very rude video of Viktor getting his vaccination.
    What are your thoughts on this rather new development of “building” his “dream sanctuary” amidst a world-wide recession/depression/inflation?

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    • To create a hospital from the ground up is stupendously stratospherically expensive!!!! Viktor hyped his animal hospital over and over. Then silence. A short time later, we learned about his plans and vision to rent (not buy) a much larger and expensive estate, all the while closing up the White House. NOW, I am suspicious. What happened to the thousands of (money) donated to build an animal hospital? Spent? How has this accounting been explained? There is only silence from Viktor. It is time for an open and thorough investigation, shared with the world, into Viktor Larkhill/Let’s Adopt charity.

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    • I have watched the first dozen minutes of the video which was published on March 30, 2022 and therefore it is quite recent. And you are right that this is a dog and cat rescue centre in a residential area which is unwise. There is no question about that. The rescue is in the wrong place and I don’t know why he has his rescue centre in the wrong place. He says that he has a hybrid model namely some foster carers and a central rescue centre where cats and dogs are housed in two separate buildings. The pink building houses the cats and next to that building is this female neighbour who rants and raves against him and his shelter.

      Listening to her, she does sound deranged but my gut feeling is that she is drunk. She is drinking and becoming very aggressive. But that is no excuse and it seemed very peculiar, as you say, that he doesn’t talk to and try and find a compromise of some sort which would, I have to say, be very hard to organise because once you have a shelter in the wrong place the only way to fix the problem is to move the shelter to the right place.

      But when I wrote this article a long time ago this man was being attacked then and I’ve not got to the bottom of that and the comments on this page don’t, it seems to me, get to the bottom of it either. Why is he attacked all the time? I don’t know by the way where he gets his money from! Update: I have found his website where he asks for donations. I presume donations but I don’t see the pathway except he is in partnership with other rescue organisations so perhaps he gets the money from them.

      I wouldn’t be as critical as you are about this man. He seems, by the way he is talking to be genuine. He doesn’t seem devious. He sounds believable although, as mentioned, his operation is in the wrong place. And as other people have commented, rescue centres in residential areas are a real problem to residents. Particularly with dogs because they bark. This is a nuisance. It might even be a legal nuisance which is actionable.

      And sometimes cat rescue can smell a lot with ammonia because the rescuer simply does not cope in keeping the place clean. Bad odours leaking out of a rescue can be an equally bad nuisance to neighbours.

      Here is the video:

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  8. hi,
    every dog from the moment of rescue to the moment of being fully healed down to being homed should be displayed on you tube for all to see.
    then we will all be happy and at peace and it only adds a few more minutes on you tube so where is the problem, transparency

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  10. What’s the matter with these Let’s Adopt-haters? I did my own research on Let’s Adopt and I can assure you, Valencia SUR Vetenary Hospital is the real thing (and I would trust my dog or cat with them anytime), as is the wonderful work Victor Larkhill and his team does. I feel sorry for all those like Tia, who pathologically mistrust people’s good intentions and believe the most ridiculous conspiration theories, like ‘Victor Larkhill sold hundreds of thousands of dogs to China’ (Really?!! I suppose she believes in aliens too?) and ‘Sarah dresses in white, 80% of the time'(I mean, that’s really shocking isn’t it?!!!). Such mean, sad lives they lead, I wish they would put their energy to something GOOD, instead of spreading poison about those who are trying their best to save these severely injured and sick animals, which otherwise would have been put down,and never given a second chance for love and a good home.They should be ashamed!

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    • Yes you are right .Jealousy is the only terrible motive I can really think of that drives these idiot people!! I suggest they hovout and stay busy rescuing beloved potential pets instead of wasting their time and those that support lag!! Two thumbs up for your comments.

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  11. I want to add.. (along with my message above) the dog Alice, for whom this entire investigation was started for.. has still never been seen again. She was originally found wandering in the woods with one severely damaged toe and her opposite foot missing 3 toes and infected (key word “wandering”/walking) The Valencia Sur Animal Clinic (who interns students of A local veterinary surgery school) along with Viktor Larkhill, decided to AMPUTATE BOTH OF ALICE’S FEET!!! YES. BOTH!!! & have her fitted for some spring prosthetics for both front legs! It was another “EXTREME SURGERY” as Viktor likes to call them now! Everything is EXTREME! Because we have enough information to at least make accusations that he’s collecting dogs so they can PRACTICE NEW SURGERY TECHNIQUES ON THEM!! Also, my source in Spain said there is a rumor that Viktors family runs this Vet Clinic. That, has not been confirmed yet, but sure seems to fit in with this extreme animal abuse playing out in front of thousands of subscribers eyes. Go ahead, ask where Alice went. Ask & keep asking till you get an answer. You won’t. You will be attacked by fake subscribers (brand new names WHO never posted b4) accusing you of being Viktors ex-girlfriend! I swear! This is true! Then, you’ll be blocked from his page! Alice has no voice. Neither do the hundreds of other digs who are NEVER SHOWN AGAIN! They collect your money, if a dog gets BIG DONATIONS, he will say whatever is needed for surgery is ON THE WAY & post videos every 2 weeks of the WORDT OF THE WORST DOGS! Leaving them in their horrific conditions in these POST-OP CAGE for up to a year! Collecting off them on Viktors 7 different platforms!! HOW HAS NOBODY ELSE NOTICED THIS ABUSE!!??? He will be stopped! WHERE IS ALICE? RIO? CORA? & on & on & on!!

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    • Hi! I am an animal lover and parenting two rescued cats since 2015.
      I started to suspect that Viktor Larkhill’s youtube channel is a scam because of some details that called my attention.

      In one of the horrific videos on direct animal abuse that he filmed and uploaded as usual, I found something shocking. It was a video where some supposed Spanish hunters were pushing some greyhounds over a cliff. Not only Viktor recorded the whole process (honestly I couldn’t or at least I would have approached these monsters and started taking some kind of action, or at least call the police) but also I was petrified when I heard his own voice describing the facts.. At a given moment, he even mocked at the situation as if “tuning in” with the hunter’s mood. He said in a laughing, joking tone: “Hey! You are dropping your dogs!” (this was obviously recorded in Spanish, and it is my second mother tongue, so I couldn’t be wrong. Despite that, I heard the comments 4 or 5 times more to be sure. That gave me chills and a gut feeling of profound distrust towards this guy and all what surrounds him.

      In a couple of stories he uploaded some weird details called my attention. I don’t know how to describe it. His actions don’t match his words, and less, his mission.

      Moreover, every story that he posts shows such extreme cruelty to a different animal that it seems impossible so much abuse can happen. It looks like a display of abuse and the way he asks for funds betrays him because the images are shocking and he knows dog and cat lovers will succumb to his calls.
      I feel sad because when my intuition bell rings, it is usually in the right path.
      But the saddest part of all this is that who is in charge of the situation? Is there someone who can really follow every step this fake organization takes and can provide any evidence so that justice can intervene?
      On the other hand, I guess some of the comments supporting mr. Larkhill’s organization are fake, too. Even his own name, Viktor Larkhill is a fake name for Ivan Jiménez.

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  12. I ditto Cary Ann’s sentiments. How can these people be so sure that our donated funds are not going towards the welfare of the sick and injured animals? What evidence do they have against Viktor? This needs to be addressed once and for all. We in the Western society are supposed to be animal lovers but this clearly is not the case. There are atrocious acts committed against animals in UK, US and worldwide every day. This man and his associates are making a contribution – what are these people doing? Nada in my opinion.

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  13. so then who CARED & fixed those horribly injured dogs??
    if Ivan is that bad, He deserves some home life MY GOD look at the united state humane society Wayne Purcelle & HIS Attorneys BIG Pensions.. yet little of their funds go to the animal rescues!!!!
    Im not donating for their pensions. Im also donating to SOIDOG.org

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  14. I donated some money a few months and was bombarded with messages from people who didn’t support LAG work. I wish this would stop.

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  15. Bullshit. This man is nothing more than a POS scammer. Getting unknowing American woman to donate mass amounts of money NOT for the animals but to pad his own bank account. Its all smoke and mirrors. Just try to confront and see how UNHINGED he becomes!! Screw you Viktor your time will come.

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  18. The only comments I see regarding them..are ones from people saying.. to just kill the animals they try to help and not waste money on them.
    I really like LAG .. I get news feeds from them and try to share those as much as possible.
    Let’s just say..I get really annoyed when I see comments like that. I’m protective of LAG and I have the utmost respect for what they do. Them and He’Art of Rescue do something similar. They both take on tough cases of abused, neglected animals. And they HELP THEM!!! I love how they show the animals from start to finish that they help. I will ALWAYS try to spread the word of the good they do!!!

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    • It seems there is some jealousy involved. Also the guys are Turkish as far as I know which may be a factor. I have seen jealousy in cat rescue causing nasty behavior in previous articles. But for some reason LAG has courted controversy.

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    • show the animal from start to finish??!! That lie, is why I started investigating him! Only 4 dogs from YouTube page 2019.. out of 47 were shown “after” surgery! After donating $600 between my mother-in-law & myself, I asked over 25 times for an update on Alice (for whom a large portion went to) I was BLOCKED! (did you know you can continue to post & never be told your blocked from Viktors YouTube!?? AND HE TOOK A DONATION AFTER BLOCKING ME!!! SO!I started logging every animal, made a new screen name, & continued to watch & document. Now, his lavish vacations with up to 5 people (5 plane tickets) most times, at the very best hotels, in the very best SUV rentals, all dressed in their very best clothes (Sandra in WHITE! 60% of time!).. became very noticeable! At one point I notice Apollo & Richard had been locked in tiny cold stainless steel POST-OP cages with bars on the fronts FOR 9 MONTHS!!! (Richard born deformed, Apollo shattered jaw for over a year! in a cage! collecting money for Viktor! cash cows in cages!)
      I couldn’t stay silent! I asked why these 2 dogs were still in POST-OP CAGES FOR ALMOST A YEAR! I was BLOCKED that day one hour later!! My investigation gather 3 other “Viktor haters” who discovered the vet clinic interns up to 120 students of A local veterinary school which TEACHES students the art of surgery!!
      1+1=2….. these students are permitted to PRACTICE on the dogs Viktor brings in!!! That’s why some are there over a year in POST-OP CAGES!!! Also, I have proof Viktor was charged with selling hundreds of thousands of dogs to China!! and so much more! Viktor has stepped aside while the investigation has reached into his hometown! & I pray charges for tax evasion proceed! Along with animal abuse charges! Although the latter is unlikely since Spain does little to nothing to protect any animal. That is why I believe Viktor Larkhill/ Ivan Jimenez moved back there. I have even more damning information coming, as I will be posting SEVERAL CHANNELS ON THE SYSTEM OF FRAUD IN DOG RESCUE DONATIONS, VIKTOR LARKHILL BEING THE MAIN FOCUS. I WILL NOT STOP UNTIL HE IS NEVER ALLOWED TO RECIEVE ANOTHER DONATION & STEPS ASIDE.

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      • Just google Viktor larkhill or Let’s Adopt International you will see he (Viktor aka several other aliases) was arrested in October 2020 for being suppected of fraud. Taking our money, living a lavish lifestyle and only spending 10-15% of donor money on the animals. He’s a fraud.
        Takis Shelter in Greece is the real deal if you want to see a real animal rescue hero. Then you’ll understand there’s no way Viktor is using the proceeds from YouTube etc for the animals. It’s mostly for himself 😡

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        • I agree, I don’t know Takis but like his videos/authentic, not staged! Viktor made a point of mentioning that he is a friend of Takis, in recent uploads, as if he wanted to use that to give himself more credibility!

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  19. I have never had a problem with them, and I feel they are doing stellar work for the anipals. . . didn’t even realize all this was happening. . . I’ve never gotten anything about it via e-mail or otherwise. . .

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