Big Cat Rescue Popular Books
Big Cat Rescue Biography & Facts
Big Cat Rescue Corp., also known as BCR and previously known as Wildlife on Easy Street, Inc., operates an animal sanctuary in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States, which rescues and houses exotic cats, and rehabilitates injured or orphaned native wild cats. It was founded by Don Lewis and Carole Baskin in 1995. The animal sanctuary has been open to the public and BCR sells tickets to visitors for tours including private tours, night tours, and feeding tours. However, BCR closed the facility to the public on March 16, 2020, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and Baskin later announced that she was considering not reopening the animal sanctuary to the public. In 2019, BCR had 51 animals—17 big cats and 34 small cats of 11 species including bobcat, Canada lynx, caracal, cougar, Eurasian lynx, jaguar, leopard, lion, ocelot, serval and tiger—down from 66 in 2018. BCR has been accredited by Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries since 2009, and has received 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator for 2007–2022. History In 1992, Don Lewis and Carole Lewis (now known as Carole Baskin) acquired a bobcat. The following year they acquired dozens more. In 1995, they incorporated Wildlife on Easy Street, Inc. in Florida as a Not For Profit Corporation with the stated purpose of "acquisition, shelter, feeding, breeding and socialization of exotic and non-exotic animals; public education and awareness to benefit their wild counterparts." In 2003, Wildlife on Easy Street, Inc. was dissolved in a merger into a newly incorporated nonprofit, Big Cat Rescue Corp., with the stated purpose "Prevention of cruelty to animals by providing rescue and a permanent retirement home to exotic cats". The sanctuary featured a bed and breakfast experience that allowed guests to spend the night with a young wild cat in their cabin. According to the sanctuary, this part of its history was a misguided effort to aid captive conservation and animal welfare of privately owned animals. The sanctuary was accredited by The Association of Sanctuaries in 1998, and its successor, the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries since 2007 to present. In September 2000, Wildlife on Easy Street applied to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for accreditation as a Certified Related Facility. The application was denied in March 2001 for various reasons, including concerns about the amount of visitor contact with the cats, lack of any trained zoological professionals on staff, insufficient formal veterinary programs and unfinished perimeter fencing. BCR ceased physical encounters of any kind between the public and cats housed there in 2003. In 2013, following a 2011 lawsuit, Joseph Maldonado-Passage, aka "Joe Exotic", whose family runs the GW Exotic Animal Park, was ordered to pay Big Cat Rescue $1 million for using confusingly similar trademarked materials. Joe Exotic attempted to hire a hitman to kill Carole Baskin, chief executive officer of Big Cat Rescue, who had won a lawsuit against him in 2013. Maldonado-Passage has since been arrested and convicted of two counts of murder-for-hire, eight violations of the Lacey Act and nine of the Endangered Species Act. In October 2014, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission inspected BCR based on a complaint and issued a warning for "maintaining a Leopard in an uncovered outdoor cage >1000 sq. ft., without the use of a moat system, and without previously obtaining written approval by the Commission". In March 2019, Big Cat Rescue opened a zoo exhibit without live animals, using augmented reality and virtual reality technologies. Visitors come in person and access the exhibit through a mobile app on their cell phone. In March 2020, Big Cat Rescue temporarily closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Florida., and Baskin later announced in a Facebook post that she was considering not opening it to the public, stating; There is just too much opportunity for people to put their own desires ahead of the greater good. We are trying to find ways that the cats can be cared for in a post-COVID-19 world. Conservation One of the stated main goals of Big Cat Rescue is to end ownership and trade of exotic felines in the private sector entirely. Big Cat Rescue claims that permit systems are not effective at ensuring animal welfare and campaigns for a total ban of private ownership of big cats regardless of keeping conditions. The center is part of the International Tiger Coalition, which is dedicated to stopping the trade of tiger parts. In 2005, Big Cat Rescue published an action plan to end all captive keeping of all exotic cats, including animals in AZA-accredited zoos bred for conservation. According to the plan, Big Cat Rescue wanted interstate transport of big cats for any reason (including conservation breeding programs) to end by 2012, display of large exotic cats in zoos to end by 2013 and keeping of any exotic cats (including smaller species) in zoos to be discontinued by 2015. In 2015, Big Cat Rescue began campaigning for the passage of a bill in the United States Congress called The Big Cat Public Safety Act (H.R. 3546) that would ban all future keeping of all large cat species in the United States, with zoos certified by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, as well as certain sanctuaries, universities, wildlife rehabilitators, and traveling circuses being exempt. In 2019 the Big Cat Public Safety Act was revised to end cub handling, the primary cause of abuse and phase out private ownership of big cats, while allowing possession by USDA licensees. As of January 2020, HR1380 had 227 co-sponsors in the House and the companion bill, S2561 has 17 co-sponsors in the Senate. The House approved the bill in December 2020 but it did not proceed to a floor vote in the Senate; however, in April 2021, sponsoring senator Richard Blumenthal indicated that additional Republican support for the legislation had been secured and that the bill would be reintroduced. The bill passed both houses and was signed by President Biden on December 20, 2022. Rescue of Skip In January 2011, the center received attention for its rescue of "Skip", a bobcat, who had likely been hit by a car on Florida State Road 46 and had a crushed pelvis. Fans of Skip who watched his recovery on Ustream organized on Facebook, calling themselves "Skipaholics". These fans contributed money for cameras, cat beds, and other equipment, but Skip died in September 2012. Animals In popular culture The 2020 Netflix original documentary series Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness is centered around big cat breeder Joe Exotic, who was convicted for a murder-for-hire targeting Carole Baskin and killing 5 tigers. Big Cat Rescue and Baskin appear in every episode save the aftershow. The sanctuary's owner, Carole Baskin, has voiced her displeasure with the show, stating that "it was like watching a dumpster fire, you just couldn’t turn away from it", and explained that her rivalry with Joe Exotic.... Discover the Big Cat Rescue popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Big Cat Rescue books.
Best Seller Big Cat Rescue Books of 2024
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Tigrina or Oncilla
Big Cat RescueThe oncilla (Leopardus tigrinus), also known as the little spotted cat, tigrillo, or tiger cat, is a small spotted cat native to montane and tropical rain forests of Central and So...
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Who Is Big Cat Rescue
Carole BaskinBig Cat Rescue is the largest accredited sanctuary in the world dedicated entirely to abused and abandoned big cats. We are home to over 100 lions, tigers, bobcats, cougars and oth...
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Black Footed Cat
Big Cat RescueSee many large, color photographs of the Black Footed cat. Black Footed cats can be quite fierce and for that they are often called "Ant Hill Tigers". Something that i...
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Caracal Lynx
Carole BaskinLearn about about the little wild cat, Caracal Lynx, and see a whole lot of photos.
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Trooper
Forrest Bryant JohnsonWhenever middleaged desert tour guide Forrest Bryant Johnson went out on his daily walks into the Mojave, all was usually peaceful and serene. But one beautiful summer day in 1987,...
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China Doll Loves Pumpkins
Big Cat RescueChina Doll is a tiger that lives at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida. She loves pumpkins and watermelons so much that she dives in the lake to get them. She races thro...
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Dolores and the Big Fire
Andrew ClementsDolores is a very timid cat. Her owner, Kyle, keeps a light on all night so she won't be scared. One night Dolores pokes at Kyle's face while he is sleeping. The house is on fire! ...
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Suryia and Roscoe
Dr. Bhagavan Antle & Thea FeldmanWho can imagine an orangutan being friends with a dog? Is it even possible?With Suryia and Roscoe it is! Dogs and orangutans rarely meet, and when they do, they are naturally shy ...
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Black Panthers Fact or Myth
Carole Baskin & Big Cat RescueBlack Panther Do they really exist? If so, what are they? Learn about the Leopard, Jaguar, Mountain Lion, and Jaguarundi. Enjoy color photographs of the above mentioned species. B...
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Meet JoJo
Big Cat RescueJojo is a wild cat hybrid who has come to live at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida. His previous enclosure was small with a concrete floor. We were told his diet had always ...
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The Bobcats of Big Cat Rescue
Carole Baskin & LaWanna MitchellMeet the bobcats that call Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida home. Read their rescue stories and learn about their personalities. Learn about bobcats in general as well ...
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Lions
Carole BaskinMeet the lions that call Big Cat Rescue home, Cameron, Joseph, Sasha, & Nikita. Learn about lions in general. Learn about these four lions and the stories of their rescue...
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Big Cat Attacks
Carole Baskin & LaWanna MitchellThe book is a partial listing (741) of incidents in the U.S. involving captive exotic cats since 1990. The U.S. incidents have resulted in the deaths of 23 humans, 16 adults ...
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No Judgments
Meg CabotThe storm of the century is about to hit Little Bridge Island, Floridaand it’s sending waves crashing through Sabrina “Bree” Beckham’s love life…When a massive hurricane severs all...
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A Leopard Named Armani
Carole BaskinMeet a leopard named Armani. Enjoy dozens of leopard photographs and videos. Learn what enrichment is and see the leopards enjoying it. Meet Big Cat Rescue, learn how t...
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Cooking Big Cat Style Cookies
LaWanna MitchellCooking Big Cat Style Cookies is a collection of recipes submitted by Big Cat Rescue’s streaming cat cam viewers. Between the recipes are big beautiful photos of the big cats at Bi...
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A Lion Called Christian
Anthony Bourke & John RendallNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “A stirring tale of a rare bond formed between humans and an animal.”Time Two men. One baby lion. What could go wrong? A Lion Called Chris...
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Shaquille Shattered Dreams
Big Cat RescueWhat does a leopard dream of? Shaquille's life was nightmare until he came to spend his last years at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa. Shaq arrived at Big Cat Rescue on 3/4/96. He i...
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The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue
Karina Yan GlaserHarlem’s favorite family returns in the third installment in the Vanderbeerkers series! In To the Rescue, the Vanderbeeker kids find themselves racing to save their mother’s baking...
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Black Leopard Jumanji
Carole BaskinMeet a 20 year old black leopard named Jumanji. Enjoy MANY color photos and videos of this handsome leopard. Learn everything you ever wanted to know about Leopards. Learn ab...
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The Dunking
LaWanna MitchellShare the afternoon antics of two funny tigers. Two tigers, plus two big red balls, plus a lake equals one tiger dunking another, getting in trouble and being banished from land.&...
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The Elusive Sand Cat
Big Cat RescueThis book has a LOT of big full color photos of the little wild Sand Cat as well as interesting information about this wild animal species. Big Cat Rescue is an accredited sanctuar...
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The Tiger Cubs and the Chimp
Dr. Bhagavan Antle & Thea FeldmanWhen two baby white tigers on an animal preserve get into trouble during a storm, they are taken in by a human animal worker named China and her helper, a chimpanzee named Anjana. ...
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The One and Only Wolfgang
Steve Greig & Mary Rand HessDo you consider your pets family? Do you enjoy reading about loveable animals? Instagram sensation Steve Greig and New York Times bestselling author Mary Rand Hess share Greig’s re...
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Cooking Big Cat Style Cookies
LaWanna MitchellCooking Big Cat Style Cakes Cupcakes & Brownies is a collection of cake, cupcake, & muffin recipes submitted by Big Cat Rescue’s streaming cat cam viewers. Between the reci...
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Tiger King
Joe ExoticJoe Exotic, star of the Netflix original documentary that “consumed the popcultural imagination” (The Atlantic) and transfixed a nation in the midst of a global crisis, opens up ab...
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Princess Angelica, Part-Time Lion Trainer
Monique PolakOur favorite pretend princess, Angelica, aka Jelly, is back!A case of mistaken identity, a wild imagination and a love of storytelling leads Jelly to tell her friend Joon and the n...
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The One and Only Wolfgang Activity Kit
Steve Greig & Mary Rand HessThe One and Only Wolfgang Activity Kit is a companion to The One and Only Wolfgang by Steve Greig with Mary Rand Hess. This guide can be utilized in the classroom, in a home school...
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Cooking Big Cat Style Breakfast
LaWanna MitchellCooking Big Cat Style Cookies is a collection of cookie recipes submitted by Big Cat Rescue’s streaming cat cam viewers. Between the cookie recipes are big beautiful photos of the ...
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Big Cat Care
Big Cat RescueBig Cat Rescue has evolved since its inception in 1992. By 1997 we had seen enough of the abuse and abandonment caused by the pet trade that we had previously engaged in to know th...