JoAnne Craigmile-Nilsen

JoAnne D. Craigmile
8235 S. Park Ave. #513
Tacoma, WA 98408
Phone: (253) 539-2905
Cell: (253)882-5090
Email: Fynyx@
I have experience in Management, Performing, Production, Choreography, Training, Maintenance, and Husbandry, (30 yrs.) of exotic and domestic animal stock for Parks, Zoos, Circuses, Theater, and Movies. I have been a Manager for a Zoological Park division, where we housed the show animals, and new stock to be introduced into the animal park, and a Manager of an elephant ranch, where we raised a captive conceived and born baby elephant, and trained or rehabilitated adult elephants. I worked closely with Smithsonian Institute, on a project involving artificial insemination of Asian Elephants. I worked closely with Hezzy Shashoney of Wayne State University, Elephant Interest Group, in studies of the physical anatomies of elephants. I was the first to train an Ibex for an outdoor theater. I trained 64 different varieties of animals for an outdoor theater, such as pigs, housecats, dogs, horses, barn fowl, Ibex, Oodad sheep and goats, with no visible human intervention, and some human interaction, much like Universal Studios display. Worked as an assistant with a Birds of Prey demonstration. I trained horses for circuses, and Wild West theatrical shows, including western style, carriage, dressage, and at-liberty. I trained dogs for the handicapped, and was made Honorary Member of the Dallas Humane Society. I have recently been involved in training dogs for handicapped service, and horses for jousting, for the Medieval Renaissance Fairs.

Experienced Trainer and caretaker of -
" HORSES - (30 YRS) - movies, commercials, circus, parks, rodeos, private training, jousting (Western, English, High Dressage, Liberty, and At-Liberty), transport, care
" DOGS - (30 yrs)- Movies, circus, private (security, obedience, Service) Training, and care
" ELEPHANTS - (17 yrs.)- 32 Male, female, African, and Asian, plus raised baby Asian from 3 days of age for Parks, zoos, circus, movies (Rides, acts, demonstrations of Logging, parades, commercials)Training, transport, breeding management, and care
" HOUSECATS (4 yrs.) theatrical shows
" GOATS - (15 yrs.) theatrical shows, circus acts, movies
" PIGS, CAMELS, LLAMAS, CATTLE, BARN FOWL, REPTILES, (15 yrs.) theatrical shows, movies, circus
" LEOPARDS - (1 yr ) circus
" EXOTIC HOOFSTOCK - (15 yrs.) theatrical shows, zoos
" TIGERS - (2 yrs.) circus, zoo
" BEARS - (2 yrs.) circus, wild animal park
" Birds of Prey - Harris Hawk, and Peregrine falcon, helped with demonstrations
Management - (Elephant breeding farm, division of animal park, horse farms, show animals)
Truck driving - 18 wheeler (elephants, horses, small stock)
Ride operator - (elephants, ponies circus, zoos, private parties)
Educational demonstrations - (for zoos, parks, TV.)
Prop designer/builder/carpenter - (for animal care and performances)
Wardrobe designer
Veterinarian assistant

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Skyline Mail Carriers (02-2007 - current)
2102 S. 341st Place
Federal Way, WA 98003
253-874-7811
Driving trucks hauling US mail

A All Animal Control of Tacoma (04 - 2007 - current)
8235 S. Park Avenue, #513
Tacoma, WA 98408
253-307-2324
Owner/operator, Removing nuisance wildlife, and remediation or repair of damages.

Egbert Horse Transportation - (8/1999 -1/2000) Truck Driver (OTR), Horse Attendant
Dale Egbert
PO Box 458, Enumclaw, WA 98022 800-426-0862

ROYAL PALACE CIRCUS -
Harry Dubsky, Jr
2831 Ringling Blvd.
Suite 207 C
Sarasota, FL 34237
1-800-449-7788
Duties - Leopard Trainer/Presenter - Concessionaire - truck driver

ELITE CANINE DEVELOPMENTAL ACADEMY-1996
Johnnie G. Kinney
4312 Pearl Ave.
Tampa, FL 33611
(813) 835-4668
Duties- Trainer and caretaker of dogs - Studying for Specialty Training of Companion and Service Dogs.

PARC SAFARI - (1989-1995)
Danny Kyle, John Moran
850 R.T.202,
Hemmingford, Quebec
Canada, JOL 1HO
(514) 247-2727
Duties/Title - Head animal trainer/Area Manager/set designer/ performer/adviser, elephant ride operator
(8 yrs.) I Trained 64 different animals or animal groups to perform without obvious human control, but interacting as and with actors and players of a Wild West themed "Town of Justice". I utilized a wide variety of animals like pigs, goats, housecats, dogs, horses, and ponies, cattle, an Ibex, and an Oodad, and barn fowl, to portrait life in the Town, much like in a Movie. Trained surplus animals, of the parc to be later sold. Helped with display of Falconry, flying a Harris Hawk, and Peregrine Falcon

ENGESSER ELEPHANT RANCH - 1987-1995
Gee Gee Engesser
6703 Bobwhite Court,
Seffner, FL 33584
(813) 661-4263
Duties-Trainer/handler, caretaker of elephants, horses, dogs, and other stock, contracting to various enterprises as in zoos, circuses, parks, etc. (8 yrs.)(Miami Zoo, Parc Safari, Hemmingford)

KNOXVILLE ZOOLOGICAL PARK - (1986-1987)
Becky Hargis, Frank Husky
3500 Knoxville Zoo Drive, P.O. Box 6040
Knoxville, TN (865)637-5331
Duties-Caretaker of 7 male and female African elephants.

Asheville Highway Animal Clinic (1986-1987) evenings and days off from Zoo
Joseph Kendrick, DVM Duties - caretaker, vet assistant
4516 Asheville Highway
Knoxville, Tennessee
37914

STEELE ELEPHANT BREEDING COMPOUND - (1980-1986)
Bucky R. Steele
FM Rd. 729,
Jefferson, TX 75657
(903) 665-2342
Duties -Training, management, transportation of Asian and African, male and female elephants, hoof stock and reptiles. We were the first private enterprise to raise a baby Asian elephant from birth, in captivity. I trained four African elephants for rides, circus routines, and management for zoo handlers. Worked - 5 Asians and 1 African elephants for circuses. Trained 2 - (9 horse) liberty acts, mixed elephant and donkeys (comedy), operated rides for circuses and zoos, and promotional work for various enterprises. Drove semi-trucks hauling elephants and hoof stock - (6 yrs.)Contracted to Zoos and Parks as Ride Operators, Consultants, and for the furtherance of the elephant population/propagation/education. (Ft. Worth Zoo, Dallas Zoo, Houston Zoo, Toronto Zoo, Parc Safari, Hemmingford Que, Elephant Interest Group, Wayne State University, Smithsonian Zoo)

ROYAL HANNEFORD CIRCUS- (1979-1980)
Tommy And Strupi Hanneford
Box 52J
Osprey, Florida
33559, USA
Duties-Groom and performer with rosin-back horses. (1 yr.)

HAWTHORN CIRCUS CORPORATION -(1978-1979)
John Cuneo
23675 West Charden Road
Greyslake, Illinois
60030, USA.
Duties-Groom of white tigers, bears, elk, fallow deer, and various hoof stock (1½ yrs.)

FRANZEN BROS. CIRCUS-(1978)
Wayne Franzen
Route 1, Box 173
Amhurst Junction, Wisconsin
54407, USA.
Duties-Presenter/Groom of a camel and Llamas, goats, and care of elephant, and horses, and other animals.

RINGLING BROS., BARNUM, and BAILEY CIRCUS - (1977-1978)
Dick Brown
320 New Mexico Ave.
Washington DC 20016
Duties- Security guard/janitor, (winter quarters), Sales, (MonteCarlo Unit)

CRITTER BARN PET SHOP - Knoxville, Tenn., Sales/caretaker of exotic and domestic animals
GOLDEN WEST CANINE KENNELS - Sun Valley, Calif., Rottweiler security dogs, care and exposition

Prior to 1976
My family furnished and trained animals for movie industry, and I was present and assisted on locations with:
John Joseph Craigmile (father)- "HAUMPHS", "Greatest Story Ever Told", "How the West Was Won", etc.
Glen Randall - Trainer for "Ben Hur", Trigger, and Trigger JR
Bobby Davenport - Trainer of Otte, "TONY" awards winner for "Black Beauty" "Thunder", and Trainer of "Gus", the football kicking mule (Disney productions)
Robert Rutherford - Trainer of "Lassie", (furnished appaloosa pony)
Frank Inn - Trainer of "Benji"
and have had further been influenced by: 4H club, and competed in horse and dog competitions for breed, obedience, western riding, English, dressage, conformation, etc.
My father employed by studios @- Disney, Universal, Warner Bros., Paramount.

Thank you for your time and consideration

JoAnne D Craigmile
Fynyx@