There is so much news we had to break it into two AdvoCat newsletters this month! Read part 1. Here is part 2:

THE SAD STORY OF HOOVER THE CIRCUS TIGER IS ABOUT TO HAVE A FAIRYTALE ENDING…

Hoover Tiger will arrive in April to his forever home at Big Cat Rescue!

We are very excited to let everyone know that Big Cat Rescue will soon be the forever home for a former circus tiger named Hoover from Peru!! We can’t wait for Hoover to arrive in April!

Hoover is eleven years old and was owned by Circo Africano, a circus in northwestern Peru, where for many years he was forced to perform in circus acts and live and travel in a tiny, barren cage.

In April of 2015 Animal Defenders International (ADI) and Peruvian wildlife officials seized Hoover from the circus. ADI contacted Big Cat Rescue about becoming Hoover’s forever home and we quickly agreed. However, the process of importing a tiger into the U.S. turned out to be a year long process and we finally received the green light from USFWS just last week.

ADI had been on track to remove Hoover and another tiger from the Peruvian circus in a nationwide law enforcement operation in 2014, but the circus went underground. Hoover’s road to freedom finally began when, after months of searching, a member of the public tipped off ADI’s team to the location of the illegal wild animal circus. A dramatic rescue ensued.

Sadly, Hoover is the sole survivor of between six and 12 tigers that were kept by Circo Africano in Peru. He arrived at ADI’s rescue center frightened, sick and emaciated. But after months of intensive veterinary care, rehabilitation and exercise, Hoover has recovered and is ready to start the next chapter of his life in America at Big Cat Rescue.

Big Cat Rescue is forever grateful that ADI rescued Hoover and will be transporting him to our sanctuary. Hoover will be flown to his new home at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa and is expected to arrive in mid April.

Hoover’s days will now be spent relaxing in the sunshine, lounging up on his platforms and cooling off in Big Cat Rescue’s lake. He will reside in a huge enclosure with lots of trees, foliage and shade. He will literally be a world away from the abuse he suffered most of his life.

Can we count on you to help us fund Hoover’s ongoing care at Big Cat Rescue? It costs us about $10,000 per year for food and veterinary care for a tiger. It’s because of wonderful donors like YOU that we can continue to rescue and provide a permanent home for exotic cats like Hoover! Thank you!

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Zabu Tiger and Thor Bobcat Get Ultrasound

Oncura Partners provided a test run on their UltraSound machine during Zabu and Thor’s dental procedures.

Fantastic matching funds opportunity to help Big Cat Rescue purchase a state-of-the-art sonogram machine for our cats!

We are thrilled to finally have our on-site Windsong Memorial Hospital operational. Our vets are now able to take x-rays and perform lifesaving surgeries and procedures on our cats, most of whom are elderly or arrive at our sanctuary with significant medical needs.

But we are missing a crucial piece of diagnostic equipment: a sonogram machine.

While our x-ray machine is wonderful, there are many things our vets can’t see and diagnose with x-rays alone. Currently, if x-rays don’t tell our vets what is wrong, they have to do invasive exploratory surgery on our cats. A sonogram machine would allow us to “look inside” and see what’s going on with a cat in a much less invasive way. For example, if the sonogram showed a mass on a tiger, our vet could first do a simple needle biopsy and have it tested.

It is also critically important that the person operating the sonogram machine be trained and have extensive experience reading sonograms. The specialized machine we need has a camera mounted to it and an Internet connection to a board certified vet who will guide our vet via camera to make sure they get the best possible sonogram images and correctly read the images.

But sonogram machines are very expensive. The one we need for our cats costs $50,000. The great news is that once again the Share Foundation (formerly Reitzel Foundation) has stepped up and pledged a dollar-for-dollar match up to $25,000!

So your much needed and greatly appreciated donation toward our sonogram machine for the cats will go twice as far! Thank you for continuing to support our cats and our sanctuary. This sonogram will make a world of difference in the lives of our precious cats. Go to BigCatRescue.org/ultrafund to donate

Big Cat Rescue Surpasses 2 Million Fans on Facebook

On March 18, 2016 Big Cat Rescue surpassed Two Million Fans on Facebook.

To celebrate we had hourly, random winners selected on Facebook all day to win $25 gift certificates to use in our store at BigCatRescue.biz

Solar Coin and Arcadia Power

Maybe you didn’t wear green on St. Patrick’s day, but you could go green instead. Big Cat Rescue first went green in 2012 with the installation of solar power, and then upped the game in 2015 by going completely off the grid with Arcadia Power. Now we are participating in Solar Coin to create a new world exchange where clean energy becomes the currency. Find out how you can go green too at https://bigcatrescue.org/solar/

Big Cat Rescue is proud to choose clean energy with Arcadia Power. We encourage everyone to support an environmentally friendly lifestyle by doing the same at home, and Arcadia Power is even offering all Big Cat Rescue supporters a $20 account credit plus a donation to Big Cat Rescue’s efforts! It’s so easy to sign up. It only takes a couple minutes from start to finish, and you don’t have to switch utilities or install anything. All you have to do is link up your utility account to their clean energy platform, and they purchase clean energy on your behalf from the same renewable energy markets Google, Whole Foods, and other progressive companies have had access to for years. In 3 minutes your home or apartment’s electricity usage can be covered by 100% clean, renewable energy. Sign up here: arcadiapower.com/bcr

WANNA HAVE GREAT FUN AND SUPPORT THE CATS OF BIG CAT RESCUE?

Then join Big Cat Rescue at Hamburger Mary’s in Tampa (Ybor City location) for Bingo to benefit the cats!! We’ve done this a few times in the past and it is always a blast and usually sells out! Several folks from Big Cat Rescue will be there too, so please say hello.

Come in costume, come in drag, come in your funniest safari gear, wear your cat ears…you name it to have a roaring good time. Seating is limited to the first 200 guests, so please RSVP at 813 241-MARY (813 241-6279) for Sunday, April 3 at 7PM.

No cover charge. All you pay for is your drinks, food and bingo cards, which are 10 cards of 3 for $10. Lots of great prizes and fun! See video from one of our past events at Hamburger Mary’s: