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Press Release:
2009
Help us Rescue a Cougar: When Narla the 13 year old cougar's owner died unexpectedly she found herself to be the unwanted "step child." Help fund her rescue by donating.
Bobcat Hit By 3 Cars Recovering at Big Cat Rescue: October 30, 2009 at 4:00 Dr. Deborah L. Sullivan of the Suncoast Veterinary Care Center called Big Cat Rescue reporting that a good Samaritan had retrieved a bobcat who had been hit on SR 54 and tied the cat in the back of his truck and drove him to the first Veterinary Clinic he saw. Upon arrival the bobcat leaped from the truck but was stunned enough from the impact that Dr. Sullivan and Dr. Shreeve were able to hand inject him with a sedative as he was conscious enough to strike out.
He had been hit by a car, which stunned him to the point that he was just sitting in the middle of the road shaking his head. Gathering all of the strength and will at his command he tried to weave off the pavement when he was struck by a second car that flipped him into the path of a third oncoming vehicle, according to eye witness reports.
The vets rushed him into X-ray to see if there were any broken limbs or spinal injuries. Blood seemed to be flowing from his mouth, which would indicate severe internal injuries, but it turned out to be from a gaping wound under his chin. Satisfied that he was probably just suffering from shock and a concussion Dr. Sullivan set out to find a rehabber who would actually enable this cat to go back to the wild rather than trying to make a pet or a prop out of him.
The bobcat was a beautiful 23 lb. male and appeared to be about a year and a half old to two years old judging by his size, his magnificent teeth and his otherwise virtually un tattered appearance. He was probably just now being pushed out of his mother's territory and thus crossing six lanes of traffic to do it. Big Cat Rescue Rehabber and President, Jamie Veronica and CEO Carole Baskin mused as to if he could be Hope's long lost brother. It was only two miles away that Hope was found as a tiny kitten dropped alongside a road about a year and a half ago. Jamie had suspected then that a mother bobcat had been moving her brood and had somehow dropped Hope and that is why she searched so long for her to try and reunite the two, but never heard her call to the baby and finally gave up.
The bobcat was still sleeping peacefully from the sedation so Big Cat Rescuers decided to swing by their own Vet's office to have blood work done. It looked like this male would be fine to set free after a few days of recuperation, but he would need to be tested for FIV (the feline version of aids) before doing so to insure the safety of the resident population of bobcats. While there, Dr. Addler filled in for Dr. Liz Wynn and stitched up a couple of his wounds and X-rayed his head. It is amazing that a cat could take such a hard blow from a moving car and not just be crushed inside that sleek, furred skin. The X-rays showed no fractures and his blood test came back negative for FIV so all was looking good for him.
It was 7 PM on the eve of the night tour at Big Cat Rescue so there were plenty of hands on deck to help unload him into the cat hospital and get him set up in the squeeze cage before he woke up. This will enable his caregivers to give injectable antibiotics, if he doesn't eat food with pills in it, and give him fluids if he can't or won't drink on his own. Jamie Veronica checked in on the bobcat at 9 PM and he was sleeping upon arrival, but then sat up when he heard her. She moved her hand quietly from side to side and he was able to follow it with eyes that glowed golden even more hauntingly than the jack-o-lanterns in the parking lot noting "He seems to respond to sound as well."
The next day the Volunteer team readied the rehab cage, where Hope used to live, so that the bobcat dubbed Dante can have a few days to gather his wits about him and recover from the impact and the trauma. He will them be set free to find his path in life. Thanks to surveillance cameras Jamie Veronica can track his progress. "Right now it takes him several minutes to cross the cage as he can only take a few steps, sit down and catch his breath, and then another few steps, but he was able to jump up onto his den so we are hopeful that he will have a full recovery," said Big Cat Rescue's licensed rehabber.
You can help support rescues like this and provide the medical care needed in such emergencies here: http://www.bigcatrescue.org/donate.htm
Videos about Hope the Bobcat's rehab and release here: http://www.bigcatrescue.org/video/00280.htm
Serval Rescue! An African Serval was limping along in the Arizona desert until she collapsed alongside a road. She had almost completely given up the will to live. She was probably a pet or perhaps used in the hybrid breeding scheme that has become all the rage where Servals are bred to domestic house cats to produce Savannah Cat hybrids. The domestic cats are often killed in the process. The kittens sell for thousands of dollars, but when they mature they typically spray and bite and make awful pets. The hybrids are usually discarded by the time they are two or three years old.
This Serval was obviously abandoned and was placed by authorities at the Tucson Wildlife Center, a non-profit sanctuary dedicated to native wildlife. Lisa Bates-Lininger the founding president of the Tucson Wildlife Center said, "She was dehydrated and tired and just ready to give up. She may have died last night, but luckily we got her in. We got her emergency treatment, fluids for shock, and she's also missing a rear leg."
Despite 18 media posts including TV news in Tucson and a post on Craig's list looking for the owner no one admits to having abandoned this Serval to die in the desert. Thanks to some very generous supporters the serval was flown to her new permanent home at Big Cat Rescue where she is recovering well. Servals can live into their late teens and proper care is thousands of dollars each year. Her new 1,200 square foot Cat-a-tat had to be specially modified to accommodate her three legged hopping. It seems that she only recently lost her leg as she has a very difficult time keeping her balance. We are writing vets in the Tucson area to find out if any of them know what tragedy caused her to lose a limb and to see if there is any way to prosecute those who exposed her to such danger.
See a video of her here: http://bit.ly/45ou2u Help support her by paying $1.00 per entry to give her a new name: http://bit.ly/4esBNC
CFC Participant? Generous donations through the CFC program have become one of our major sources of funding. Our CFC number is 10766. On behalf of the cats, sincere thanks to the many Federal employees who have helped us provide the best possible home for the cats by donating through this program.
Big Cat Times Magazine! Check out the most recent issue of The Big Cat Times in this online magazine format HERE
November Issue of AdvoCat: The latest edition of the AdvoCat, our monthly E-zine is HERE
Thanksgiving Fun: Find lots of free and fun things to do for Halloween at bigcatfun.com/thanksgiving.html
Rescue of Cougar: Read about Sophia the cougar and her rescue, along with photos and a slide show HERE
Happy New Year! Play a message of gratitude from all the cool cats at Big Cat Rescue HERE
Big Cat Bailout: Read about the recent rescue of a liger and two tigers HERE
See the photos here: http://BigCatRescue.org/images/tigers/ligertigerrescue/index.htm
Save Tony the Truck Stop Tiger! http://www.BigCatRescue.org/FreeTony.htm
Got Five Bucks? Text TIGER to 20222 and you can donate $5.00 via your cell phone to help us care for these abandoned big cats.* More here: http://www.bigcatrescue.org/cats/wild/ligers.htm
2008
August 2008. Two tiger attacks in MO in the same week.
Wesa-A-Geh-Ya and Predator World
Many people want to know if Big Cat Rescue will take in the 20 tigers from Wesa-A-Geh-Ya in Warren Co. MO. This is our response:
"If they are shut down entirely by MO and prohibited from owning exotic cats again we will help but we do not enable people to keep "rescuing" and keep having "accidental births" to attract donors and volunteers. This place has had a very long and sordid history that you can learn more about at www.911AnimalAbuse.com
You can see that GW Exotics is no better at the same link above. By "keeping it in the family" they can always get right back in it as soon as the heat is off. We and PeTA offered to spay and neuter the animals and neither of them wanted that to happen because it ends their profitability with cubs for sale and photo ops.
Unfortunately people who hoard animals don't learn better and stop. They may slow down for a while, but as soon as the pressure or media attention turns away, they go right back to it. MO has no laws that would keep the Smiths from doing this all over again, and USDA was pretty useless in stopping it since they revoked their license but did nothing to stop the problems there. I have spoken with the owners and been thoroughly spit upon by them in my attempts to help. I sent someone to them to see what could be done and she ending up running for her life and having to call the police.
I do care deeply about what happens to the cats, but it is even more important that real sanctuaries do not keep enabling the bad people to keep on adding to the abuse. I will be watching this situation and ready to help when and if the Smiths are completely shut down with no chance of re opening.
This is a very sad and sick situation and there just aren't sufficient laws to prevent it from happening over and over. We are changing that at CatLaws.com Haley's Act would end most of this breeding, abusing and discarding."
July 2008 Eating Lions in Restaurants?
Tiger Trade in the US Report by TRAFFIC called Paper Tigers
May 2008 Dying To Be Held. Read it HERE
Florida Considers New Big Cat Rules: Find out what works and what doesn't work HERE
Baby Bobcat Gets New Mom: Watch this series of videos on the progress of baby bobcat Hope HERE
Tiger Found Shot To Death in TX the same day an escaped tiger in CA kills one teenager and mauls two others. More HERE
Lion Tiger Pride Rescue Prides are usually made up of lions, but in this man made menagerie the lions and tigers are a family that may be split up if funds cannot be raised to keep them together. Read about the Lion Tiger Pride Rescue HERE
Bobcats Rescues! 4 bobcats rescued in just four weeks. Read more about the Bobcats HERE
Bobcat Rescue: This daring bobcat rescue was captured on video. See Big Cat Rescue in action HERE
These articles may be used in whole or in part:
About Big Cat Rescue 500 words HERE
About Big Cat Rescue 1000 words HERE
Big Cat Rescue in the News HERE
2007 News
Big Cat Rescue's Annual Report: A year of big cat rescues, stories and achievements HERE
July 1, 2007 Florida law requiring $10,000 bond to exhibit dangerous animals. More HERE
Recent Rescue of four tigers slated to be killed click HERE
Someone shot at the cats. More HERE
Newsletters in PDF HERE and Electronic Newsletters HERE
Recent articles we wrote that you can use HERE
Media Contacts:
We know you have deadlines to meet and want the best in still photos at 300 DPI, video footage and experts for interviews about Big Cat Rescues and exotic cat information. We will respond within 24 hours by email, or you can contact us immediately by cell phone.
Need Photos for a Story?
For a few lion, tiger and other big cat photos that you can download immediately with photo credits to BigCatRescue.org click HERE. All we ask is that you credit BigCatRescue.org
Need Video for a Story?
Big Cat Rescue hosts high resolution video at Veoh.com so that you can easily download the clips you need. If you need b-roll you can download it online for $1.99 and it is about 5 minutes of high quality digital video of lions, tigers and other big cats roaming about the sanctuary. All we ask is that you credit BigCatRescue.org. Get the shorter video clips you need here for free: Big Cat Rescue Video Library
Need Experts for a Story?
CEO & Founder Carole Baskin 813 493-4564 MakeADifference@BigCatRescue.org Bio for Carole Baskin
President Jamie Veronica 813 323-3263 Info@BigCatRescue.org Bio for Jamie Veronica
Operations Scott Lope 813 323-5991 Operations@BigCatRescue.org Bio for Scott Lope
Advisory Board Howard Baskin 813 889-7244 HBaskin@BigCatRescue.org Bio for Howard Baskin
We have photos of all exotic cat species on high resolution CD. If you are doing a story about us, or quoting us, the images are free for that purpose. If you need them to augment a story that does not include us, all we ask if for photo credits to be displayed on or next to the image that includes our web address of www.BigCatRescue.org These images can be mailed or emailed. Contact Carole at MakeADifference@BigCatRescue.org
ABOUT BIG CAT RESCUE:
Big Cat Rescue, a non-profit organization
founded in 1992, provides a permanent home for unwanted, abused and neglected
exotic cats. The 45 acre sanctuary houses over 100 lions, tigers, leopards,
bobcats and more. Big Cat Rescue is the largest big cat sanctuary in the world
and one of three in the Eastern United States that meet the strict standards
of care required to receive accreditation from The Global Federation of Sanctuaries
(GFAS). Big Cat Rescue is located at 12802 Easy Street, across the street from
Westfield Shoppingtown in Citrus Park, between Smokey Bones Restaurant and
McDonalds. For tour times and other information, visit www.BigCatRescue.org. For
more details, including finances, annual reports, awards and affiliations visit About Us.
MEDIA
CONTACT: To arrange for in-studio or at-location interviews, please contact:
Carole Baskin at 813 493-4564 or MakeADifference@BigCatRescue.org
To see stories that have been done on us before, see News.
Feel free to reprint any of our articles here provided credit is given to www.BigCatRescue.org
For our history, seeHistory and Evolution.
For daily, updated, statistics and typical cases of Animal Abuse that has
created a necessity for Big Cat Rescue, see Animal
Abuse.
For information about visiting and interacting with the big cats, see Visit Us.
For upcoming Events.
For our Finances. If you need a high res copy of our logo click this small one to the right:
MEDIA ALERT CHILD KILLED BY TIGER
a 17 year old girl was killed by a tiger while having her photo made for her high school year book. Read more HERE