April 29 2017

Big Cat Updates

Coordinator Report:  Friday 4/28/2017 

I pulled turkey strips for TJ to thaw since that is what he is wanting.  Gale said she should be able to grab more of the big turkey strips and bring them in tomorrow.

It was 92 degrees at 6 PM when Joseph, Cameron and Hoover were offered their evening meal.  They acted like it was just too hot to eat much.

CatRescue.biz

 Foster Kitten Program

The kittens sure were upset with each other this morning.  Thanks to explore.org watchers, we were able to send in a referee.

Give Day Tampa 2017

ROAR:  EARLY DONATIONS FOR GIVE DAY TAMPA BAY HAS BEGUN!

Give Day Tampa Bay is an online giving event in our community taking place May 2. For the first time Give Day Tampa Bay is accepting early donations –beginning TODAY April 18!

Your much-appreciated online donation to Big Cat Rescue from April 18 to May 2 will help us reach our goal of $61,000 for our cats – AND help us win up to $12,000 in cash prizes!

PLUS this year Big Cat Rescue is thrilled to announce that, thanks to an amazing donor, we have a $39,000 match! So, every dollar you donate to our cats between April 18 and May 2 will be matched dollar for dollar up to $39,000.

https://www.razoo.com/story/B9u50f

We will use your generous gifts this year for two very important purposes:

• The first is to purchase and renovate a building to be used as the recovery area for injured rehab bobcats so they can quietly recuperate after surgery. It will have four rooms and can also serve as an overflow recovery area for our other cats. This building will be located near our new state-of-the-art bobcat rehab area and will cost approximately $31,000.

• The second purpose will be to purchase new transport cages for our biggest cats. We desperately need new cages to bring rescued tigers, lions, leopards and cougars to our sanctuary. Our old ones can no longer be repaired after years of wear and tear. We will also use the new cages to transport the big cats within the sanctuary and to/from our Windsong Memorial hospital when they need medical attention. The cost to purchase four new transports is $30,000.

Can our cats count on you again this year to reach our goal of $61,000?

Make your tax-deductible gift of $5 or more to Big Cat Rescue by credit or debit card here:  https://www.razoo.com/story/B9u50f

Thank you for supporting Big Cat Rescue so generously and for making Give Day Tampa Bay such a GRRREAT success for our cats!!

Prefer to send Big Cat Rescue a check rather than donating online? The Give Day Tampa Bay rules say we MUST receive your check at our sanctuary by April 30. Please make your check out to Big Cat Rescue, make sure to write “Give Day Tampa Bay” on the memo line, and mail your donation to Howard Baskin, Big Cat Rescue, 12802 Easy Street, Tampa, FL 33625.

S.A.V.E. Award

Scratch's Award for Volunteer Excellence, the SAVE Award

MARCH: For outstanding volunteer service, the March SAVE Award goes to Lynda Licht! Lynda is a very considerate and capable coordinator and is devoted to the welfare of the animals and is meticulous in their care. She is a pleasure to work for and she has a great sense of humor! And the best thing is, she makes the volunteers feel appreciated.

A donation of $1000 has been made in your honor to the Wildlife Trust of India to protect tigers and leopards.

India's amazing biodiversity has long faced threats from poachers using simple yet horribly effective hunting devices; traps & snares. A simple instrument consisting of an anchored wire with a sliding noose, a snare, is camouflaged with vegetation and set up on animal trails. These trails are not often accessible to people, and sometimes the animals routes are artificially narrowed to ensure they are led straight into the snare. Snares are extremely inhumane killing devices. The noose slips across the animal's body part or neck and tightens, causing the animal to be trapped. An animal can be snared anywhere on its body, depending on the animal’s movement when it encounters the snare, and at any height. For many animals this means a long and painful death. On occasions jaw traps are also set. Protected areas have a buffer zone around it intended to be an area defining the boundaries of human habitation. This area has frequent wild animal movement and poachers lay wire snares along animal trails. It is a confirmed fact that Bandipur Tiger Reserve in Karnataka has lost 3 tigers, 2 leopards and 1 elephant to snares in the last 2 years and this in just one of India's 100+ protected areas.

This project aims to eradicate the menace of snares and traps from the forests, with twin goals of, removing existing snares and dissuading further snaring through regular de-snaring walks and an active intelligence network to zero in on individual poachers. The team walks an 8 km route following animal trails scanning them for signs of snares. Snares & traps located are tagged with the geolocation before handing over to the State Forest Dept. Plotting the geolocation points on a map helps to identify snaring hotspots and appropriate follow up is then initiated.

More Info: http://www.wti.org.in

BigCatTV.com

In case some of you missed it, we are posting this again because it is really WORTH WATCHING!!

Jamie talks about what ll goes into rescuing a new cat, preparing for the rescue, doing the rescue, and what shocking conditions are actually pretty common at places we have done rescues across this country.

PLEASE, send this video viral.  It has an important message in it as to why making the Call of the Wild is so very important.

Call of the Wild Update

Have YOU Made the Call of the Wild, this week?  If not please do so at BigCatAct.com

What is the Call of the Wild & How do I make it? http://bigcatrescue.org/cta-call-wild/

Keep track of how it is going at:  TigerRescue.org

Keeper Corner

Please join us in congratulating the following;

• Megan Lisenbigler has been promoted to Level 3 Intern
• Aleesa Salcido and Melissa Evans have been promoted to Level 2 Intern

BigCatRescue.biz

Sundari Leopard Tote Bag

The purchase of this item helped to rescue Sundari the leopard as well as provide a great home to countless big cats. Read Sundari's story here: http://bigcatrescue.org/sundari/ Show your love for Sundari the leopard with the purchase of this custom made tote. 100% spun polyester weather resistant fabric, dual handles 100% natural cotton bull denim, bag 15" x 15", made in America.

Facebook Live Video Replays

Evening Meds & Treats with Carole and Keeper Lynda Part 1

Cats you will see are: 25 yr old Sabre Leopard, JoJo the Serval/Caracal hybrid, Ginger, Jade & Armani leopard sisters, Sundari, Reise, Aspen.

Evening Meds & Treats with Carole and Keeper Lynda Part 2

Cats you will see:  Joseph, Hoover,

Evening Meds & Treats with Carole and Keeper Lynda Part 3

Cats you will see: Max Bobcat

Facebook Live Contest

When you purr-ticipate in Carole’s Facebook Live contest you need to put your answers in the special form at BigCatRescue.org/win

4/28/2017

Question:  What is Hoover's birth date, day, month, and year?

Answer:  April 23, 2004

Winner:  Donna Gilbert

Prize chosen by winner:

Gifts From Viewers

Rachel sent a new ball for Sioux & Lakota.  More info about that to follow, soon.

Melanie Davis sent CATNIP for CATS!!  Don't you know they are going to love that.  The leopards and bobcats get downright blissful and silly with catnip.  She also sent five two-pack fly traps.

THANK YOU for sending items from our Amazon Wish List for the cats!  It is all of you making what we do here possible.

Big Cat Challenge Update

Almost a month ago we did a Big Cat Challenge for everyone to search our YouTube video channels to find your favorite videos and share one each day on your social media pages for your friends and family to enjoy.  There is one viewer who faithfully tagged us, every day, in the videos she shared.  Please join us in giving a BIG CAT SHOUT OUT to Lesa Stratton.

Way To Go, Lesa!!!!!!!!!

Our two YouTube channels are:

1. YouTube.com/DailyBigCat
2. BigCatTV.com

We frequently get messages or comments from viewers saying they with they could donate but that they are not in a financial position to do that.  We, also, frequently get notes or comments from people wanting to know how they can help with our educational mission.  Sharing our YouTube videos for your friends and family to watch is a great way to accomplish both of those things.

How does sharing our YouTube videos help the cats financially?

• When YOU share our videos YouTube places Google Ads on them.  Google pays YouTube for displaying those ads and in turn YouTube gives the sanctuary part of that income.
• Big Cat Rescue recently received a payment of $4,513.30 from YouTube.

How does sharing our YouTube videos help with our educational mission?

• When you share our videos you are introducing the cats, us, and big cat issues on to more people.

Learn how to share YouTube videos:

• http://bigcatrescue.org/share-youtube-video/
  

 Viewer Videos From Explore.org/bigcatrescue

Hoover's morning swim

Hoover's evening Swim

Seth chasing Carole

The kittens are here!

Good morning gorgeous!

The most beautiful boy in the world, Hoovie in VR April 26

And because I love that boy so much, some more Hoovie close-ups, VR April 26

Here is a list of YouTube channels that feature videos of the cats here:

• Jamie Veronica:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsY6X3rUv8UlIUbrxNeu-Aw
• Susann  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUFOZiTvzKRvj-oVbzdByvg
• Ruxandra https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvCsjKptd1gM9BhfDkGQGNg
• Donna P:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcFbhMc8Sqr-8MreWuYr4Bg
• Shawna https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfl9S-vDPJIgjl8QpM6Aypw
• Cathy S https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6ynHBFLKj0BVnK5jo2gTnw
• Janie M https://www.youtube.com/user/donutgirl100

 Recent FB Live Winners

Melissa Collins chose a Tank - "All I Care About is Rescuing Tigers"

Kristine Metzner chose a Pendant - Hoover Tiger Heart

Jaime Tafoya chose a Bobcat Sponsorship Kit for Sioux or Mrs. Claws.

Ruth chose Sexy Cats Eye Sunglasses

Debbi Clark chose Bracelet - Photo Leopards:  Gun metal charcoal finished bracelet features 7 15mm leopard photos mounted beneath a crystal clear glass dome. Photos include; Armani, Sabre, Jade, Cheetaro, Sundari (twice) and leopard print. Bracelet is 8.5" long and has an extra chain at clasp that can extend size 1.5" more.

  WANTED – Graphic Artists

Carole is looking for a graphic artist who really gets what we are all about and would would like to help us with some graphics for shirts.  If that is you or if you know someone like that, please have them email Carole at cat@bigcatrescue.org

 Quick Links

As per viewer suggestions, Quick Links now has it’s very own page http://bigcatrescue.org/quick-links/

Bookmarking it will help you find things quickly.  That will come in handy for:

• Helping us answer questions on social media
• Finding answers to some of Carole’s Facebook Live questions