Big Cats and Public Safety Protection Act

Great news from Capitol hill! A bipartisan act has been proposed that would make it illegal for private citizens to own or keep big cats. Here's a small excerpt from the Examiner to read more please follow the link below. We must support this act folks! Let your representatives know that you would like their support! The Big Cats and Public Safety Protection Act would prohibit private possession of big cats except at highly-qualified facilities like accredited zoos where they can be properly cared for and restrained.  Also, since nobody, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), state agencies, and local first responders knows exactly how many dangerous big cats are being kept in private hands, under what conditions, and in what locations, the bill would require any persons who currently possess big cats to register those animals with USDA in order to keep the cats they currently own.  The bill would also outlaw the breeding of any big cat except at accredited zoos and research and educational institutions.  Violators of the law could have their animals confiscated along with any vehicles or equipment used to aid in their illegal activity, and could face stiff penalties including fines as much as $20,000, and up to five years in jail.  Continue reading on Examiner.com Big Cats and Public Safety Protection Act Introduced - Tampa Bay Cats | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/cats-in-tampa-bay/big-cats-and-public-safety-protection-act-introduced#ixzz1noCduGzJ

The Circus



You are paying money for this, and I'm suffering
for it.



The Circus is one of the great memories in a child's life. I know I remember going and being amazed at the tigers and elephants doing incredible tricks. Now that I am an adult I have had to face the hard fact that the animals I watched with shear amazement when I was a child, were being abused in order that I may be entertained. This sort of abuse still goes on in order that we, as civilized human beings, can be entertained. The wild animals that you see in these circus acts are being trained with unspeakable methods. Elephants are tied and struck with large metal hooks, imagine a giant fireplace iron, in order to teach them the tricks we watch with amazement. Tigers are whipped and starved until they will perform. Can you imagine any animal willingly jumping through a hoop of fire? Do you imagine that elephants stand on their heads in the wild just because they feel like it? How can we call ourselves civilized when we continue to allow such abuse to be continued? Most civilized countries have passed laws that ban the use of wild or exotic animals in the circus. Isn't it about time we do the same? There is a bill before the house HR 3359 that would stop the use of exotic animals in the circus. As a civilized people, we must support this bill. Let your representative know that you no longer wish to see animals in the circus because the abuse they suffer in order to entertain us is wrong. There are many other ways we can expose our children to exotic animals. Take them to an accredited zoo or an accredited animal sanctuary. In these places they can see the animals in a more natural habitat and can learn about the need to keep these animals safe in the wild and what they can do to help. After all, they are the ones who can keep animal conservancy going in the future. But if we don't teach them what is right and what is wrong, then how will they carry on the efforts to protect and conserve animals and their habitats? Please consider before you take your child to a circus what it is you are exposing them to and what you are paying for. Also, please go to www.catlaws.com to find ways to help stop the abuse of these magnificent animals.



That thing in my back hurts me!



Below is a link to a video that will give you more insight into what these animals face everyday. Please watch it and pass on your knowledge to everyone you know. Only we can stop the abuse! Thank you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVsuGOpvUxc

 

Do we look happy to you?



Valentine's Day the Leopard way

Here's a little clip of two leopard sisters at Big Cat Rescue playing with their valentine's day enrichment. Enjoy! http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?v=mzKU8nj4M_Y

Greece bans animals in circus

Here's a little bit of good news! Greece has banned animals in the circus! If they can do it so can we! Check out the bill that is before the house HR3359 that would ban the use of exotic animals in the circus in the U.S. Check out this link to learn more about Greece banning animals in the circus: http://www.ad-international.org/animals_in_entertainment/go.php?id=2528&ssi=10 And check out www.catlaws.com to find out how you can help stop the use of exotic animals in U.S. circuses.

Tony the Truckstop tiger is still trapped

The following statement is an update via ALDF who have been working so hard to obtain transfer of Tony to a safe sanctuary. "January 30, 2012: Last Monday, Judge Caldwell denied a motion brought by Michael Sandlin and the Tiger Truck Stop (TTS) that sought to suspend Judge Caldwell’s order while Sandlin and TTS appealed. In other words, Tony would have stayed put at the truck stop until after the appeal ran its course, which could take months. Instead, Judge Caldwell’s order instructing the Department to revoke the permit will go into effect right away. Sadly, this does not necessarily mean Tony is leaving the truck stop soon. Sandlin has filed his own lawsuit against the Department, which has been temporarily restrained from taking any action to remove Tony. Our attorneys are doing everything they can to resolve these conflicting orders to make sure Tony makes his way to a humane, accredited sanctuary as soon as possible." The fight for freedom for Tony the truck stop tiger is still going on. Michael Sandlin has continued to appeal to the court to keep Tony but we won't let that happen! Check out the link below to sign a new petition that is aimed at making sure Tony will go to an accredited sanctuary. At this time, it is still uncertain where Tony will go since there are some less than savory places trying to get Tony. So let's all sign that petition and let it be known that we can't have Tony going from one bad home to another. http://www.change.org/petitions/ldwf-ensure-tony-the-tiger-is-released-to-a-reputable-sanctuary

Exotic Animals in Traveling Acts



Tiger being beaten in order to learn tricks



Today I want to talk about the bill H.R. 3359 that proposes restricting the use of exotic or wild animals in circuses and traveling acts.

Roughly, the bill states that: "No exhibitor may allow for the participation of an exotic or wild animal (including a non-human primate) in an animal act if, during the 15-day period preceding such participation, such animal was traveling in a mobile housing facility." This does not apply to "(A) an exhibition at a non-mobile, permanent institution or facility, including an accredited zoo or aquarium; (B) part of an outreach program for educational or conservation purposes by an accredited zoo or aquarium, if the animal used for such purposes is not kept in a mobile housing facility for more than 12 hours a day; (C) by a university, college, laboratory, or other research facility registered with the Secretary pursuant to section 6; (D) in film, television, or advertising if such use does not involve a live public exhibition; or (E) in a rodeo."

The representatives presenting and sponsoring this bill cite the reasonsfor the necessity of this bill as follows: "(1) traveling circuses are detrimental to animal welfare due to the adverse effects of captivity and transport; (2) due to severe confinement, lack of free exercise, and the restriction of natural behaviors, animals used in circuses suffer and are prone to health, behavioral, and psychological problems; (3) the tricks that exotic and non-domesticated animals are forced to perform require extreme physical coercion techniques, including the restriction of food, the use of elephant hooks (objects used to control and punish elephants), electric shocks, metal bars, whips, and other forms of physical abuse; (4) the welfare of animals subject to the conditions in traveling circuses, such as constant travel, limited facilities, long periods of restriction of movement, stress, and physical coercion, will inevitably be compromised, which can lead to increased risks to public safety; (5) animals in traveling circuses pose an additional risk to public safety because such animals have wild instincts and needs and have demonstrated unpredictability; (6) the use of collapsible, temporary facilities in traveling circuses increases the risk of escaping exotic and non-domesticated animals seriously harming workers and the public; (7) traveling circuses bring people dangerously close to exotic and non-domesticated animals by displaying animals in inappropriate, uncontrolled areas that are not suited for the exhibition of such animals; (8) it is not possible to provide exotic and non-domesticated animals with facilities sufficient to maintain the optimum physical and mental health of the animals because of the suffering caused to the animals by the nature of circuses, in which restriction of movement, separation from natural groupings, restriction of food and water, and physical abuse are prevalent; (9) due to the mobile and transitory nature of traveling circuses, law enforcement authorities cannot properly monitor the conditions of the animals or follow up on previous infractions by traveling circuses; and (10) restricting the use of exotic and non-domesticated animals in circuses is the most cost-effective and efficient way to safeguard both animal welfare and public safety."

After reading the bill I hope you will find that not only are these logical reasons to support this bill, but they are what is right for the animals. We must put aside our desire to see Tigers and Elephants and other such exotic animals perform for our entertainment. The actions that the trainers are forcing these animals to perform are not their natural behavior and do not help to fund conservation in the wild. I feel we should appreciate the animals as they are in the wild. Visiting accreditied zoos and accreditied non-profit sanctuaries is an excellent way of sharing these magnificent animals with our families without having them poked and prodded and forced to literally jump through hoops. Please follow the link below to contact your representative and let them know you want their support on H.R. 3359. The form is easy and only takes a minute. It will be e-mailed to your local representative. If we all work together we can help stop the suffering of exotic animals in the U.S.

Baby Elephant being "trained"

Find your Representative and let them know you want their support:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/bills/?bill=56052501&alertid=56052506