Let’s get the facts straight.

Fact: There was a tiger cub in Farmington. No one on the street was allowed to touch it.

Fact: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife notified us that in public we need to have a barrier of some sort to keep the public back. We assured them that in the future, that would be the case.

Fact: One person, an 82-year-old woman, touched Cocheney during therapy that same morning, at the assisted living center. This is allowed under the law.

Fact: DEW Animal Kingdom & Sanctuary was never given a citation.

Fact: In 2002, an investigator from IF&W confiscated three of our 18 exotic cats, stating they had been illegally imported.

Fact: The cats were returned to us when the facts were made clear that we had obtained them through legal channels.

Fact: We are an innovative farm with alternative livestock. We also do sanctuary work and rehabilitation of native wildlife. We have rescued hundreds of animals over the past 25 years, including exotics owned by individuals as so-called “pets.” We have a great educational program for schools, scouts and the general public. We also do animal therapy for many.

Fact: We are regularly inspected by the USDA and the IF&W.

Fact: We will continue to serve and care for animals with respect and love. Instead of believing and spreading gossip, rumors and lies, people should come and see for themselves.

Julie and Bob Miner, owners of DEW Animal Kingdom and Sanctuary, Mount Vernon