2024 Sharing the Holiday Spirit
Sharing the Wealth to Support Conservation
A Brief Recap
Dec. 20, 2022 The Big Cat Public Safety Act becomes law ending the flood of big cats being discarded each year.
Mar. 24, 2023 Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge contracts with BCR to take our cats if we build their new homes in the Freedom Field and provide lifetime funding for their their food and medical care.
Dec. 28, 2023 The last of Big Cat Rescue’s tigers, bobcats, servals, caracals and hybrids are relocated to TCWR in Arkansas.
Throughout 2024, Jamie and Victor diligently redistributed sanctuary assets to benefit other wildlife organizations including Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, who received the X-ray equipment, tiger transport wagons, tree stump dens, coolaroos, medical equipment, cage locks, bowls and toys and was given first right of refusal on everything else. Jamie began marketing everything they didn’t take on eBay but there was a deadline looming as the sanctuary grounds were sold and supposed to close Dec. 20, 2024. Shizzy's Wildcat Sanctuary, WILD Florida Rescue, Wild World Rescue and Sanctuary, Owl’s Nest, Humane Society of Pinellas, Peace River Wildlife Center, Elmira’s Wildlife Sanctuary, Suncoast Primary Sanctuary and others purchased some items and were gifted other items.
Of the 13 mobile homes on the grounds Carole was able to sell, barter or repurpose as rental units for Big Cat Rescue, 11 of them. This required months of prep work, permitting and “cat herding”. Even the non movable buildings were stripped by Jamie and Victor of anything that could be re-used in other rental properties that generate income for the mission.
Shazir Haque from Shizzy's Wildcat Sanctuary purchased our Large and Small Anesthesia Machines, Laryngoscope, Idexx Blood, Dental Extraction Set with Burs, Dental Machine and Scaler, Fluid Warming Blanket, Vet Monitor, Stethoscope, Floor Scale, XL Carry Tarps, Endotracheal Tubes, AutoClave, Surgery Light, 4 pc Stainless Steel Counters and Sinks, Oxygen Tank Stand, Hydraulic Surgery Table and a Generator. He was given our huge walk-in freezer, two of our 4,600 square foot bobcat rehab cages and a lot of the 2.5 acre vacation rotation cage. His crew loaded several box trucks and 2 semis with the wire and poles they disassembled. Shazir’s crew also did a last sweep of the cages, taking locks, watering bowls, toys, enrichment items and memorabilia from the Gift Shop with the intention of featuring it in his new location as a reminder of the legacy.
More of the items Big Cat Rescue donated included:
Heather Pepe-Dillon at WILD Rescue picked up a large stainless bank of 3 hospital cages, pet crates, linens, tons of supplies (hay dens, toys, dishes, treats etc) for squirrels, bunnies and small carnivore rehab, nets, ghillie suits, hospital supplies, scales, nursing supplies and squirrel cages. Supplies will be used for her facility and distributed to rehabbers and rescuers in her area. Some of the bobcats that Heather rescued and delivered to Big Cat Rescue for vet care and rehab were: Ambrose, Denali, Lily, Cahira and Isolde.
We gave one of the 4,600 sf rehab enclosures and a lot of cage wire from vacation rotation to Damon Hurd’s Wild World Rescue and Sanctuary that will be used to house their permanent residents at their new location. We have worked with Damon in the past by taking in bobcats he captured or referring him calls that were in his area. You may remember Shamrock Bobcat who came from Damon.
We gave one of the 4,600 sf rehab enclosures, tree stump dens, a concrete den, coolaroo beds and hospital supplies to Owls Nest. The wire was used in part to make larger enclosures for some of their permanent residents and will be used in the future to build a large natural bobcat rehab enclosure.
We gave a ton of bedding, kitten supplies, crates, and hospital supplies to Erin Carden, our former Volunteer Co-Coordinator who is now at Humane Society of Pinellas, for their shelter and foster programs.
After Peace River Wildlife Center lost nearly everything to the recent hurricanes (Helene and Milton) we gave Dr Robin Jenkins a large commercial size washer and dryer, cages, crates, hospital supplies, linens, microwave, shelving, refrigerators and chest freezers. We have taken in orphaned bobcats from them in the past, including Pebble, for their training and release back to the wild.
Elmira’s Wildlife Sanctuary received cage wire for building barricades and enclosure additions as well as large toys for their animals, benches for visitors, and loads of enrichment supplies. They also purchased Girdie (our flatbed golf cart) and the tour cart.
Suncoast Primate Sanctuary (under new management) is working towards larger and more natural enclosures. They received a freezer, shelving and metal cabinets to store their food and supplies, tons of enrichment supplies, TVs from intern housing for their residents to watch as a form of enrichment, hospital supplies, blankets, fans, and landscaping tools.
There were so many teams coming and going these last few months and Jamie and Victor spent countless hours making sure that everyone got what they wanted and stayed safe while they got it. The sanctuary has been taken over by wild boar, coyotes, snakes, vultures, raccoons, and weeds. In some cases smaller sanctuaries had no way to haul their items, which meant Jamie and Victor having to load, deliver and unload. These efforts have strengthened the broader conservation community, amplifying our collective impact.
Some of the comments by recipients really touched our hearts too.
Heather Pepe-Dillon founder of WILD Florida Rescue said, "Jamie from Big Cat Rescue reached out with donations from their rescue. I knew they had closed down. Carole Baskin had always said that she was going to put herself out of business and she did. I'd been to BCR before, back when it was thriving with tigers, panthers and every other beautiful big cat rescue, but I now found myself staggered.
Everything was overgrown and ghostly. We met Carole's daughter Jamie, she told us they had been moving out all year and about the hurricanes that violently passed through. I just stood there in the middle of the vacant sanctuary… I suddenly found myself overwhelmed with sentimental and great emotion. Looking around, all I could say to Jamie was “You did it”. I couldn't say it without choking up…
After decades of conservation efforts and going up against some of the most revolting criminal big cat abusers, Netflix drama and criminal death threats, “she did it”. Carole Baskin turned all of the adversities into all she needed to end it. Flashing through my mind were the heinous crimes against the cats, like the images of babies being pulled away by hooks moments after they were born and the cages and conditions big cats were forced to live in, now it was over. Standing there I could physically feel the size of the impact.
In December 2022 the President signed the Big Cat Public Safety Act into law. The law bans "cub-petting" and the private ownership of big cats. Under the law, current owners can keep their pets, but they can’t buy or breed more. I don't know another person who could have faced the adversity she has and still gone that distance. ️️
Jamie took us to gather so many items such as cages, bedding, medical supplies, and rehab supplies. She expressed how good it felt to be able to repurpose all they have so that other rescues and sanctuaries could benefit from them; other organisations have been showing up for months. Before we left she took us to the old gift shop where the outside looked like the apocalypse happened, vines and wild vegetation creeping in. She said “it's amazing when you leave things alone how the wild comes back”.
I understood, and the joy rather than sadness sank in, the “wild” coming back... BCR is finally closed, the cats still loved, now at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge where BCR still pays for their care, but the BCR family continues to support big cat rescue and conservation efforts and education as well as local wildlife rescue and rehab and we look forward to following their neverending endeavors! THANK YOU Big Cat Rescue!! 100%FAN!"
L-R Carole Baskin, Heather Pepe-Dillon and Jamie Veronica
Shazir Haque from Shizzy's Wildcat Sanctuary said, "There are so many people to thank to even begin to comprehend what this move took... When we arrived, we targeted areas of @bigcatrescue like the rehab center, the vacation habitat, the big cat transport cages, the medical equipment, the food prep areas, the enrichment items and so much more it seemed impossible to do in such a short period of time. To the enormous positive attitude displayed by everyone present during the move, to the drivers of the trucks, the folks who helped us break down several 53 foot tractor trailers, 26 foot box trucks... to everyone who was upbeat about myself extending everyone’s stay to remain there an extra few days - THANK YOU for putting our organization years ahead by participating in this move. Our biggest thanks for to Carole, Howard, Jamie and Victor and of course Big Cat Rescue."
Looking Forward
As of this writing the Dec. 20, 2024 deadline to close the sale of the sanctuary grounds has not resulted in the funding critical to our mission. Howard has been handling this massive transaction and has been working late into the nights with all of the attorneys on the final language to appease all parties involved. During this pivot to focus on in-situ conservation, your continued support is vital. Together, we can ensure that wild cats not only survive but thrive in their natural habitats. If you’d like to share the holiday spirit, please do so now.
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Join Us in Our Mission
We invite you to stay connected and engaged with our ongoing efforts:
Donations: Consider contributing to our conservation initiatives. BigCatRescue.org/donate
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In the spirit of the season, we express our deepest gratitude for your dedication to our mission. May your holidays be filled with joy, and may we continue to work together toward a world where all wild cats live free.
