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Big Cat Rescue, one of the worlds most influential sanctuaries for exotic cats, is a leading advocate for ending the abuse of captive big cats and saving wild cats from extinction. We are the most hated, feared and lied about by circuses, backyard breeders, roadside zoos, cub petting pimps and pseudo-sanctuaries because we are the most effective at ending the abuse of big cats. We wear that as a badge of honor.
We are home to lions, tigers, bobcats, servals, caracals, jaguar and other species most of whom have been abandoned, abused, orphaned, saved from being turned into fur coats, or retired from performing acts.
- Saved from being slaughtered to make fur coats
- Rescued as babies after hunters killed their mothers. See our Bobcat Rehab and Release work
Since 2006 Four Paws Has Rescued More Than 100 Big Cats From Around The World
Since 2006, FOUR PAWS has rescued more than 100 big cats from around the world. This includes mostly lions, but also many tigers and other species such as leopards, cheetahs, caracals, hyenas and wild dogs.
All these animals are provided with a lifelong home and species-appropriate habitat. Their enclosures consist of several hectares space with plenty of trees and bushes. They are constructed in a circular shape that follows the natural shape of land, eliminating corners and and giving the animals the feeling that there are no borders around them.
A lot of attractive enrichment is built daily at the sanctuary, using mainly natural materials, and provides the animals with additional shade, climbing structures or resting places. Despite the considerable number of animals at the sanctuary, they are all monitored daily by a professional team on site. The personnel observe the animals daily and react depending on the case and necessity. A few veterinary checks are typically organised throughout the year.
Big Cat Rescues Mission
Our Mission is to provide the best home we can for the cats in our care, end abuse of big cats in captivity, and prevent extinction of big cats in the wild.
Our Goal is for our donors to find their gifts to us to be among the most satisfying they make by accomplishing our mission in the most financially responsible manner possible. We consistently receive Charity Navigators highest 4 star rating.Can we count on your help?
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Us Seizes 68 Big Cats From Exotic Animal Park Owner Jeffrey Lowe Of ‘tiger King’ Fame
The Justice Department says it will seek civil forfeiture of the animals.
Big cats seized from Tiger King animal sanctuary
The Justice Department on Thursday announced the seizure of 68 protected big cats from Jeffrey and Lauren Lowe’s Tiger King Park in Oklahoma, related to what the government described as their ongoing violations of the Endangered Species Act.
In a statement, the department said it is seeking civil forfeiture of the animals after several inspections of the park found the Lowes allegedly failed to provide animals with proper veterinary care, nutrition and shelter to protect them from bad weather.
The animals included lions, tigers, lion-tiger hybrids and a jaguar, according to authorities.
In an affidavit, investigators detail allegations of disturbing conditions they documented for some of the big cats — observing some who showed signs of high anxiety and stress, with several losing their fur and showing signs of weight loss, while others had signs of untreated wounds.
“This seizure should send a clear message that the Justice Department takes alleged harm to captive-bred animals protected under the Endangered Species Act very seriously,” said acting assistant attorney general Jean Williams of the DOJ’s Environment and Natural Resources Division.
The Big Cat Public Safety Act And The Coronavirus Scare
Even though Congress is not congregating or thinking about anything outside of the current epidemic, we still need you to make the , asking them to co sponsor the Big Cat Public Safety Act. We have more momentum toward ending the abusive cub petting industry and phasing out private ownership of big cats than ever before. We just can not stop now! If your Senator and House members know you care about this issue, even under the looming threat of global disease and financial ruin, they will see how important it is to pass the bill before the last tigers go extinct from the inaction of previous Congresses. It may actually help to point out that COVID-19 is a zoonotic disease from close contact with wild animals and our bill prevents wildcat cub handling.
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Our Visitors Say It Best
My fiance and I found Turpentine Creek on a list of things to do in Eureka Springs and we were not disappointed! Hannah was so knowledgeable and happy to guide just the two of us on our tour, even in the 20 degree weather. The animals seemed to be fairly active in the cooler weather which was fun to see. All the staff were very friendly.
What Is It Like In Florida For Tiger Ownership
In 2006 the FWC listed 350 licensed non accredited addresses for Class I and Class II animals
In 2006 254 were listed by address, and 96 only listed a P.O. box
In 2009 there were 407 licensed addresses for Class I and Class II animals & all had a street address listed
In 2007 the bond requirement was passed for all Class I Exhibitors to carry a 10,000.00 bond as of Jan 2008
In 2007 the only legal way to possess a Class I animal was for Exhibition or Sale
In 2009 222 licensees possessed Class I animals and most should have been subject to bond by their activities
In 2009 122 licensees did not have current bonds and 111 never did according to this list
In 2011 the FWC began requiring a bond of all Class I Possessors after the Legislature interceded to require it.
In 2012 the Big Cat Public Safety Act was introduced. Help get this federal law passed to ban the private ownership of big cats at BigCatAct.com
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Is Carole Baskin A Hypocrite
Probably the question I get most frequently asked about Caroles facility, the Big Cat Rescue, is: Is Big Cat Rescue just as bad as the zoos featured? Isnt Carole doing the same thing?
In fact, in episode two, Rick Kirkham says Carole is just as bad as Joe. They were both taking advantage of animals to make money.
Let me address this very clearly: No!!!!!!!!! Definitely not.
Tigers at Big Cat Rescue. Posted with permission.
The Big Cat Rescue is a million times better than the zoos featured in the program (check out my review of Joe Exotics Zoo and Myrtle Beach Safari. The biggest difference is as the documentary mentioned, the breeding of big cats. Just because an animal is an endangered species, does not mean that breeding it will help its conservation in the wild.
There are currently more captive tigers in the US than there are in the wild. These cats will never be released to the wild and AZA accredited zoos maintain genetically viable captive bred tigers, making any of these other breeding efforts unnecessary. You can read the full explanation in this post and recently another scientist wrote about this here.
However, the fact that she is no longer breeding and now taking in cats from other places such as roadside zoos, private individuals, and circuses, makes her better. She is also working to change laws to make big cat breeding for private individuals illegal, which would solve the problem of all of these big cats needing places to go.
My Superpower Is: I Can See The Future
When confronted with an issue, I dont just see the problem I see it in sort of a split screen in my head. On the left is what I have. On the right is what I want. That clarity makes it possible for me to make quick decisions about what needs to be done right now and I can see the steps needed to get to what I want. They fan out across that split screen image so that I can move on through the steps, and delegate tasks along the way, to engage others in the path to that ultimate outcome. An example of this was how the sanctuary started.
When I saw that a taxidermist was going to purchase a 6 month old bobcat, who was an unwanted pet, to turn her into a den decoration, I knew I could fix that problem. He said he was going to club her in the head in the parking lot. I was able to see that outcome AND one where she had a long, healthy life. Windsong spent the next 18 years as the beloved founder of Big Cat Rescue. The next year when confronted with 56 bobcats and lynx at a fur farm, I could see their imminent doom as skins for the fur trade AND I could see them enjoying long, healthy lives with people who would see them for the amazing individuals they all were. Carole Baskin
A typical week in Caroles life usually includes a bobcat call:
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Some Articles About Carole Baskin
2020 Oprah Magazines Elena Nicolaou states, Baskin, the founder and CEO of Floridas Big Cats Rescue, an animal sanctuary in Florida, singlehandedly tried to take down Joe Exotics roadside zoo in Oklahoma, where he displayed his big cat collection with Las Vegas-style shows.
2020 Oxygens Gina Tron did an article called Where Is Carole Baskin, The Woman Joe Exotic Tried To Have Killed, Now?
2020 The Mirrors Chris Bucktin wrote an article called, Evil big cat keeper who shot 5 tigers tried to have animal activist assassinated
2020 Rachel Nuwer wrote for Longreads and did an excellent podcast and article detailing Carole Baskin and her crews battle to save big cats at
2020 Radio Times
2020 The Native Influence did an in depth interview here:
2019 Wondery podcast called Joe Exotic features Carole Baskin.
2019 Common Good from Newmans Own Foundation did an article about Carole Baskin.
Big Cat Rescue: Is This Animal Rescue As Ethical As The Baskins Make It Out To Be
Whether it was Joe Exotics unabashed buffoonery or Carole Baskins off-putting obsession with big cats, Netflixs Tiger King had something to captivate just about everyone who watched it. Since the documentary aired in 2020, Exotics Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park has been permanently closed to the public, but people are curious about the other parks. Is Big Cat Rescue still open, or did COVID-19 and the series change its status?
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Our Cats During Coronavirus
We have filled our freezers, which can hold about 20,000 pounds of food, in case the production plants or transportation companies shut down. Weve stocked up on fuel for our generators in our onsite storage tanks. In 2003, the first year Big Cat Rescue was able to break even financially, we began tucking away a little bit into an endowment fund. Its money we cant touch outside of an emergency and its purpose was to provide a pension fund for all of our exotic cats. We did it right after seeing tourism and donations come to a screeching halt in the aftermath of 9/11 and knowing what it was like to look at the faces of hungry cats and tell them there would be no food for them short of a miracle.
Thanks to our amazing donors the sanctuarys cats have a fully funded pension that will provide food and vet care for them to the end of their days. We would have to shut everything down, end all of our work to save wild cats from abuse and extinction, and let all of our staff go, but there is money in the Community Foundation endowment fund to be sure the cats dont starve. Even though we made the tough choices to ensure our cats futures, we face an immediate crisis now. In order to keep doing the important work we do, without depleting our savings, we count on your donations more than ever.
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Is Carole Using Big Cat Rescue To Become Rich
In the documentary, Doc Antle says that Carole wants to be the last man standing it can be only her. But Carole works with PETA and PETA is ultimately against animals in captivity. Because PETA understands that Big Cat Rescue is a non-profit sanctuary and against big cat breeding, that is why they support her they know she is trying to stop that practice.
It doesnt make sense for PETA to support her and for Carole to support legislation that would end big cat breeding if she were in it as a business to exploit big cats. It also doesnt make sense for Carole to be aggressively trying to stop the breeding of big cats. Ultimately, that is where cats at the sanctuary come from.
Carole makes a little over $60,000 a year. The sanctuary is a non-profit and you can look up all of the financial information on the IRS forms found here. It doesnt make sense for her to use the sanctuary to get rich because she already had millions from her real estate business and she is actively working on legislation to end big cat breeding. If that were to take into effect, there would be fewer and eventually no big cats to rescue, and her facility would eventually close down.
Update: I just finished the Wondery podcast and they included a clip of Carole saying that that is exactly what she wants for no big cat to ever be in a cage and for her place to eventually shut down.
Now lets talk about conservation, education, and animal welfare at Big Cat Rescue
Carole Baskins Mission Is To End The Trade In Exotic Cats And Thus Put Herself Out Of Business
Because of her extensive experience with big cat issues she was selected as a one of the judges for the prestigious International Big Cat Film Festival where winners were selected from over 200 entries and the awards were made at the United Nations Building by the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival.
Washington, DC, October 24, 2019 The 2019 Carole Noon Award for Sanctuary Excellence recipient was announced by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries . This year Carole Baskin of GFAS-accredited Big Cat Rescue, one of the largest accredited sanctuaries in the world dedicated to abused and abandoned big cats, was singled out for her visionary leadership and advocacy efforts to end the private possession and trade in exotic cats through legislation and education.
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The Big Cat Sanctuary Is A Registered Animal Charity Whose Aim Is To Contribute To Global Conservation
The peace and tranquility of the site provide sanctuary and excellent conditions for the successful breeding of the beautiful, yet endangered cats both large and small within the co-ordinated global breeding programmes.
The Big Cat Sanctuary is located in the heart of the Kent countryside in Smarden, Kent and is set in 32 acres of grass land. It is home to a variety of different wild cat species from the smallest in the world to the most endangered and everything in between.
We are unashamedly ambitious in our aspirations for the future which contribute to initiatives which will have a direct global impact. We were proud to have completed the conversion into a charity which secured the future of our organisation as a centre of excellence for welfare, breeding, education and conservation.
The Big Cat Sanctuary will be forever indebted to Peter Sampson and the Sampson family for their vision, investment and dedication in founding the Sanctuary.
The Big Cat Sanctuary is located in the heart of the Kent countryside in Smarden, Kent and is set in 32 acres of grass land. It is home to a variety of different wild cat species from the smallest in the world to the most endangered and everything in between.
The Big Cat Sanctuary will be forever indebted to Peter Sampson and the Sampson family for their vision, investment and dedication in founding the Sanctuary.
Animal Abuse Claims And Usda Violations
Exotic has been strongly criticized for his treatment of animals that he owns, including by Baskin, which eventually lead to an investigation by the USDA and convictions for animal abuse.
In February 1999, animal welfare investigators discovered a large number of neglected emus in Red Oak, Texas, and Exotic volunteered to capture the animals and take them to his animal park. However, Exotic, local volunteers, and Red Oak police were quickly overwhelmed by the task of corralling the large and fast-running birds, several of which died. Exotic and another man resorted to killing emus with shotguns and were accused of animal cruelty by police. However, since the emus were considered livestock, they could lawfully be killed humanely in Texas, and a grand jury declined to indict Exotic. Most surviving birds ultimately wound up at Texas ranches.
In 2000, to feed his growing zoo of big cats, he took in horses that were donated to him. He would shoot the horses and feed them whole to the tigers, lions, and other big cats.
Due to the amount of exotic animals at his zoo, Exotic found feeding them all to be expensive. To help offset the cost, Exotic fed them expired meat from Walmart. Employees at the zoo also ate this expired Walmart meat, and also used the expired meat to make pizzas.
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