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The International Bengal Cat Society Ethics Complaint Filed in MAR 2003

The following is an exact replica of what was sent to the TIBCS Ethics commity, with the following exceptions. I have changed any and all phone numbers to the generic 555-5555, and I have changed any and all email addresses to @XXXXXXXX.com to preserve privacy. Some formatting may be different because this is now a webpage and not a word document. Also, for ease of reading, I have changed the font color of the emails. With those exceptions, there have been no changes.



To: The International Bengal Cat Society Ethics Committee Thank-you for your letter sent March 7, 2003 with improvement suggestions for this ethics complaint. I will address those now and then follow the outline as shown on your website.

1. The contract/agreement was with Julie and not Coralie. TIBCS cannot hear complaints from third parties.

Perhaps it was confusing when the last packet had passages written from prospectives of both Julie and Coralie, but mainly in the third person. Be assured that third person does not signify third party, but rather a more impartial and less judgmental statement of the facts. I assume that third person will no longer confuse any of you now that you know a third party is not the author. Also, Julie and Coralie went into the agreement together, however, Julie did spearhead the contacting of breeders and did all of the communicating with them. Please do not be mistaken into thinking that joint decisions were not made before and after the emails Julie sent and received.

2. Original documents were not included, e-mails were edited. TIBCS requires original documents to be presented. E-Mails must be printed with full headers in order to be considered. Editing of e-mails in any manner questions their veracity.

Photocopies of vet records, as well as receipts will be included. Photocopies of voided checks and money order stubs will also be included. Any emails that are referenced will have all information and will not be edited in any manner.

3. Remedies requested are outside the power of TIBCS to grant.

Remedies have been revised and sent to Mrs. Galpin in an attempt to settle outside of TIBCS or other third party intervention, as advised by the outline. Please see attached email.

4. Complaint was not filed in a timely manner. It seems that these events happened two years ago, with little or no attempt at resolution in the intervening time.

Complaint was filed within a month of events, with two letters being sent to TIBCS. One was received, the other returned (please see photocopy of returned envelope). A representative of TIBCS made contact via telephone and made assurances that a complaint would be lodged against Mrs. Galpin. Mrs. Galpin's recent contact stating that a complaint had never been lodged against her prompted this newest complaint, using the newer Ethics complaint guidelines as set forth on the website. The website does not state a statute of limitations.



1. Try to resolve it between yourselves. If you exhaust all possibilities, THEN consider taking it to TIBCS.

See Attached attempt to resolve both past and current unpleasantness and Mrs. Galpin's refusal.

2. Clearly state your problem (type-written) as you see it, what actions you have taken to resolve the issue, and the solution you would like from TIBCS and from the other party.

Problem:
Both animals received were sick and have diseases that will require ongoing vet bills (Fluxating Patella for female, stomach ulcer and intestinal problems for male). Mrs. Galpin states that she guarantees health for a year, yet no recognition of medical problems or attempts to hold up that guarantee have been made. Rather denial and name calling have been her standard.
Mrs. Galpin acts as a very poor representative for the Bengal breed and the TIBCS society when she sees the unhappiness she has caused. She resorts to name calling, threats and harassment. She recruits others to join in by telling half truths and twisting the facts. Her tactics are juvenile and hurtful to say the least.

Resolvement:
E-Mail and Guestbook management was turned over to a group known as Katie's Angels in hopes that Mrs. Galpin and others would tire of their sophomoric attempts at a response. Mrs. Galpin took this as a sign that she could continue these outbursts and harassed the webhoster of 250x.com so much he took the site down rather than have to deal with her any longer, even though no rules had been broken by the website.
E-Mail with terms sent to Mrs. Galpin (see attached e-mail), which she refused.

Solution:



From: "Katie Crumrine" <katiecat@XXXXXXXXXX.com>
To: diane@XXXXXXXXXX.com
Cc: XXXXX@XXXXXXXXXX.com, christopherswaby@XXXXXXXXXX.com, feedback@XXXXXXXXXX.com
Subject: Let's settle this once and for all
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2003 20:29:50 -0500

Diane,
I would like to clear up a few things that you said in your last two emails to me, which I did not receive until AFTER I modified my website. Your threats of lawsuits do not scare me, because you will not win. The only possible way for you to win a libel suit is if I were lying, which you even admitted in your last emails that I am not.

I never set out to be enemies with you. In fact, the horrible treatment I received at your hands really honestly astounded me. I had no idea why you would want to be so condescending and rude to someone you didn't even know. Believe me you DO NOT know me. You've stated in emails that I don't know you and that you're really a nice person. In my entire experience with you, I cannot come up with one example that you've been nice to me.

You've stated that most of your buyers have been happy with you. It must be because they asked no questions and forked over as much cash as you asked without reservation. The only time you've ever been tolerably polite to me is when I didn't ask any questions. For your information: Most breeders encourage questions from buyers about the cats, the breed, and their cattery.

If, as you've stated, you loved Katie so very much, why did you sell her in the first place? Barring any arguments on that, why didn't you know her favorite food, toy, and pastime when I asked? I know all this about her. As well as the fact that she's very possessive, and doesn't like to share. Least of all share attention. She is happy with us, but she would've been satisfied as an only cat since she could've had all the attention to herself. Just to stay clear, I am not suggesting that I don't want Katie, and I'm very happy with her and her personality. However, I am not happy with the fact that her knee is a permanent and progressive disease which you said would "probably go away" after her spay operation. This incurs many costly medical bills that I had no way of knowing about beforehand. I wrote to you several times telling you of both Katie's and Skimbleshank's medical condition and requesting that you send us your vet's name and address so we could request Katie's medical records. You ignored my requests. I could only conclude that Katie had never been to a vet for her knee problem and I had to pay for all the tests to be done myself.

I love all animals and I firmly believe that they deserve to have medical care and attention when they need it. Just like people. This is why your statement of affinity to bugs and worms as an example of how you loved animals rankled me so. Because you follow that up with:
First of all, I would like to point out that blood in the stool is a symptom for Internal parasites, Digestional tract problems, and litter choice problems among other things. All of the aforementioned conditions are progressive and can lead to death. If my vet "freaks out" about something I think I'd listen to her before you since she's been through medical school and knows more about it than you do. Also, I find it appalling that you show such callous disregard for the comfort and well being of the animals under your care as to "not worry about it". I have noticed the subject come up in the Bengals-l list and most of the responses imply that these breeders DO in fact worry about it and most of the time conclude that it's the litter. If you don't understand that clumping litter especially has the capacity to kill, then you haven't talked to a lot of breeders on the list.

I do not, nor did I ever care about the size and money that you spent on your "outdoor cat pens". I don't know why you bring this up every time you contact me. I never said they were small. I don't believe I ever said anything about them. Nor do I care how much it costs to pour concrete. If you care more about the cost of concrete than giving your cats medical care, THAT speaks volumes in and of itself. I recall seeing the pens, and thinking they were exposed to the weather, AND that they smelled Horribly of cat urine. All the cats in the pens were immediately jumping against the wire and crying loudly to us. I also recall you telling me that the queens stayed out there unless they had a litter, and that Katie hated going out there and that's one of the reasons you decided to pet her out. Through observations of my own I understand that Katie doesn't particularly like being outdoors and she is VERY sensitive to colder temperatures because of her knee. If what you told me is not true, maybe you should try telling the truth to your buyers.

Also, you didn't tell me about Katie's medical condition until AFTER I sent you the check.

You say you're doing this because "I care so much about my reputation as a breeder". You constantly slander, libel, and condescend me to anyone with whom you're speaking to, making up stories, lying and twisting the facts to make yourself look like the victim. You harass, threaten, and degrade, me, my family, friends, and business associates, and acquaintances on my guestbook. You seem to have no qualms in trying to ruin Katie's reputation and mine, when we are the ones telling the truth. Then you tell me if I knew you better that I wouldn't have written that in the first place. Tell me where it is that I should've thought you were a nice person and that I'm wrong about you? When in all this barrage that you've sent me should I think that your mob-like scare tactics qualify you as an honest and reputable person, let alone breeder? If you have such a "good reputation" then why are you so afraid of one bad review? No matter what you say or have said, my experience with you was and continues to be a bad one. Harassment and threats do not change my mind. I have to conclude that anyone in the past who had a bad experience with you has been bullied into silence and you continue to pretend to be the one perfect breeder out there.

So, don't worry I don't feel as if I've lost anything. In fact, I think you're the one who is the loser. I know that despite anything you say against me, I am not a bad person, and I really don't care whom you try to convince otherwise, because everyone who knows me, understands that I am a good person. They also know about how you're treating me and no one that I've spoken to thinks that you are behaving as an ethical breeder would.

In all my comments I've stuck to the facts and my experience, and kept to myself all the petty little comments I have about you. You've tried to goad me into small minded arguments over my religion, friends, knowledge, age, and other things. Those things have nothing to do with our business together, or my buying experience.

If, as you express in your last email, you truly want to resolve this conflict then here is what I suggest:

1. You refund my unexpected medical expenses for both Katie and Skimbleshanks as per the agreement that your cats are sold healthy, and free of genetic defect. The cost is somewhere in the thousands of dollars spent and to be spent, but I'll settle for $1,000.00

2. You truly apologize for the way you have and are treating me, both to myself, and to the bengals-l list where you made me out to be a vindictive criminal.

3. No more harassing and threatening emails will be sent to my business account or my personal ones, and Katie's guestbook will remain free of disparaging and rude comments.

4. You take your cats to the vet when they need medical attention and don't just assume nothing is wrong because other animals in the breed experience the same symptoms.

5. You send a letter of apology to Chris Starkey at 250x.com for the harassment and threats and constant strain you put him through, as he was an innocent party in this matter.

6. You refrain from contacting any of my web hosting agents ever again without first sending to me any concern you have with content on my website; written in a polite tone with no threats involved.

7. Your absence from ever visiting Katie's website again would be appreciated as you never seem to enjoy or appreciate the work and quality entertainment that is provided there.

If you do the above, I would be willing to do the following:

1. I will take down the website detailing my experience with you and all and any comments that specifically state your name/cattery.

2. I will refrain from ever posting to message boards, or mailing lists about my bad experience with you.

3. I will take your name off my bad breeder list leaving just a general statement about bad breeders.

4. I will post on the bengals-l list and to yourself that my experience was possibly a fluke and doesn't necessarily reflect all of your business dealings.

I sincerely hope we can resolve and conclude this unpleasantness.
Julie Crumrine





The following code of ethics that breeders are supposed to abide by can be found on the official TIBCS website. The following is taken from http://www.bengalcat.com/abouttibcs/ethicscomplaints.php and http://www.bengalcat.com/abouttibcs/coe.php

Should you need the help of the TIBCS board with an ethics complaint, the guidelines on how to file a complaint are also as follows:

1- Have completed deposit contracts before the first payment is received.

Contracts were not made or signed by Mrs. Galpin for the sale of Katie (female) or kitten (male). The first payment, a.k.a. deposit was a check (see attachment). Mrs. Galpin kept the check, but requested a new one (see email below) stating it had to be made out to her personally, not India Ink Bengals.
E-Mail sent 17 June 2000:

Mrs. Galpin's bank does not recognize IndiaInk Bengals because it is not registered as a business in the city of Kennewick, Benton county or Washington state. It is a federal offense, check fraud, to change the name on a check. Luckily, Mrs. Galpin restrained herself.

Mrs. Galpin states that she sent the check back, but in fact she kept it and returned it only after a cash payment was made.

2- Do not take any more money on deposit than you can return easily and quickly if a problem arises.

Mrs. Galpin requires half down (at least $200) and no refunds. This is not mentioned on the website. She refused a refund when the timing became bad for acquiring a kitten. Mrs. Galpin was informed of the moving situation and was asked to send back the deposit until a later date that was more comfortable for everyone involved. Mrs. Galpin refused and stated both via email and phone that a kitten be bought out of the current litters or that Katie be sent back. (see email below).


3- Have completed, and signed by both parties, all sales, breeding, or other contracts prior to actual transfer or shipping of any cats.

Mrs. Galpin refused to sign or make any type of contract.
Mrs. Galpin had no paperwork whatsoever for Katie. Katie's registration papers were relinquished only after a five-minute argument on whether the papers went with Katie or not.
Mrs. Galpin also took $295 dollars in cash with no type of receipt. Mrs. Galpin felt it was ridiculous and so stated as she grabbed a notebook off of the counter and handwrote a note only after several minutes of insistence. Please see attachment.

4- Provide accurate medical records for each cat when ownership is transferred.

Medical records were not provided. Katie was spayed and Mrs. Galpin felt her limping was due to a "luxating patella" and made reassurances that the problem would "go away". (see email below).

Mrs. Galpin does not believe Katie's limping is painful to her, however Katie's actions are directly opposite of this (see pictures below). Mrs. Galpin also states that she hopes this condition will "go completely away" once Katie is spayed. It does not. A request for Katie's veterinarian records from Washington is ignored.
[Katie sleeping with her leg out] [Katie sitting with both legs out] [Katie sitting in the sun with both legs out] [Katie sitting on the back of the chair with her leg out]

Katie is diagnosed with a Fluxating Patella by our veterinarian. This is a costly procedure, as X-Rays were needed to make sure that it was the knee cap slipping and not a hip displacement. There was some worry it might be the latter because of the lack of muscle in the whole leg. Fluxating Patella is a progressive genetic disease, and will never "go away". When informed of this, Mrs. Galpin became offended.

A reply is given for a request of vaccinations, but only for the kitten (see email below). Rabies is not listed. The kitten was not required by law to have rabies shots as he was under six months of age, however all other cats including Katie should have had rabies shots. A phone call with Tri-Cities Animal Control (509-545-3740) confirmed that all animals over the age of six months are required annual rabies updates.

The kitten (male) is diagnosed with a bleeding ulcer after a VERY frightening experience in which he had a fit, foamed at the mouth and later threw up a large amount of blood and was rushed to the vet. A veterinary name was never given to contact for past medical records.



5- Provide a 5-generation pedigree for each breeder/show animal before it is transferred.

No pedigree was given for either animal.



8- Honor all guarantees made in the contract.

A contract was not provided by Mrs. Galpin. Both Bengals received from her were ill (See attached veterinarian bills and notes). Mrs. Galpin was hesitant to give registration papers for Katie (female). Mrs. Galpin did not provide Health Certificate or medical records for either animal.



9- Prohibit sales to certain environments or to people with whom you are uncomfortable.

Obviously, this goes both ways. Mrs. Galpin's rude and condescending tone and statements throughout the buying experience were more than inappropriate. Mrs. Galpin's accusation that the money order (see attached photocopy) used to pay for the kitten (male) was counterfeit was insulting to say the least. Mrs. Galpin's actions and statements both in 2000 and in 2002-2003 were and are insulting, rude, inappropriate, and in some cases border-line illegal. Mrs. Galpin sold sick animals, used false advertising, and is not complying with state or city laws.
Clarifications:



The TIBCS Code of Ethics is posted on the website and at the end it states: "I, THE UNDERSIGNED, HAVE READ AND AGREE TO UPHOLD THE CODE OF ETHICS AND THE BYLAWS OF THE INTERNATIONSL BENGAL CAT SOCIETY. I REALIZE THAT MY RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES AS A MEMBER IF TIBCS MAY BE REVOKED IF I DO NOT ABIDE BY MY WORD."

Mrs. Galpin must have seen and read these rules.



Rule 2 RECORDS- "I agree to keep accurate records of all matings and pedigrees and to register breeding stock and litters with at least one recognized cat association."

Mrs. Galpin's record keeping is questionable. The kitten's parentage was asked when registration papers were being prepared. When asked how many litters of kittens Katie (female) had, Mrs. Galpin does not know (see email below).



Rule 4 HEALTH- I agree to maintain a good standard of health and care including adequate room for exercise, regular grooming, clean quarters, and adequate food and water. Whenever possible, Bengals should be kept indoors. Where caging is unavoidable, the minimum size for individual cages shall be 4 feet long, 6 feet wide, and 4 feet high."

The recent TICA Cattery Evaluation is recognized. An independent inspection would be by a veterinarian on TIBCS's choosing.
Both animals came to us sick and underfed. Please see comments under 4- Provide accurate medical records for each cat when ownership is transferred on page three.



Rule 5 SALES- "…I shall ascertain that all buyers know how to care for a cat or kitten properly, and make myself available to give advice. I will give buyers an honest appraisal of a kitten's potential as a pet, breeder, or show cat. …I shall provide a receipt for all deposits received which states what happens if they buyer changes his mind. A pedigree will be provided with pet kittens but registration forms will be withheld until the breeder receives a veterinarian's certification of altering. If a breeder does not want to provide registration or pedigree papers for a pet kitten, the buyer must be informed of that fact before purchase. Before a kitten is sold, it must receive immunizations appropriate to age. Kittens should be free of all external and internal parasites (worms, fleas, ear mites, fungus, etc) Breeders should supply written instructions on care, feeding and accommodations with each kitten sold."

An honest appraisal of both animals was not given. Katie's condition was downplayed and dismissed. Any veterinarian records that Katie may have had in Washington state were withheld.
A receipt was not given freely for either animal. Mrs. Galpin did not give a receipt for the kitten (male). An attempt to have a record was looked upon by Mrs. Galpin as an attempt to swindle her. When timing became bad, a refund for the kitten's deposit was asked for until a later date. Mrs. Galpin refused (see 2- Do not take any more money on deposit than you can return easily and quickly if a problem arises. above).
Pedigrees were provided for neither animal. Health certificates were provided for neither animal. Veterinarian records were provided for neither animal. Immunization records were provided for neither animal.
The kitten (male) was not free of external parasites, and both animals exhibited symptoms of internal parasites. Compensation was not given for either and Mrs. Galpin still refuses to acknowledge that either animal was sick.
Mrs. Galpin did not willingly supply anything in writing. She wrote a receipt for Katie (female) grudgingly and did not supply a receipt for the kitten (male) or health certificates or contracts for either animal.



6- ADVERTISING "Advertising, oral or written, shall be facual and not worded to encourage breeding as an easy money scheme."

Mrs. Galpin's website states that she first saw a Bengal when in Texas on vacation. She knew nothing of the breed or what is expected of a breeder. (See screen shot below).
[Screen Shot of IndiaInkBengal stating Mrs. Galpin had no idea what Bengals were are what they were about when she started breeding]



8- AGREEMENTS "TIBCS strongly recommends that all transactions be in writing. This includes stud service agreements, buyer's requirements, breeder's guarantees for kittens, leasing of cats, deposits for kittens, etc. TIBCS also recommends moneys be paid by check and that receipts be issued for all payments. If problems arise later, it is difficult to determine a fair course of action when agreements were verbal and cash changed hands without receipts."

No guarantees were given in writing.
Mrs. Galpin states in an email that she guarantees health for a year (see email below), yet when both animals are received sick, no compensation or recognition is given.

Mrs. Galpin refuses payment by check (see attached photocopy) and insists on cash. Mrs. Galpin also makes wild and erroneous accusations of forgery and counterfeit payment when a money order is used to pay for the remaining balance of the kitten. Again, no receipts are issued by free will by Mrs. Galpin.



10- ENFORCEMENT AND AMENDMENT "Upon sufficient proof of violations of the Code of Ethics, action shall proceed according to Article 1 Section E of the TIBCS Bylaws. This Code of Ethics may be amended by using the procedure set forth for amendment of the TIBCS Bylaws."