Merry Christmas from Big Cat Rescue

Check out http://bigcatfun.com/christmas.html for free Christmas E-cards, Letter to Santa, free games, free puzzles and free things to make and give for the holidays.  Everything is themed for Christmas and exotic cats and was designed for YOU, our loyal fan.

No Holiday for Tony the Truck Stop Tiger

The Louisiana Supreme Court denied a petition to overturn the decision in favor of the Animal Legal Defense Fund’s ongoing case to protect Tony, the tiger confined at Grosse Tete, Louisiana’s Tiger Truck Stop.  “Nearly three years after we asked the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries not to issue a permit to the Tiger Truck Stop, the highest court in the state has declined to prolong this case further. We call upon the Department to do the right thing and send Tony to a reputable sanctuary, before we face another tiger tragedy.” said Matthew Liebman, senior attorney for the Animal Legal Defense Fund.

Unfortunately, it appears that despite this ruling on Oct 7, 2013 Tony the tiger still awaits the government to take action in getting him to an appropriate home.

http://aldf.org/press-room/press-releases/louisiana-supreme-court-allows-victory-for-tiger-to-stand/

We will continue to monitor this situation and keep you posted.

Meet Shere Khan and China Doll

Paws-itively Purr-fect Gifts & Special Holiday Offer

Check out hundreds of items in our online gift shop. There is something for everyone and even better each purchase helps the big cats. Awesome Big Cat Rescue apparel, wild toys and stuffed animals, gorgeous jewelry, mugs, automotive accessories, and let's not forget big cats sponsorship kits all await you at BigCatRescue.biz

Take advantage of this grrr-reat Holiday Offer: $20 off your purchase of $100 or more today thru tomorrow. Use coupon code: SNOWCAT at check out. (You must register as a customer to be able to use coupon codes.)

Order by December 20th to receive your gifts before Christmas (by December 15th for international orders).

Missed the deadline to order? That's ok, we now offer downloadable sponsorship kits in all levels for Tigers and Sand Cats. Just purchase the downloadable kit, print it out, and wrap. It's that easy! Download includes; Sponsor Certificate, 4-page color fact sheet about the species and b&w photo and bio for each cat. Any additional gifts that are included with the kit you purchase, such as tour passes will be mailed separately to the gift recipient.

Visit our online gift shop here: www.BigCatRescue.biz

Check out the selection of downloadable sponsor kits here: http://www.bigcatrescue.biz/

Four Turkeys, Three Tigers and One Lion

A big shout our to our volunteer Matt Ruszczyk of CAE USA who encouraged his company to donate 54 turkeys for the cats.

Big Claws Little Cat

Canyon the sand cat has trouble keeping his claws short and trimmed. He doesn't scratch on his logs and trees as much as he used to and because of this his claws become overgrown.

Big Cat Rescue volunteer veterinarian Dr. Wynn sedated Canyon this past week to do a physical exam, draw blood for routine testing and to trim is claws.

Canyon's overall body condition was great and his blood work looked good with just mild kidney elevations that are to be expected of a cat his age. Canyon is 13 years old, which is the average lifespan of captive sand cats. You wouldn't know it to look at him though, he is the picture of health and vitality.

Canyon was returned to his enclosure shortly after he awoke. His keepers have installed a special scratching post that will hopefully be irresistible to the 6.8 pound cat so that he can maintain his claws on his own.

Senator Stands Up for Mountain Lions

Nebraska Senator Ernie Chambers fired a warning shot Friday to let the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission know he will oppose every proposal it brings to the Legislature as long as it allows mountain lions to be hunted.  Chambers told Roger Kuhn, parks division administrator, he had expressed his "displeasure, repugnance and disgust" to Game and Parks Director James Douglas over the establishment of a mountain lion hunting season. There are only thought to be 60 mountain lions in the state.  He had told him to take the message to the commission that he would strenuously oppose any proposal as long as the hunting season continues."By fang and claw, somebody's going to pay in terms of the Legislature's time," he said. "And I don't mind being alone. In fact, that energizes me."

Don't you wish all our lawmakers were so kind to animals?  Make sure your Senator and Representative have co-sponsored the Big Cats and Public Safety Act.

Heartwarming Rescue, Rehab and Release of a Bobcat

End Of Year Donations Can Earn Tax Break

Keep the big cats in your hearts during the season of giving. Your donations, if made before Jan 1, can earn you tax breaks for the 2013 calendar year.

To make a donation click here:  http://bigcatrescue.org/donate/ or make a specific donation to give our Lesser Cats More:

You made a dream come true for the big cats when you donated to the 2.5 ac Vacation Rotation enclosure, but now the smaller cats are wondering if you love them too? Cougars, bobcats, servals, caracals and other exotic cats are referred to as Lesser Cats, but Lesser Cats need More room to run too. We will be using the area that you see in the video, but it needs totally different walls to keep the small cats in, so we have to rebuild from scratch. We set a deadline of Valentine's Day as a way of asking you to show your love for the little wild cats too.

Funding the Lesser Cat Vacation Rotation enclosure means our Leopards, cougars, and exotic cats other than the lions and tigers can have their own big open space to run, play, swim and watch the birds and stars overhead with no cage wire obstructing their view.  YOU can make their holiday wishes come true here:

http://www.loveanimals.org/lesser-cats-need-more.html

What About the Littlest Cats?

On December 18th, the Hillsborough BOCC will FINALLY consider changing the local ordinances to finally allow the TNVR of healthy cats out of Hillsborough County Animal Services, instead of euthanizing them, which is what Hillsborough County has been doing up til now. This is it!!!

With your help, we've asked, pushed, yelled and demanded that the government end this senseless killing and we need your help one again. Please sign the petition at http://www.change.org/petitions/hillsborough-board-of-county-commissioners-vote-to-amend-the-ordinances-to-allow-be-the-way-home-to-be-implemented and/or email CommunityCats@hillsboroughcounty.org to let them know you support TNVR. Please use this email address and not the individual BOCC members addresses. They asked us to do this, and we are trying to comply.

PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORT AND ATTEND THE DECEMBER 18TH MEETING IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. We'll be outside with signs for everyone.

Jeanine Cohen and Gretchyn Melde Directors Cat Crusaders

Not sure what to write in your email? There's a sample below-

Amend the Ordinance to Allow Healthy Cats to be TNVR'd out of HCAS.

Dear Hillsborough BOCC,

You recognized the need to save more animal lives from the county shelter when you passed the "Be the Way Home" plan May 1, 2013. Now you need to keep your word and implement the plan. The only way to do this is to amend the local ordinances to allow the healthy cats to be TNVR'd out of HCAS. Please have the courage to do what is correct and vote to amend the ordinances.

Sincerely,

XXXX