ANIMAL CARE
Animal Abuse Prohibited Animal Contact
ANIMAL GROOMING PROGRAM: The animal grooming program is available to all Senior Keepers that have been green level for a minimum of one year, Master Keepers, Level 4 Interns and Level 5 Interns. Participants must be maintaining their minimum required hours for their level, and must be reading and signing the monthly newsletters. Those interested in participating in this program must receive training from Jamie Veronica. The scratcher sticks may be used on de-clawed cats smaller than a lynx; bobcats, caracals, servals, ocelots, jungle cats, Geoffroy cats, sand cats, and leopard cats. A complete list of cats approved to be groomed and certified groomers is available in the Classes and Maps section of the BigCat.me site.
Entering Enclosures
No person shall enter any enclosure without direct permission from the Volunteer Coordinator, Operations Manager, President or CEO. Prior to entering any enclosure the animal will be safely locked out of the section of the enclosure to be entered. The Operations Manager can “lock out” cats smaller than lynx. The President or CEO must be present to “lock out” cats that are lynx and larger. When an animal is “locked out” it will be moved to another section of its enclosure. The separating guillotine door will be shut, a pole placed over the frame of the guillotine door to prevent its opening, a clip gate installed over the guillotine door and then a pad lock placed on the entrance door for the section housing the animal. When entering any enclosure, the safety door must be closed shut with a minimum of 2 snaps prior to opening the entrance door to the side of the enclosure the animal is locked out of. This entrance door must then also be closed shut with a minimum of 2 snaps. At no time should either door be left open, even if the enclosure is not inhabited by an animal.
Modifying Enclosures: No person shall make modifications to any enclosure without direct instruction from the Volunteer Coordinator, Operations Manager, President or CEO. Offering Foods or Toys No food or toys shall be offered to any animal without approval from the Coordinator, CEO or President. Moving Animals Heating Pads Cleaning Coverage COMMUNICATION
Notification of Animal Issues
Any planned procedure on an animal will be noted on the Important Updates section of the .me as soon as it is confirmed to happen and the Coordinator on Duty will be notified by phone, radio or in person. The Coordinator will notify Senior Keepers on site the day of the procedure to keep them informed of what is planned during a morning briefing. If possible the Coordinator will make every attempt to notify Senior Keepers on site of unplanned procedures before they happen, however if the time and circumstances do not permit the Coordinator will debrief Senior Keepers on site after the fact as well as note the procedure on the Important Updates section of the .me site. If there are multiple Senior Keepers onsite, one may be notified and instructed to notify the remaining Senior Keepers. The Volunteer Committee will be notified and the Important Updates updated simultaneously as soon as possible. PROPERTY ACCESS
Gate Opening Times: The entrance gates are opened twice in the mornings; at 7:30 AM for feeders and 8:30 AM for all other volunteers. If you arrive early for your shift please pull to the side of the road outside the gate and wait for a Coordinator to let you in. Do not follow another car in unless instructed to do so.
VETERINARY CARE Med Administration Medicine Guidelines Supplement Distribution Inappetent Animals 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 Scraper Poles LOCKING OUT AND ENTERING ENCLOSURES
Locking Out and Entering Small Animal Enclosures
Siberian Lynx and larger are considered big cats with regards to this policy. This policy only refers to cats smaller than a Siberian Lynx and includes the following species residing at Big Cat Rescue; Bobcat, Canada Lynx, Caracal, Ocelot, Serval, and Exotic Cat Hybrids as well as the following non cat species; Genet. 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 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 MISCELLANEOUS SITUATIONS 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. |