Enforcement actions (continued)
October 11, 2022
World Animal Foundation
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office reached a $125,000 settlement with World Animal Foundation Inc. and its founders, Gary Barnby and William Dalo. WAF was formed allegedly to support animal and environmental conservation efforts. WAF advertised the sale of animal adoption kits on its website. The kits were provided by Tree Frog Trading Company, a for-profit business owned and operated by Barnby, the president of WAF. The office’s investigation revealed that the kits allegedly did not provide any benefit to the animals depicted by them, and that WAF’s website used false and misleading information misrepresenting the organization’s programming and Tree Frog Trading’s role in the sale of the adoption kits. The office’s investigation revealed several other alleged violations of law, including breaches of fiduciary duty related to a failure to maintain accounts, and the use of the charitable funds to renovate property owned by Barnby. According to the terms of the settlement, WAF will be dissolved and the defendants will pay $25,000 in civil fines and $100,000 in restitution, which will be redistributed by AG Yost in support of wildlife and/or environmental conservation.