Snow Leopard Letter to the Editor

kvalnews, Cat

In this story:  bandon-animal-park-welcomes-endangered-snow-leopard-as-its-newest-addition

 

your reporter Jessica Waite, did a fluff piece that promotes cub petting which is currently under USDA review for a rule change due to the fact that the only way these backyard breeders and roadside zoos can use cubs is to pull them from their mothers when they are only hours or days old.  More about all of the abuse that entails at bigcatrescue.org/cubs

 

But the bigger story might be how West Coast Game Park Safari got their hands on a $10,000 snow leopard cub?  If you contact Oregon's Dept. of Natural Resources, or Fish and Game Dept. to ask to see the USDA import permit for such a rare and thus expensive cat, I'm pretty sure you will see the cat originated in California, Florida or Nevada as there are no known snow leopard breeders in Oregon.

 

It's my understanding that an endangered species, like a snow leopard must have approval by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be transported across state lines.  The requirement for issuance of a Captive Bred Wildlife Permit and transfer is supposed to be predicated on that activity enhancing the species in the wild.  Using a cub for pay to play sessions is NOT conservation.

 

Given the young age of the cub, it is apparent that the breeder had to have broken this new USDA mandate of leaving the cub with their mother for at least the first four weeks.  Any cub left with their mother that long would not allow humans to chain them and pass them around as if they were toys.

 

4/3/2016 USDA cracks down on abuse of cubs under the age of four weeks.  In response to a 2012 legal petition filed by The Humane Society of the United States, World Wildlife Fund, Detroit Zoological Society, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Born Free USA, Big Cat Rescue, Fund for Animals and Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued guidance making clear that exhibitors violate the Animal Welfare Act by allowing members of the public to handle or feed infant exotic cats like tigers, lions, cheetahs, jaguars or leopards.  Read more http://bigcatrescue.org/usda-announces-partial-cub-petting-ban/

 

Every year they have plenty of cubs to pimp out, but then they disappear.  Cubs are only valuable until they are about 12 weeks old and too old, by USDA guidelines, for public petting.  Where do all of those cubs go?  Legitimate sanctuaries don't take cubs off the hands of abusers, just to allow them to continue the abuse.

 

Please follow up this fluff piece with a real story about how this sort of thing is happening, despite laws and rules to the contrary.  My guess is that you will see Donation checked on the USDA form and no one gives away snow leopards.

 

For the cats,  Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue

"Judge me by the enemies I have made."  - Franklin D. Roosevelt

Author of Big Cat Care - How to Start a Sanctuary

12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL  33625

 

Hi, I’m Carole Baskin and I’ve been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views.  If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story.  The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/

 

I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story.  My hope is that others will recognize themselves in my words and have the strength to do what is right for themselves and our shared planet.  

 

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