Today at Big Cat Rescue May 16 2013

Newly uncovered bobcat and coyote farms in New York

Posted: 15 May 2013 08:14 AM PDT

The following addresses were obtained from public records, indicating dozens of farms (or other type of operations) that imprison bobcats and coyotes in New York. It is unclear which if any of these farms raises these animals for fur.

Disclaimer

Coalition Against Fur Farms has obtained hundreds of similar addresses from numerous states, each of which may be fur farms, which will be posted in the coming weeks. We will offer the same disclaimer each time:

• These addresses are uninvestigated.
• They house animals commonly used for fur, however an investigation is needed to determine the exact purpose of these operations.
• There are numerous other reasons furbearing animals can be held captive, including being bred for pets, roadside zoos, urine-collection operations for trapping lures, or penning operations to train hunting dogs.
• Some of these may be facilities which are helping animals. For example, wildlife rehabilitators and sanctuaries can often be required to have the same licenses as fur farms.

Please do your research, and share anything learned with Coalition Against Fur Farms.

The following are list with the state of New York as holding “captive game permits”.  The list did not provide addresses.

Bobcats
Ludgar Zakshevky
William McElravy
Sherie Beaumont
Clair Hesselton
Sally Reaves
Daniel Stevens
Joseph Pierri
Lawrence C Wallach
Jeffrey S Taylor
Wesley D Laraway
Wendy B Hall

Coyotes
Wendy B Hall
William Pryor
Doris Laninon
Jeffrey Kidder
Nicole M Chillemi
Thomas J Daniels
Patricia Arnold

Big Cat Rescue bought out all of the fur farms that were killing cats in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997 and has not found any fur farms in the U.S. that are raising and killing bobcats since then.  Often people will apply for “captive game permits” to circumvent laws that prohibit private ownership of wild cats.  NY has such a ban on private possession of bobcats and lynx as pets, but still, apparently, issues permits for people to raise and slaughter bobcats for profit.  If you have any information about the people listed here and if they are truly raising and killing exotic cats for fur, we would like to know more at Info@BigCatRescue.org

PLEASE JOIN OUR LITTLE CAT FRIENDS THIS SATURDAY TO

SUPPORT CAT CRUSADERS AND TNR!

Barry Taylor
Animal Based Charities
http://www.animalbasedcharities.org/
4340 South Manhattan Avenue
Tampa FL 33611

Why Isn’t the Lion Listed as Endangered?

Everyone knows that lion populations have plummeted due to trophy hunting and loss of habitat and prey, so why haven’t they been given protection under the endangered species act?

HSUS and others have filed a petition with US Fish and Wildlife Service to list the lion as Endangered back in 2012.

Currently the USFWS is so far behind in paying attention to the lion that they are not even listed as threatened.  The USFWS is supposed to do what is called a 90 Day Filing indicating if their initial reaction is positive or not.  Historically they never get it done in the mandated 90 day time.  It usually takes over a year for them to get that step done.  The only good news is that the USFWS does seem positively inclined to protect the lion.

The next step is to list in Federal Register for general comment, which they did and they got the 175,000 comments, some of which were from experts, but nearly all of which were in favor of listing the lion as endangered.

Now they internally do a Status Review that leads to an eventual decision. That usually takes at least a year.  There are so many animal species that are going extinct that it is a matter of the squeakiest wheel getting the grease.  These things are not handled in a way that provides the most overall protection to biodiversity, but rather are based upon what issue is getting the most press and causing the most pressure.  If you love lions, we ask that you join our voice to roar out in favor of protecting them.

Send a letter at CatLaws.com today and sign up for our alerts so you will know when it is time to be heard for the cats.

Today at Big Cat Rescue May 16 2013