First, yes I agree she's in the wrong. Mental illness is a horrid beast! I too wanted to be like Grizzly Adams when I was young.
Next.. if your motivation is pure and to protect the animals, why not look into reporting her earlier? Seems like at this point it could be about getting revenge on you EX. Why do people only do what causes the least amount of consequences for themselves?
I would start by launching a complaint with the rescue giving her the permit.. to investigate. NO wildlife rehabber in their right mind would EVER be okay with causing perfectly viable wild animals to become habituated to humans. As someone who loves the animals and nature.. I had to remind myself of this when helping with orphaned bobcat cubs at the wildlife rehab where I volunteered one season. I caught myself baby talking to them like pets AT first. It was quite amazing to have one climb my pant leg. But even more exhilarating to see them grow into their natural behavior aggressively wrestling each other, competing for food, learning how to hunt, and ultimately yes being released if there's NO injury or ingrained unnatural behaviors like those described above!
The crowding you describe... might get some attention with a simple call of concern to your county animal control officer? Try as MANY contacts as you can until you get results! Eyewitness news on your side?? Maybe an investigative news report to put public pressure on? Can they possibly be managing all the waste properly or is it a health hazard?
Speaking of health hazards.. sounds like maybe a fire hazard.. call the fire department.. they may have blocked exits or other code violations.. You county CODE enforcement office as well.. Even with permit, most locations still have maximum occupancy per property size.
The feds... many states have WAY to lax laws about topics like this.. the department of Fish and Wildlife (law enforcement) might be of some help..
https://www.fws.gov/le/
If all else fails.. call PETA and see what kind of havoc those mislead folks can turn up!
Taking her license will not likely stop her behavior. But hopefully through this maybe she will get some help to learn other coping tools for feeling loved and accepted. Instead of always scoffing and pointing fingers like the self righteous Stew Pidasso's we are, if folks look to the root cause and become more compassionate, understanding, and maybe helpful.. our prisons might not be full of our mentally ill for petty crimes. You just don't know what a person is facing.. but this Ex's mom is self medicating through her actions!
Yes, animal lives DO matter.. but HUMAN lives matter too. We always look at humans as doing such vile acts.. I've seen nature and there's nothing pretty about the mom's eating their babies if under threat of hunger or thirst themselves, or males killing offspring in order to mate the female sooner.. Most of us don't realize just how brutal nature truly is or that people ARE doing what comes natural to them.. yes other species kill each other over territory, mates, etc...
Again, she is in the wrong and it SHOULD be stopped! I just plead with my fellow BYC'ers... give the human species a little consideration and compassion as well... We ALL have reasons why we do what we do even if we don't realize them.
I do hope the animals get some relief from their well meaning but sadly mentally ill rehab/captor! It may take some persistence on your part, so hang in there..
