The Big Cats

I had Saturday morning off and decided to head to the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. It lies about 15 miles to the south of Eureka Springs. The Refuge specializes in rescuing big cats and providing them with a permanent home. They house over 100 animals, mostly tigers, with a few lions, cougars, leopards, and cheetahs in the mix, not to mention two brown bears, one lonely coyote and a forlorn baboon. It is not a zoo per se, but it is designed so that visitors can view these magnificent animals and hopefully provide financial support for the efforts of the Refuge. Just to keep the animals fed they go through 1,000 lbs of meat a day.
There is something deeply sad and disturbing about seeing wild animals robbed of their natural habitat and freedom. But the TCWR does an admirable job of saving the animals from abuse and certain death. Some animals are confined to smaller eclosures near the entrance, but this arrangement is only temporary. On the official tour we got to see the much more expansive areas in the back. The animals live there in rotation to enjoy the more natural setting of grass and trees. In that way many more animals can be accomodated. The staff know their animals by name and are familiar with their personalities. They are obviouly dedicated to the well-being of their charges. It was a hot, humid day. The tour was a long walk in the blazing sun, but it was worth it.
Each confined area has info with the names of the animals and their histories. You could just weep at some of the agonies some of these creatures have been through. It staggers belief that there are people out there so stupid that they think they can keep a tiger or a lion as a pet. It never works out well. Sadly, there are breeders who are making a business out of providing exotic animals to these deluded individuals. Some of the animals endured sickening fates. One leopard was found nearly starved to death because its previous owner had broken off its four canine teeth with pliers. The teeth were infected, the animal was unable to eat. One cringes to imagine the suffering it endured. It got dental care and fillings and is now healthy. Many animals suffer the effects of inter breeding. Another owner, when his tiger was too much to handle, drove to a far off forest preserve and abandoned it there. In a few days the animal was back on his doorstep. (Amazingly, no one had reported seeing a tiger on its journey.) At that point he decided to bring it to the shelter. Smart move, that.
I am both grateful that these animals are looked after in the most humane manner possible and saddened by the treatment they have suffered previously. I am also angered by our spineless politicians who, under pressure of lobbyists, will not outlaw the breeding of exotic animals. In the state of Missouri a referendum was passed last year by the voters to restrict and regulate the breeding of dogs in the state. The conditions these animals are kept in is sickening. Our legislators then proceeded to gut the proposed law entirely, making it worthless. Money talks, and it has no care for the victims of its greed.