Review by Jennie Rachael Shannon and John

Hi Carole and Howard

Thank you so much for taking the time to come out and meet us during our recent visit to BCR.  It’s always good to put a handshake and a hug to a name, and it was very much appreciated.

“My review from 2013 simply posted 5 stars, as that seemed to sum up our first visit pretty concisely. Having read and researched carefully over the last year we’ve learnt a lot, and as we returned to Florida last week (October 2014) my family and I headed straight back to BCR on the first day of our vacation.There have, of course, been some changes. Some of the cats we saw last year have passed away, but at least we know that they had been in a place of care at their end. Their spaces have been all too quickly filled by others rescued from the careless cruelty and crass neglect of the selfish and ignorant.

It’s hard to watch a magnificent cougar wobble on torn ligaments, but it was encouraging to hear the snarl that told us he wasn’t giving up now he had been given a chance, and inspiring to hear about the pioneering surgery that’s going to give him a good shot at having a decent future.

It’s always humbling to look a big cat in the eyes and to recognise why these creatures will never be pets, but when you realise that one of the eyes you’re looking at has been damaged by a human’s failure to comprehend this simple fact you experience a mixture of anger, contempt and disappointment in those that cause such harm. These feelings are quickly replaced by relief and then appreciation of those people who are trying to put right such wrongs in their day to day care of the few and long term fight for the many.

Some of the larger cats we saw last year were on their own vacations in the rotation areas (so we didn’t mind not seeing them this time), and we were pleased to see the developing work on the ‘vacation rotation’ area for the smaller cats.

Other essential elements of BCR remain the same, and many are alluded to above, but perhaps the most impressive is the commitment of the volunteers who keep BCR going. Their knowledge and enthusiasm is simply outstanding. It was a privilege and an honour to learn from them once again, and to be reminded what ‘right thinking folk’ can achieve together.”

We’re not financially wealthy (although that’s relative I guess) but we’re pleased we invested a fair bit of our vacation money in visiting BCR and were once again inspired by your efforts.

Best regards

Jennie, Rachael, Shannon and John