September 6 2017

Big Cat Updates

Keeper Devin Saari’s Coordinator report for Tuesday – 9/5/2017

Today was a great day! We had a good amount of volunteers come out to help feed and clean this morning!

Honey and Pierina worked on food prep all morning so that we could get it done by tour time!

Charlee mowed inside Andy Tiger’s enclosure so that he could have some nicely trimmed grass

We had a tree cutting service come in today to help us cut down trees and branches so that we are prepared for the possible hurricane and the interns helped pick up and dispose of the limbs.

Aleesa, Steve, and Victoria helped spread concrete over at the new gift shop and finished it!

There are still branches in Andy’s cage that need to be picked up. Tree service will be back tomorrow to finish, Seth and Andy are still locked in their roof sections.

 Preparing for Hurricane Irma

What do you do with 70+ big cats when you hear a Cat 5 hurricane is heading your way?  You start to implement the critical disaster plans that you have prepared many years in advance.  Visit that link to get the full details of the work we’ve done to protect the cats through the storm.

Many of you have been asking about the cats’ safety during Irma.  Carole made a page to help help you see what we do to prepare.  Actually, there are two pages and both have been updated.

1. Preparing for Irma:  http://bigcatrescue.org/irma/
2. Critical Incident & Hurricane Preparedness Plan:  http://bigcatrescue.org/critical-incident-hurricane-and-disaster-plan/

Some of you expressed concerns about cage strength.  The cats will be in their roofed section.  Those sections are built with curved walls which are much stronger than straight walls.  The roofs add to the strength.  The wall wire is 4″ x 4″ squares so the wind passes right through them.  If you look at the video on http://bigcatrescue.org/cages/ you will see how we tested the wall strength and how strong these cages truly are.

We’ve already updated our Amazon Wishlist for things we need to ride out the storm.  Be sure to sign up for Smile.Amazon.com first so that you get the added benefit of your shopping dollars benefitting Big Cat Rescue.  We are busy checking and double checking all of the supplies we have on hand.

Knowing there will likely be expenses after the storm we have created a special shirt sale.

“Hurricane Irma Expect a cat fight if you come to Tampa”

 Facebook Video Replays

Preparing for Hurricane Irma

 Win A Big Cat Rescue Supporter Band – Show the world that you support Big Cat Rescue by wearing one a Big Cat Rescue awareness bracelet. Band is black with the BCR tiger, paw prints, and the words Big Cat Rescue in white.  Each day that you make the Call of the Wild Carole is notified and at the end of every day, Carole will run a randomizer to pick one winner every day. It is important that when you make the Call of the Wild that you use you accurate address because that is the address that Keeper Lauren will then mail a Big Cat Rescue Supporter Wrist Band to the daily winner. Make the Call of the Wild at https://BigCatAct.com If you do not know what the Call of the Wild is check out the info at: http://bigcatrescue.org/cta-call-wild/

Recent Winners:  9/3/2017 Carol L., 9/4/2017 Tracie S., 9/5/2017 Elaine B., and 9/6/2017 Annette T.

Have YOU made the Call of the wild at http://BigCatAct.com yet, this week?  Have you asked at least one friend to make the call?

 BigCatTV.com

Popsicles For Your House Cats: After posting a video of our big cats getting popsicles, many viewers asked it they could make them for their cats at home. Here is a video on how to make them!

 🙁 News Article

Tiger Killed After Running Loose in Georgia Neighborhood.

Various articles about this:

• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/tiger-shot-killed-georgia_us_59afe974e4b0dfaafcf42e3b
• http://abc7chicago.com/pets-animals/tiger-killed-after-running-loose-in-georgia-neighborhood/2382378/

If cougars can travel 25 miles per day, could a tiger have traveled 66 miles a day to go from where Hurricane Harvey hit Houston to Stockbridge in 12 days?  See GA tiger owners here: https://batchgeo.com/map/99774f6d0a887c61b1bca34d430458a8

This is another reason the Big Cat & Public Safety Act needs to be passed into law.  YOU CAN HELP, PLEASE go to BigCatAct.com and make the Call of the Wild.

 Tigers in the Path of the Hurricane

What your government doesn’t want you to know is: How many tigers are in the path of Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Jose? USDA stopped posting accurate counts at the facilities they inspect. States don’t provide a database for citizens to check either. This info is based upon intel collected by Big Cat Rescue since 2004 and is the most accurate accounting of where the big cats are.

See the map here: https://batchgeo.com/map/99774f6d0a887c61b1bca34d430458a8 and then Make the Call of the Wild by asking your member of congress to champion The Big Cat Public Safety Act at BigCatAct.com

 Letter To Management

September 5, 2017

Dear Sir/Madam:

Help! Help! We’re being invaded!

I warned you months ago about aliens being on the property and nobody believed me. I requested that armed guards be placed at the entrances to all our homes and none appeared.

Well, now we have a new problem: Sasquatch! I have multiple reports from the other residents about this creature lurking around their enclosures. It has been seen mostly around the Bobcat Rehab enclosure. Cooper says it visits about once a day, Mrs. Claws remembers seeing it, and she said that Spirit Feather used to challenge it. Joseph said when the Sasquatch visited him he was shot!

I am so nervous that I have to sleep all day long so I can stay on guard all night. I’ve been eating grass to settle my stomach and may have to send out for some of that pink stuff. When I go swimming I make sure to make a lot of splashy noises to scare it away just in case it’s lurking in the trees somewhere.

We should all be concerned; the Sasquatch is learning our ways very quickly and is trying to blend in. From the picture below you can see that it already managed to steal and drive one of our golf carts!

OH NO! I heard a noise on the walkway! Where are the police? Where is my armed guard? Where is security? Oh, I have to go lay down … I have a headache.

Sincerely,

Andy Tiger
(Sent via Lori D., Secretary to the Cats)

 Bobcat Rehab 8/27/207

Big Cat Friend, Deb Quimby sent in some photos of Cooper.

See more about little Cooper at http://bigcatrescue.org/cooper/

 Keeper Corner

Some of you have been asking for photo of Babycakes.  Keeper MaryLou G has taken some for you.

When does 1+1 not equal 2?

1 Babycakes + 1  Coolaroo bed = 1 VERY HAPPY Genet!!

 Quick Links – http://bigcatrescue.org/quick-links/ These links will come in handy as you beginf teaching other about big cat issues.  Let us know if something needs to be added.  Are there questions you are having trouble finding answers for?

  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