17. Animal Care Policies

Modifying Enclosures: No person shall make modifications to any enclosure without direct instruction from the Volunteer Coordinator, Operations Manager, President or CEO.

VETERINARY CARE

Collecting Fecal Samples
If you find runny stool or vomit, wash your utensils especially thorough with bleach solution before moving to another enclosure. Rinse that area of ground with water. Make a note regarding the diarrhea or vomit on the Animal’s Observation Log. It is also helpful to collect a sample of runny stool for testing. Collect a portion of the stool in a zip-lock bag and write the animal’s name on it. Place the sample on the floor against the wall just inside the door of the cooler in food prep. Make a notation on the Animal’s Observation Log that a sample was put in the cooler. Staff will then test the sample or send it to the lab for testing to determine if the animal has parasites.

Med Administration
Medications are administered daily. Once, twice, or in some cases multiple times a day. Administration of the medications is the process of giving the medication to the animal. All medications should be prepared, administered and charted by one person and not divided up between people to perform these tasks. With the exception of training. AM Meds should be administered prior to feeding routes going out. PM Meds should be administered in late afternoon 4:30-5:30 depending on the time of year. Prior to preparing the medications check with the Coordinator for any changes regarding the medications or animals recently prescribed medications. Meds may be accessed by coordinators or staff members with a key to the med cabinet in Food Prep. Medications should be prepared just before administration. Medications should not be prepared in food in advance (including lactulose). Gloves should always be worn when handling medications. The oils from your hands can break down the coating or capsule of the pill. To prepare meds select a type of meat that the individual animal likes best and cut a small piece just big enough for the med to fit inside. (The best food choices for each animal are taught during the observation process. Updated food choices are also shared among the volunteers and staff assigned to administer medications via emailing meds@bigcatrescue.org) Cut a small hole into the meat and insert the pill. If the piece is too big the animal will chew the meat and likely bite into the pill. This can result in the refusal to consume the medication. Thawed chicks can also be used as they disguise pills very well. The pill should be pushed all the way down into the chick’s mouth until it is lodged in the throat. Liquid medications can be injected into pieces of meat or mixed with ground meat. Chicks should not be used for liquid medications unless absolutely necessary (mostly with rehab bobcats) because when the animal eats the chick and pierces the abdomen a yellow liquid gushes out in turn most of the liquid medication may be lost. As each medication is prepared the meat or chick containing the medication should be placed back inside the med bag. This will keep all of the medications separate and avoid confusion. Once all of the meds are prepared the person administering medications should take with them the following supplies; prepared medications housed in their own individual med bag, operant sticks of varying lengths (long sticks for fussy animals), extra meat treats should an animal chew the pill out or refuse the offered meat, tongs to retrieve refused meat or chewed out pills, small knife, and golf cart (to be efficient). The person administering meds should not be performing any other duties at the same time for example; coordinating, shutting lockouts, operant conditioning, etc. The entire focus should be on the task at hand to avoid mistakes. The animal must be directly observed fully consuming the food that contains the medication. If the medication is not consumed another food should be chosen to put the medication into. The animal must consume their medication before being fed any other foods. The empty med bags should be brought back to Food Prep to use as a reference when filling out the daily Med Charts. Medication Charts must be filled out by the person that administered the medications immediately. The coordinators and veterinarians as well as some staff members have access to the med cabinet in Food Prep. The volunteers and staff that are permitted to administer medications are listed at the bottom of each Med Chart. To ensure quality and consistency only a small number of volunteers and staff will be assigned to administering medications. Some animals may not want to take their medication on occasion. In these cases, creativity must be utilized including; basting the chick or red meat that houses the medication with blood or housing the medication in alternative foods such as hearts, livers, chicken, or other meat that the animal favors. The person administering the medications should try multiple ways to get the animal to take their medication. If the medication is not consumed, the medication should be retrieved and the person should report the case to the Operations Manager or Coordinator on duty for further instruction. Medications should not be administered to the animals and then left unattended. If the animal does not consume it’s medication despite all attempts, the initials RF in red should be entered on the appropriate line of the Med Chart. At the conclusion of administering medications the person who administered the medication must initial the Med Chart for each animal next to the appropriate medication time AM or PM.

Medicine Guidelines
Prednisone: Animals prescribed Prednisone should not be fasted. Prednisone can be harsh on the stomach. If the animals are being fasted prior to a worming day, animals who receive prednisone should still be given a small meal.
Lactulose: Lactulose should be added to the food just before feeding. It should not be prepared ahead of time during food prep.
Denamarin: Should be given on an empty stomach at least 1 hour before a meal.

Supplement Distribution
Every cat that receives a supplement such as Cosequin is added a new tracking chart titled Supplement Chart. This chart is very similar to the Med Charts. The chart is in calendar form. The Supplements Chart can be found in the left hand side bar of the BigCatRescue.me site under the heading Training and Docs>Supplements Chart. It can also be found on the Med Chart page for volunteers who have access to this site. Each animal’s name is on the chart and appears on each day of the week that animal is supposed to receive a supplement. Feeders who give the supplement to the animal should initial next to the animal’s name on the chart after feeding has been completed. Supplements should be mixed in a small amount of food and given to the animal prior to feeding the rest of the meal. The supplement should be fully consumed before giving any other foods. Any cats that are locked out of their feeding lockouts prior to feeding will have to receive their supplements from the volunteer assigned to handing out meds. After feeding is over the Coordinator should ensure that each cat that was given a supplement has been initialed by the feeder.

Inappetent Animals
If an animal does not seem interested in food at feeding time, the observation should be reported on the chart for that animal and any other relevant symptoms. Mid day and/or later in the afternoon a variety of foods should be offered by the Coordinator or a Volunteer assigned by the Coordinator (keep in mind diet restrictions with regards to bones and fur). Follow up observations should be recorded noting if the cat did or did not want to eat and listing the types of and amounts of food consumed in ounces or pounds.

The scheduled Coordinator should check the previous day’s observations to become aware of animals that were reported as not wanting to eat. These animals should be given extra attention the day following their inappentence and a variety of foods should be offered (keep in mind diet restrictions with regards to bones and fur). Observations should be recorded noting if the cat did or did not want to eat.

If an animal was reported as not wanting to eat and the following day is a fasting day the animal should not be fasted. The animal should be offered at least half a meal and what they did or did not eat should be reported.

GROUNDS & BUILDINGS

Cleaning Agents in Food Prep
After much review it was determined that vinegar is used on the chick and whole prey trays as per instructions for caring for the trays and their finish. Bleach could be corrosive to the trays. The counters and sinks in Food Prep and in the cooler can be cleaned with a mild soap and bleach mixture and must be rinsed thoroughly before food is permitted to come into contact with those surfaces.

Scraper Poles
Some scraper poles are stored near enclosures with special needs. Stow scraper poles against a tree out of view from the tour path. Do not leave them lying on the ground behind the barricades, it makes the sanctuary look messy and poses a great risk to other keepers who can trip and fall over them next to a dangerous big cat. Quarantine scraper poles should be stored according to special instructions for each quarantined animal.

LOCKING OUT AND ENTERING ENCLOSURES 

This policy must be followed each time an enclosure is entered. Only an approved staff member (approved by either the CEO or President) may lock out a small cat or animal and enter an enclosure to secure the guillotine door with a clip gate. A second staff member or senior keeper may assist with locking a cat out from outside of the enclosure. If an approved staff member needs to enter any enclosure the CEO or President must first be notified. (Volunteer veterinarians may also be considered staff.)

Two people, one of which must be an approved staff member and a second staff member or senior keeper, must always do this process; A staff member or senior keeper to monitor the guillotine door, and an approved staff member to install the clip gate.

Prior to entering a small animal enclosure the animal should either be locked into their feeding lock out or into the side of their enclosure that will not be entered. In most instances food may be used to lure the animal to the desired location. The animal should only be locked in the feeding lock out if the animal does not have a double enclosure, or if the animal poses a certain risk. If an animal must be locked in the feeding lockout, it should be monitored carefully as the animal may become stressed as a result of being locked in this small area. If an animal needs to be locked away from their main water source for more than three hours an alternate water source must be provided to the animal.

After locking the animal in the feeding lockout, other half of enclosure, or secondary enclosure and before entering the empty enclosure to install the clip gate a safety pole must be placed, from outside the enclosure, through the enclosure wall and then through the wire above the frame of the closed guillotine door. One end of the safety pole should be through the wire above the frame of the guillotine door while the other end of the pole rests through the wire of the exterior wall. The pole should be as close to parallel to the ground as possible in order to ensure that the pole does not slide out of position easily. The safety pole is a secondary precaution to prevent the door from being lifted up. The pole must be held or monitored by one staff member or senior keeper while a second approved staff member enters the empty (no animal) side of the enclosure to place a clip gate over the guillotine door. The staff member or senior keeper monitoring the pole must keep watch on the animal while the approved staff member is installing the clip gate. Distraction may be necessary to keep the animal away from the guillotine door while the clip gate is installed. Another level appropriate keeper may be utilized to distract the animal away from the guillotine door.

Clip gates must be used on all animals regardless of size, species, temperament, or guillotine door conditions. The clip gate must be installed over the closed guillotine door to prevent the door from being opened or passed through by the animal. Clips should be used on all four corners of the clip gate to secure the gate to the enclosure wall surrounding the guillotine door. One clip should be placed in the middle of the clip gate securing the gate to the center of the guillotine door. If possible an additional clip may be placed on the guillotine door securing it to the enclosure wall surrounding the guillotine door. When properly installed the clip gate should prohibit the guillotine door from moving in any directions and block any spaces that an animal could squeeze through between the frame of the guillotine door and the enclosure wall. In some cases an alternative to using a clip gate would be to secure the guillotine door to the enclosure wall with clips, one on each corner of the guillotine door. This method may only be used if there gap between the guillotine door and the enclosure wall is too small to allow for the animal to pass through. (Clip gate is not required if less than 5 min. will be spent in empty section of enclosure, however, a safety pole must still be utilized and monitored for the duration of the 5 minute or less that the enclosure is entered.)

Once the animals is locked away and the clip gate has been installed an Empty Cage sign must be placed on the enclosure door entering the empty side of the enclosure. This is to signal to other volunteers, interns, and staff that the animal is secured away from this section of the enclosure and the section is safe to enter.

Even though the animal is now locked securely away, both the outer safety gate door and the enclosure door that enters into the empty (no animal) side of the enclosure must remain snapped shut at all times with a minimum of two snaps on the outer safety gate door (placed towards the top and bottom of the door) and one snap on the inner door to the empty side (in the center of the door) while work is being done in the enclosure. If the enclosure is left unattended all doors should be fully snapped closed with a minimum of three snaps. Doors should not be left unlocked for extended periods of time or overnight.

When the animal is ready to be permitted back into the entire enclosure a staff member or senior keeper must monitor the pole and guillotine door while an approved staff member removes the clip gate. Upon exiting the enclosure, all enclosure doors and the safety gate doors must be secured with a minimum of three snaps and locked with a padlock. The Empty Cage sign must be removed from the enclosure door entering the empty side. The CEO or President must then be notified that the animal now has access to the entire enclosure.

If an animal is locked in one half of it’s enclosure prior to feeding time and will not regain access to the feeding area before feeding time or if an animal will be locked in one half of it’s enclosure overnight, a notice must be posted on the Important Updates so the volunteers and staff are aware of the situation.

Locking Out and Entering Large Animal Enclosures
This policy is for entering large cat enclosures. Siberian Lynx and larger are considered big cats with regards to this policy. This policy only refers to cats that are Siberian Lynx or larger and includes the following species residing at Big Cat Rescue; Siberian Lynx, Cougar, Leopard, Lion, & Tiger.

This policy must be followed each time an enclosure is entered. Only the CEO or President or an approved staff member (approved and supervised by either the CEO or President) may lock out a large cat and enter an enclosure to secure the guillotine door with a clip gate. When an approved staff member is entering the enclosure to secure the guillotine door with a clip gate it must be under the direct supervision of either the CEO or President. A second staff member or senior keeper may assist with locking a cat out from outside of the enclosure. If access is needed to enter any large cat enclosure the CEO or President must first be notified and a time/day scheduled when either the CEO or President are available to either lock out the cat or supervise the process. (Volunteer veterinarians may also be considered staff)

Two people are required for the process of locking out a large cat, one of which must be the CEO or President, the second a staff member or senior keeper. Only the CEO, President, or an approved staff member or senior keeper may enter the cage to install a clip gate. Any staff member or senior keeper may be utilized to monitor the safety pole and the guillotine door.

Prior to entering a large cat enclosure the animal should either be locked into their feeding lock out or into the side of their enclosure that will not be entered. In most instances food may be used to lure the animal to the desired location. The animal should only be locked in the feeding lock out if the animal does not have a double enclosure, or if the animal poses a certain risk. If an animal must be locked in the feeding lockout, it should be monitored carefully as the animal may become stressed as a result of being locked in this small area. If an animal needs to be locked away from their main water source for more than three hours an alternate water source must be provided to the animal. Whenever possible, two closed guillotine doors should be between the animal and the enclosure being accessed to install a clip gate. This can be achieved by locking the animal in one half of their enclosure and then also locking the animal up temporarily in the feeding lock out while the clip gate is being installed. Some large cats have double enclosures with tunnels connecting the two. The two guillotine doors on either end of the tunnel can also be utilized to achieve this goal.

After locking the animal in the feeding lockout/other half of enclosure/secondary enclosure and before entering the empty enclosure to install the clip gate a safety pole must be placed, from outside the enclosure, through the enclosure wall and then through the wire above the frame of the closed guillotine door. One end of the safety pole should be through the wire above the frame of the closed guillotine door while the other end of the pole rests through the wire of the exterior wall. The pole should be as close to parallel to the ground as possible in order to ensure that the pole does not slide out of position easily. The safety pole is a secondary precaution to prevent the door from being lifted up. The pole must be monitored by one staff member or senior keeper while the CEO or President or an approved staff member enters the empty (no animal) side of the enclosure to place a clip gate over the guillotine door. The staff member or senior keeper holding the pole must keep watch on the animal while the approved staff member is installing the clip gate. Distraction may be necessary to keep the animal away from the guillotine door while the clip gate is installed. Another senior keeper may be utilized to distract the animal away from the guillotine door. This process must be under the direct supervision of the CEO or President.

Clip gates must be used on all animals regardless of size, species, temperament, or guillotine door conditions. The clip gate must be installed over the closed guillotine door to prevent the door from being opened or passed through by the animal. Clips should be used on all four corners of the clip gate to secure the gate to the enclosure wall surrounding the guillotine door. One clip should be placed in the middle of the clip gate securing the gate to the center of the guillotine door. If possible an additional clip may be placed on the guillotine door securing it to the enclosure wall surrounding the guillotine door. When properly installed the clip gate should prohibit the guillotine door from moving in any directions and block any spaces that an animal could squeeze through between the frame of the guillotine door and the enclosure wall. In some cases an alternative to using a clip gate would be to secure the guillotine door to the enclosure wall with clips, one on each corner of the guillotine door. This method may only be used if there gap between the guillotine door and the enclosure wall is too small to allow for the animal to pass through. (Clip gate is not required if less than 5 min. will be spent in empty section of enclosure, however, a safety pole must still be utilized and monitored for the duration of the 5 minute or less that the enclosure is entered.)

If the animal is to be locked out of the empty side of the enclosure over night, a chain should be wrapped through the enclosure wall wire and around the frame of the closed guillotine door and then secured with a cage lock to prevent the guillotine door from being opened.

Once the animals is locked away and the clip gate has been installed an Empty Cage sign must be placed on the enclosure door entering the empty side of the enclosure. This is to signal to other volunteers, interns, and staff that the animal is secured away from this section of the enclosure and the section is safe to enter.

Even though the animal is now locked securely away, both the outer safety gate door and the enclosure door that enters into the empty (no animal) side of the enclosure must remain snapped shut at all times with a minimum of two snaps on the outer safety gate door (placed towards the top and bottom of the door) and one snap on the inner door to the empty side (in the center of the door) while work is being done in the enclosure. If the enclosure is left unattended all doors should be fully snapped closed with a minimum of three snaps. Doors should not be left unlocked for extended periods of time or overnight.

When the animal is ready to be permitted back into the entire enclosure the CEO or President must first be notified and a time/day scheduled when either the CEO or President are available to either open the enclosure back up or supervise the process. The CEO or President will inspect the empty enclosure. A staff member or senior keeper must monitor the safety pole the guillotine door while the CEO, President, or an approved staff member removes the clip gate (and chain and lock if utilized). Upon exiting the enclosure, all enclosure doors and the safety gate doors must be secured with a minimum of three snaps and locked with a padlock in the center. The Empty Cage sign must be removed from the enclosure door entering the empty side. Only after this, the safety pole can be removed and the guillotine door opened.

If an animal is locked in one half of it’s enclosure prior to feeding time and will not regain access to the feeding area before feeding time or if an animal will be locked in one half of it’s enclosure overnight, a notice must be posted on the Important Updates so the volunteers and staff are aware of the situation.

Locking up Open Air Cats During Storms or High Winds
All open air cats should be locked in the roofed sections of their enclosures prior to or as soon as possible during severe storms, hurricanes, & tornado watches as well as if there have been several days of heavy rain or if winds reach 30mph or higher.

MISCELLANEOUS SITUATIONS

Throwing Food Items Over the Walls and into Open Air Enclosures
Throwing food items over the enclosure walls and into open-air enclosures should not be done unless the animal is locked up in the roofed section of the enclosure. There are a number of scenarios that could take place that could have disastrous results including; the food item could hit the animal when it lands in the enclosure, the food item could get snagged and become stuck at the top of the enclosure wall, the food item could bend, bow, or otherwise damage the enclosure wall, hot wire, or overhang, the food item may not make it over the wall and could fall back outside the enclosure leading to stressing the animal, and if the food item were to fall back outside the enclosure close to the enclosure wall the animal could reach through and grab the item in which case retrieving the item would become a dangerous situation.

When throwing food items over the enclosure walls and into open-air enclosures the animal must first be locked up in the roofed section of their enclosure. Heavy items should be taken into the enclosure rather than throwing over to avoid damage to the enclosure. If entry to the enclosure is required the Policy for Locking Out Large Animals must be followed. Once the food item is thrown over and into the open-air enclosure, or has been placed in the enclosure, the animal should be let out of their roofed section as quickly as is safely possible. Being locked away from the food item can lead to aggression and can cause stress on the animal. Extra care should be taken when opening the guillotine door as the animal may rush the door. Ensure that the animal is clear of the door and its moving parts and open the door swiftly. Avoid over opening the door causing the guillotine door to slam into the top of the guillotine doorframe.