BY LINDA BENTLEY | AUGUST 6, 2014
The fate of the buffaloes
CAVE CREEK – After hearing rumors the necropsy report for T.C. Thorstenson’s two dead buffaloes was completed by the University of Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Lab and it allegedly revealed they died from some sort of respiratory illness, I contacted Thorstenson to ask if that was true.
Thorstenson didn’t address the question but said, “I still think they were poisoned,” which seemed to indicate that’s not what the report disclosed.
However, Thorstenson refused to disclose what the report said. He added that if people wanted to know what they died from, they could call U of A themselves.
He then told me to call him back in an hour. I called back but Thorstenson didn’t answer his phone. I left a message but he never returned the call.
After calling U of A’s Veterinary Diagnostic Services, I was told the results of a necropsy are considered medical information and they would not be able to release it to anyone but Thorstenson unless he authorized its release to another party.
So, I contacted Thorstenson again on Monday, told him what U of A told me and asked him what caused the buffaloes’ death.
Thorstenson replied, “I’m going to let it ride for now,” indicating he had no plans to reveal that information.
While we don’t know specifically what caused their deaths, based on Thorstenson’s statements and evasiveness, we can probably conclude they weren’t poisoned.
