Buggheart-

Buggheart-

Big Cat Rescue is a great source of information and activism, in addition to being a great rescue. I have not been there but I do hope to visit someday.

Jo- in response to your question about the SF zoo tiger killing, I have to say that I was deeply saddened by this whole situation. After Tatiana's attack on a keeper last year, she should have been fully evaluated for safety measures. The fact that she was able to climb out of her cage, attack three people, and kill one is a deeply shocking tragedy. Obviously, this animl was unstable, and was able to be provoked to responding in an unusual way.

The rescue I volunteer for does not allow us to have access to the animals. I have learned, from observing the animal handlers, that big cats have a lot of instinctive behaviors that can be easily triggered. These instincts override all other behaviors; in essence, the animal "forgets" it's relationship with you and acts upon the instinct. I have read some interesting information that suggests these instincts are hardwired into the brain, and no thinking process can short circuit them. It is very important, therefore, to realize that these are wild animals, will always be wild animals, and if you do not know and understand the instinctive responses, you have no business trying to handle these animals.

The saddest thing is not what tigers are doing to people, but what people are doing to tigers. I wanted to share this email I received:

Tiger Found Shot to Death in Dallas on Christmas day Take Action!
Big Cat Rescue is offering a $5,000 reward to catch the killer. Please help Big Cat Rescue end the trade in tigers in the US.

Watch the video: http://www.bigcatrescue.org/video/b42008/5000reward.htm
$5,000 Reward: Big Cat Rescue is offering a $5,000 reward for information resulting in the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for shooting a young, female tiger to death. Her body was found next to I-35E in Dallas, TX on Christmas Day. If you care about protecting tigers from being used this way and then killed, please send a quick and easy letter to your official by typing in your zip code HERE
The same day the tragic tiger event happened at the San Francisco Zoo, a horrific story seemed to fall through the cracks. Please read below and pass this on. All credible information will be passed onto the authorities.
By DAVID SCHECHTER / WFAA-TV
DALLAS - Sanitation crews in Dallas made a shocking discovery after they received a call about a dead animal on Christmas Day.

A female Bengal tiger was found dead when the crews searched a wooded area near Interstate 35E and Overton Road. A city spokesperson said the tiger was shot several times. The animal, which was declawed and wearing a make-shift leash, was taken to the Dallas Zoo. A necropsy, the animal version of an autopsy, was completed at the zoo early Thursday evening. The tiger was estimated to be around one-years-old and weighed about 180 pounds. Shell casing were found in the tiger's chest and face. In all, there were five bullet entries. Chuck Siegel, deputy director of the Dallas Zoo, said he believes the tiger may have become more than the owner could handle.

"I find it very, very disturbing to see the nature of the collar-leash, which looks more like a bicycle cable than anything else," he said. "And this rusted wire, which is tangled around the leash, is obviously very hazardous." The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and the United States Department of Agriculture are investigating the incident and searching for the owner of the tiger.
***BIG CAT RESCUE IS OFFERING A $5,000.00 REWARD FOR INFORMATION RESULTING IN THE ARREST AND CONVICTION OF THE PERSON OR PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR KILLING THE FEMALE TIGER WHO WAS FOUND SHOT TO DEATH IN DALLAS, TEXAS ON CHRISTMAS DAY.
EMAIL INFO AT: INFO@BIGCATRESCUE.ORG

Write your legislator and ask them to support Haley's Act as a way to curb the breeding of tigers as pets. You can also, in the same letter, contact up to 5 members of the press and let them know this is important to you.