REXANO Where Do Sanctuaries’ Big Cats Come From Mindy Stinner

Where Do Sanctuaries’ Big Cats Come From?

By Mindy Stinner, 12/22/2008

I run a facility that includes 37 big cats as residents. One was a pet. The rest came from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) licensed facilities where some government agency (USDA, USDI, Health departments) is doing its job by removing the animals, or where the facility chose to downsize for one reason or another (we consider those placements, not rescues).

The one pet tiger we have was placed here after 10 years with her family. When the family's financial situation crashed, she came here. That was a responsible decision by the family, who still come to visit her. The one nice thing about a facility is that sometimes if one person cannot run it, someone else can step up. This is not always the case with a pet. However, more pet owners than facility owners that I know have a decent contingency plan for their animals if something happens to them.

I understand some facilities’ frustration with irresponsible owners, but I do not see the behavior tied to one kind of owner. I see it in every kind of owner. It is very upsetting that the behavior of a few reflects on us all so badly, and worse, gives animal rights (AR) folks a route in to get legislation or even local policy passed. Perhaps some see more pet problems because of where they are located. I know Florida seems to have occasional pet issues, perhaps because of the sheer number of licensed owners.

In the past 2 weeks I have talked with owners and government officials about 2 pet tigers in Florida needing a home because theirs is being foreclosed on, 3 tigers from an Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) zoo in Nebraska that is closing, and a facility that owns 150+ animals that just lost its license and will be shut down shortly. That seems a nice variety.

Our local shelter euthanizes thousands of unwanted pets every year. I think the average large exotic owner is more responsible than the people who allow cats and dogs to breed indiscriminately and then dump or abandon them. I think there are fewer impulse buys of large exotics, thanks in part to the ever-shrinking pool of people who sell without asking all the right questions first.

There will always be bad owners, of every type, as long as ownership is allowed. There will always be bad businessmen, bad clergy, bad teachers...but we regulate them in various ways to insure they are usually spotted and weeded out over time. We have all seen in the news what happens when one of them messes up...and the whole group looks bad for a time and must endure additional scrutiny. Owning an animal is no different.
As long as there are owners, we will need organizations that rescue animals. As long as we have children, we will need social services and orphanages to exist. As long as we have big businesses that fail, we will need government bailouts (apparently).

My point is that some animals being rehomed all the time is the price we pay to protect our right to own these animals. All owners should be glad there are other places that can help out in time of need. Now we just have to keep the people who perform this function supported well enough that they can do what they do without resorting to pushing legislation or appealing for "money or the animals will all die!" The places that cannot adapt to just being supported, without seeking absurdly excess funding or the self-promotional press time of helping get a law passed need to be weeded out by the “regulators," which is all animal lovers, everywhere.

Until people are educated that there are not tigers running loose everywhere, and that big cats are not being constantly euthanized for lack of a home, the places that seek self-glorification will continue to appear morally superior to everyone else in the eyes of the average person (or legislator).

Feline Conservation Federation (FCF) was created over 50 years ago to protect the cats and create a bond between the owners. All owners. It is a route to education about these species and their needs, a place to find a mentor, a reputable breeder, or a location at which to volunteer and learn.

It is a link to others with similar interests and similar beliefs. There will be individuals within any group who have slightly differing beliefs. Let us not have FCF go the way of many churches and split an effective organization along those lines.

I rail against impulse buys by anyone of any living creature. I have a tirade every time I hear about neglected, abused or abandoned animals of any kind. I despise equally people who do wrong by their pets and people who do wrong by whole facilities full of animals.

I suspect most people in FCF feel the same.

Let's keep the focus where it should be...on what we can do to care for and help the animals!

To find our more about Mindy Stinner’s facility, visit the Conservators’ Center website