Feb 17 2017

Big Cat Updates

BigCatTV.com Videos

NEW VIDEO:  Baby Bobcat Love

Watch Nabisco & Mrs. Claws romping and playing with their Valentine Enrichment, the camera, and each other.

 ACTION ALERT!

Please Forward to ALL of your Pinellas County Florida Contacts

Hello Pinellas County Animal Advocates,

Last year Pinellas County euthanized over 4,000 dogs and cats. It is our hope that a proposed Pet Dealer ordinance will significantly decrease that number by reducing the number of unwanted animals. It is estimated that 25% of dogs that wind up at shelters are purebred–and many of the mixed breeds are often the product of back yard breeders. We must all do our part to reduce the number of dogs and cats euthanized.

It is imperative that we let Pinellas County Commissioners know that we support the recommended changes to improve animal welfare and provide more consumer protection for pet purchases. Please attend the public hearing 6:00PM Tuesday, February 21st, at the Pinellas County Courthouse, 5th Floor, 315 Court Street, Clearwater, FL 33756. Please wear a RED shirt or jacket to show your support. We need a good showing so please bring your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. If you want to speak, you will have three minutes to do so. If you want to speak and are not sure what to say, a simple “I support the proposed ordinance” is all you have to say. If you can not attend the meeting, or even if you do, please e-mail the commissioners and Doug Brightwell, Animals Services Director, to let them know you are in support. The commissioners e-mail addresses and a “copy and paste” letter are included below.

The proposed ordinance for Pet Dealers/Kennels and Hobby Breeders includes: No pet sales at flea markets, Annual inspections of Pet Dealers, and Animal Services issued permit numbers to be used in any ads for the sale of animals. For more information, please see attached ordinance Section 14-29. You can also visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1351067018284912/ . If you are not already a member of The League of Humane Voters, please join at http://www.lohv-fl.org/ . Thank you for your support!

Commissioners E-mail Addresses:

Dave Eggers deggers@pinellascounty.org
Janet C. Long janetclong@pinellascounty.org
Karen Seel kseel@pinellascounty.org
John Morroni jmorroni@pinellascounty.org
Pat Gerard pgerard@pinellascounty.org
Kenneth Welch kwelch@pinellascounty.org
Charlie Justice cjustice@pinellascounty.org
Doug Brightwell wbrightwell@co.pinellas.fl.us

Below is a “Copy and Paste” message or you can write your own.

Dear Commissioners,

As a member of The League of Humane Voters and a resident of Pinellas County, I support the proposed Pet Dealer Ordinance and the provision for yearly inspections. I believe the ordinance will reduce the number of animals euthanized in our county, improve animal welfare, and provide better consumer protection for pet purchases. Thank you for your serious consideration of this ordinance.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME

PLEASE, Be Polite in your communications with the commissioners.  

The old saying, “Honey catches more flies than vinegar” has some truth to it.  If you want them to consider your words as important and your viewers as meaningful then you need to present them logically and reasonably.  Rude messages will often achieve the exact opposite result that the one you wanted to achieve.

CLICK HERE to read the PDF of the Pinellas Proposed Pet Dealer Ordinance

 Dr. Justin and Jamie

Earlier this month:  Just wrapped up 5 days packed full of educational lectures focused on veterinary care.

Big Cat Rescue has an atmosphere of learning.  The vets, the staff and the keepers are always looking for new information about big cats, how to improve on ways to care for big cats, about saving species in the wild, and new ways of making the lives of the cats here better.

 Per Viewer Request

A few of you have asked to see photo of Moses’s Bobcat’s paw after the fur was shaved away.

While the vets are mostly volunteers there are many other expenses that come along with keeping the cat hospital up and running efficiently.  Please consider making a donation toward the cats’ medical expenses such as surgical supplies or the daily medications the cats take.  BigCatRescue.org/donate

Or check out our hospital wish list which can be found on this page: http://bigcatrescue.org/wishlist/

 Big Cat Invitation

We will be going live on The Dodo’s Impact page at 1:00 EST Today.

Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/pg/DodoImpact/posts/ pop on over to meet their audience and help us answer any questions their viewers might have.

 Keeper Fun Notes & Photos

? Artemis cougar has the prettiest whiskers! ~Brittany M

Finally collected my October Star award prize lol ? worth the wait! Look how talented Zeus Tiger is! ~Keeper Brittany M

Keeper Brittany Mira won the October 2016 STARS Award.  Her prize was a Paw Painting.

Note To Viewers:  If you do not know what the STARS Award is, let me know in the comments.

Keeper Afton says, “Look forward to a NEW video about these two cuties, Nabisco and Mrs. Claws aka The Biscuits, tomorrow!! Just look at them kissing! Awwwwwwww!”

NOTE: That new video is posted at the top of this page.

This is how I feel after the big lunch I just ate!! Oh well, back to making video magic! ~Keeper Afton

-Cameron Lion

 Education Department

Ending our long week on a high note at the Florida Animal Control Association [FACA] Conference. Encouraging to be around fellow animal lovers, all working to improve the lives of those we call family. ???
Big Cat Rescue is a proud sponsor of FACA and we greatly appreciate their continued support of the Big Cat Public Safety Act!

Did You Know:  You, YES YOU, can learn be become a Big Cat Advocat, too?  You, YES YOU, can learn to do tabling events like this to help save big cats!  If you are seriously interested in doing things like this in your state to to raise awareness for The Big Cat & Public Safety Act, please check out this link http://bigcatrescue.org/get-involved/volunteer/advocats/ and if it sounds like something you could sink your teeth into email our educational department at education@bigcatrescue.org and leave a message for Jennifer, our Educational Director.

 Foster Kitten News

I am hoping to have kittens in the Cabana tomorrow, but won’t know until they are SNAP tested later this afternoon. I will let you know once the tests are complete. ~ Keeper Karma

 Need A Smile? Here’s One For YOU!

A VERY Talkative Cougar

 Nat Geo’s Big Cat Week Is Back

Get ready to dig your claws into Big Cat Week! Follow along as National Geographic takes you up close and personal with the world’s fiercest felines.

Don’t forget to tune in to the premiere of Big Cat Week on Monday, February 20 at 9/8c, only on Nat Geo WILD.

CLICK HERE to learn more about this.

 Cole & Marmalade’s Corner

Marmalade is Home From the Vet

Marm’s dental cleaning is all done, his teeth looked good and his ultrasound was all clear with no signs of cancerous tumors reappearing!!

 Viewer Videos From Explore.org/bigcatrescue

There are some GREAT videos recorded by viewers at explore.org/bigcatrescue that you will really enjoy watching.

VIDEO:  TJ Chasing the Golf Cart 2/17/2017

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

• 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
• A Heart For Nikita https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSxAXUTh29XWQw35acpU1Ag

 Quick Links  **NEW**

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

If you find links on our website you think should be added on the Quick Links page, email lawanna.mitchell@bigcatrscue.org and let me know.