Mar 19, 2008 8:34 pm US/Eastern
Undercover Tiger Ranch Worker Speaks
FRAZER TWP (KDKA) ―
The woman who worked undercover for nine months at the Tiger Ranch Cat Sanctuary says she's received serious threats since last week's raid.
Debbie Urmann says she loves cats and that's why she recorded the footage while working as a volunteer.
"I did it because there were animals suffering and I couldn't stand to see that," she told KDKA.
Based on the tape, investigators raided the sanctuary last week and arrested the owner, Linda Bruno.
Animal Friends inspected Tiger Ranch in 2006 and found no violations of Pennsylvania law. The organization called it "at best well-intentioned but a best last resort."
Bruno stands by her cat sanctuary.
"We've been running Tiger Ranch for 14 and a half years. We're not perfect, but it's not about being perfect," she said.
Meanwhile, since Bruno's arrest, Urmann says she's received a steady stream of threats, including one email threat that stated, "Snitches get stitches."
She's so shaken up that she's getting a permit to carry a handgun.
"I'm very afraid. I take threats on my life and my personal safety very seriously," Urmann said. "I think it's very sad that the public would make me a target when all I was doing was trying to help the animals."
Urmann says she dropped off more than 100 cats at Tiger Ranch over the years and says Bruno is a sweet person and they were friends. However, she said she had to forego their friendship once she went undercover and realized "unspeakable" acts were going on.
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