Are you thinking of seeing “The Wolf of Wall Street?”

The film contracted with the Rosaire family for one of the chimps and lions used in the film. Who are the Rosaire’s? One of the very first letters Julie H. wrote and had published on behalf of animals many years ago was about, in our opinion, this horrible breeding/abusing family. (They have a place in SW FL called Big Cat Habitat and we have an entire computer file filled with articles about them).

At a USDA Big Cat Symposium in Fort Worth, Kay Rosaire said on stage:

“To keep a tiger off you, you just poke ’em real hard with a pitchfork a time or two and show ’em who’s boss. Then they’ll get the message.”

We could attach so many photos of the white tigers and other animals they’ve bred and carted around the country and overseas, the old-fashioned, carny-type shows they make their animals perform in all kinds of weather. But look at this picture of Clayton Rosaire making his tigers perform. With ears down, fear on his face, what do this tiger’s eyes say to you?

Incredibly, Leo DiCaprio chose to use one of the Rosaire’s chimps and a lion in the film. Since DiCaprio is “supposed” to be such an animal advocate, this is really a stab in the gut to those of us who fight so hard for animal welfare. How could he sell out like this?

You may think, “What’s the big deal?” But, the Rosaire’s will surely be using this as just another advertisement and promotion of their traveling carny shows. For every ticket sold to this movie, it’s a feather in their cap and another way to con the public into thinking that they run a legitimate sanctuary. It’s really tragic that DiCaprio would’ve allowed this to happen.

You may think the movie industry watchdog, the American Humane Association, oversees and assures everything’s ok with the animals hired. But, guess what? An expose just revealed that organization is meaningless. Animals have been dying for years under their “watchful” eye. The saying, “No Animals Were Harmed….” couldn’t be further from the truth! Read more here –http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/feature/

So, please, DON’T go see this movie. DON’T endorse cruelty to animals. Whenever you see a wild or exotic animal in a movie, stop and think about it. You don’t know where they came from, how they’re treated before and after they got there, how their owner uses them to make a living, what’s their quality of life after your few minutes of entertainment. I hope you won’t want to be part of what we believe to be animal cruelty.

Chimp and lion from Big Cat Habitat star in new DiCaprio film

Leonardo DiCaprio with Chance

Posted: Wednesday, December 25, 2013 9:53 pm |Updated: 10:21 am, Thu Dec 26, 2013.

SARASOTA– Two popular animals from Sarasota’s Big Cat Habitat are starring in the new Martin Scorsese film, “The Wolf of Wall Street.”

The movie, which hit theaters on Christmas Day, features Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill. The animals from Big Cat Habitat are a 4-year-old chimpanzee named, Chance and a 600 lb lion named, Handsome.

Chance got to star alongside DiCaprio in a couple of scenes, said his handler, Pam Rosaire.

“What a great guy Leo is to work with. He is as good as he is handsome. He is a pure and wonderful person. I loved him. Chance thinks he’s great, and Chance really loved him. They built a relationship,” said Rosaire.

Handsome the lion has a smaller role in the movie. The lion is a symbol of the company DiCaprio owns in the film.

“That’s why they wanted a lion like this one,” said Clayton Rosaire, Handsome’s handler. “He is so impressive, beautiful and majestic. I think they chose the right animal.”

Handsome was hauled up to New York in a massive trailer last spring during filming.

PETA is unhappy with DiCaprio for allowing scenes with a great ape. An online petition has been started by the organization, asking the actor to never handle a great ape in a film ever again.

http://www.mysuncoast.com/news/local/chimp-and-lion-from-big-cat-habitat-star-in-new/article_e16b1518-6dd8-11e3-8532-0019bb30f31a.html?mode=story