Grandma B. got to join Emma and I on her American Heritage Girl tour of the nearby Exotic Feline Rescue Center. This is a place I have always wanted to go, and it was well worth our time.
A few favorite pictures from the trip:
From their website:
Our mission is simple: we provide permanent homes for exotic felines that have been abused, abandoned or for some reason have nowhere to live out their lives, while educating the public about these beautiful cats. Today, the EFRC is a national leader in the rescue and care of exotic felines from all around the country. We are a USDA licensed and inspected 501(c)(3) organization.
With just under 200 big cats from 24 states calling the EFRC home, the scope of the nationwide problem of exotic cat ownership comes into focus. Today the EFRC is staffed by a devoted, full-time group of six professionals, trained in caring for exotic felines. They are supported by four other employees and several volunteers.
The EFRC has a reciprocally positive relationship with many members of the local farming community. Every week our employees and volunteers travel to destination farms to pickup deceaesd livestock. While the meat is free for our taking, our fuel costs in making this happen are substantial. On an average day, the EFRC will process and distribute 4,000 pounds of meat to its cats.
What is a typical feline habitat like?
In the early years of the EFRC many of the habitats we constructed were smaller than what we are able to build today. Most recently, a three acre habitat was erected to house seven tigers who are all brothers and sisters. All of our cats enjoy a mostly natural environment which includes vegitation, trees, shade and water. The only man-made structures are the wooden climbing towers and water tanks, in case there is not a pond. No concrete is used inside any of our habitats.
The EFRC does not buy or sell exotic felines. Nearly every single cat placed at the EFRC comes from a history of neglect and abuse. The majority of the calls which are fielded originate from either private owners looking to place their exotic cat or from a federal or state agency dealing with a seized exotic cat. The requests to take unwanted cats exceeds the EFRC's ability and resources to accept them by a wide margin.
Is the EFRC like a zoo?
No. The first thing you will notice upon arriving at the EFRC is that there are no paved walkways, refreshment stands or $1 million plus habitats. It is a rural, fully-functioning rescue center that allocates the vast majority of its resources to providing exotic cats with the best possible life.
Also, the EFRC accepts felines that zoos are typically not interested in receiving due to their own needs and partnership with the Species Survival Program of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. This program aims to insure the survival of certain species of animals through scientifically controlled, managed breeding programs. While this is a worthwhile and important program, it is fundamentally not in-line with the mission of the EFRC, which focuses on the rescue of exotic felines, regardless of their lineage and the prevention of additional breeding within this population.
