Digging Deeper in the Texas Dirt

Digging Deeper into Texas Animal Poli-Tex

Howdy friends and neighbors! Spidey had to get out the heavy equipment to dig a little deeper into the Texas Animal Politics, or should I say Poli-Tex?

I think I'll start with Don (Donald Duffield) Feare. He is the Director of the Wildflight Rescue Foundation, which I am beginning to think is a wild flight of fancy. The self-proclaimed waterfowl expert does have a non-profit registered in Texas, but does not provide an address for the "foundation." An address of 5115 Brown Lane in Everman (SE of Ft. Worth) is listed for his wife, Kimberle Clark-Feare who is also a director and the secretary; for Donald D. Feare Jr., President and for Linda Yarbrough, another Director.

The property on Brown Lane, in Donald Feare Jr's name, is approximately 42 acres in the Shelby School Land Survey. The couple who own 10,987 acres of neighboring property granted Feare Jr. water rights. An oil & gas lease was signed for 3 acres of this property in 2005 with Antero Resources LP of Denver, Co.

The blurb I read clearly stated that Feare and his wife live "on" the Wildflight Rescue Foundation sanctuary. Perhaps the sanctuary is located on some land that Feare has - or had- a 90% interest in, known as the J. Estes Survey in Grand Prairie. This property was used to build a posh, upscale neighborhood by W/J Peninsula Development LP. The addition is adjacent to the SW shore of Joe Pool Lake.

Still, it is odd that I can find no contact information for the Wildflight Refuge Foundation. The blurb clearly stated that the Feares "share the waterfowl refuge with seven dogs and approximately 500 ducks, geese, and swans."

The organization apparently does not rehab birds, though the name of the non-profit implies that it does. Texas waterfowl rehabbers must have a license to do so. Texas Regulations do not require a permit to rehabilitate nongame species, but are required for migratory and non-migratory game birds such as wild turkeys, pheasants, quail, certain doves, rails, woodcocks, snipe, coots and all varieties of gallinules, ducks and geese. Furthermore, applications for such licenses must be accomplished by one of the following: (1) completion of a training course offered by the International Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition or the National Wildlife Rehabilitator's Association within the preceding three years; (2) attendance at a department-sponsored wildlife rehabilitation conference or a national wildlife rehabilitation conference within the preceding three years; (3) membership in a state or national wildlife rehabilitation organization; or (4) a test score of 80 or above on a department-administered wildlife rehabilitation examination. Permits for the taking or holding of federally protected species shall not be valid unless the permit holder also possesses a valid federal permit.

One of the co-Directors, Linda Yarbrough, founded the Texas Animal Liberation League, based in Arlington. You can check out her webpage where she provides links to THLN, the Texas SPCA and HSUS. She created and owns Companion Animal Care. Yarbrough has served on many private and municipal boards through the years such as the Arlington Animal Services Center Advisory Board.

Read more in the article "Meet Linda Yarddog Yarbrough." She was the Obama Precinct Captain #3351 and you can see her proudly display the Elect Obama '08 sign.




Feare owns a refuge somewhere in Texas and is a director of a "rescue foundation." He is also one of the directors of the Animal Justice Center, based in Arlington and Hurst, Texas, although Yolanda D. Eisenstein lives in Dallas is also listed as a director. She is active in THLN and with the State Bar Animal Law Section committees. Patti Gearhart Turner and husband, Randall E. Turner of Hurst are also directors of the AJC. They are charter members of the Tarrant County Bar Foundation. Like Feare, she attended Texas Wesleyan University School of Law. She is now their Assistant Dean of Student Affairs. Randy Turner was the Democratic candidate for Judge of the 17th District Court in 2008 , but lost to Melody Wilkinson.

Next on the list is businessman Jack D. Knox. Knox has been Chairman of the Board and President of Sixx Holdings since January 1988. He has served as President of Summit Energy, Inc., Dallas, Texas, an American Stock Exchange listed oil and gas company, from its inception in 1970 through April 1989, and as a director through January 1990. Knox also served as a Director of Sunshine Mining Company (NYSE) from 1981 to 1985. He served as a Director of El Chico Restaurants, Inc. (NASDAQ) from 1990 to 1998. He previously served as a Director of Bryson Oil and Gas PLC (London) and as a Director of BancTEXAS Dallas, N. A. and BancTEXAS Group, Inc. (NYSE). Knox was the Managing Director of Knox Land & Cattle Co., a ranching partnership in Oklahoma, from 1960 through the present date and has been the General Partner of Six Flags Over Texas Fund, Ltd. since 1969.

A 2004 financial report indicated that his holding company operated and owned two restaurants in leased premises in two different shopping centers. The Patrizio I lease was renewed in March 2005 and the lease expires in February 2010. The The company’s corporate office is located at One Turtle Creek Village, after moving from the Crescent Court in 2003. The Company’s restaurant revenues increased 2.2% to $7,621,900 in 2004 compared to $7,455,000 in 2003. Restaurant revenues of $7,621,900 in 2004 increased due to an increase in customer traffic related to improved local economic conditions.

Knox donates millions to the Democrats each year and to the Humane USA PAC. He listed himself on one donation as a lawyer for Humane USA, although his record with the Texas State Bar shows him as "inactive." Jack Dill Knox was licensed to practice in Texas in September of 1963, Attorney No. 11629000.

He donated thousands of dollars in 2007 to elect the current mayor of Dallas, Tom Leppert. Knox also donated $1,662,860 to Hillary Clinton and $2,850,760 to John McCain during the last federal election. In fact, he often donates to both parties, often in the same election!

The Humane USA PAC receives yearly donations of $5,000 from Knox. For that matter, they receive $5,000 each from Skip Trimble, Mary Mitchell Trimble and R. L. Trimble's business ventures. Which leads us back to Skip Trimble once again. Let's focus, for now, on The Foundation for All Creatures (Federal EIN 75-2793423), which is directed and operated by he, his wife and Michael D. DeGrazier. Each year, this foundation donates money to various animal rights groups.

2001 - Animal Angels of Paradise, TX $1000; ALDF - $10,000; PeTA $17,700 and HSUS (address of 3001 LBJ Freeway #224 in Dallas - The HSUS SW Regional Office) got $45,000. The Holy Covenant United Methodist Church in Carrollton received $1,000. (Mary Trimble is on their BOD)

2002 - Animal Protection Institute (API) in Sacramento, CA - $10,000; ALDF - $30,000, PCRM - $5,000, PeTA - $5,000, Michigan State University - $5,000 and the American Anti-Vivisection Society in Jenkintown, PA - $2,000. Holy Covenant received $7,000.

2003 - PCRM made $5,000. The Rogers Wildlife Rehabilitation Centerin Hutchins, Texas received $1,000. This is the kind of organization that I expected the Wildflight Refuge Foundation would be.

2004 - PeTA $17,500; Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation in Kendalia - $5,000; Kittico Cat Rescue - $5,000; Find-A-Pet (at Skippy's 8333 Douglas Ave. address) - $10,000 and the Animal Law Web Center in East Lansing, MI - $5,000.

In 2005, the Foundation for All Creatures received $8,350 from the Farmers Branch, Texas Civic League. In turn, they made donations of $15,000 to the Holy Covenant United Methodist Church; $15,000 to the ALDF; $10,000 to PeTA; $2,500 to the University of North Texas and $5,000 to Humane Farm Animal Care in Herndon, VA.

2006 - PeTA - $10,000; SPCA of Texas - $10,000; Texas Tech University in Lubbock - $2,500; Fuzzy Friends Rescue in Waco - $1,000 and Humane Farm Animal Care - $2,500. Holy Covenant received $7,500.

2007 - PCRM - $10,000; PeTA - $2,000 and SPCA of Houston - $2,500.

2008 - SPCA of Texas - $15,000; ALDF - $25,000; Kittico Cat Rescue - $5,000 and American Anti-Vivesection - $1,000.

Well now. That was rather interesting. But even more interesting are the statements of Capital Gains and Losses for Tax on Investment Income; Interest on Saving and Temporary Cash Investments; Other Income and Tax statements on these 990's.

Nearly all of Trimble's real estate holdings are listed, including his AmeriSouth investments and Westwood Trust accounts. And so, your friend, Spidey must journey forth deeper into this Texas sized web.

Until next time, stay safe and enjoy the holiday season.