I was horrified to see that Debbie Little would use the New York Post
as an outlet for advertising G.W. Exotics. I am sure that she just
doesn't know any better, but the NY Post should. Please pass this on
to her so that she can see what really goes on behind the scenes at
pseudo sanctuaries that breed baby animals in order to lure in
unwitting supporters. No real sanctuary breeds, nor do they allow
contact between the animals and the public.
Googleing Sanctuary Standards will send you to:
http://www.sanctuarystandards.com/
where you can see that G.W.
Exotics does not even come close to being a real sanctuary.
Searching G.W. Exotics here will tell you even more
http://reporter.911animalabuse.com/TheirVoice
--
For the cats,
Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457
http://www.BigCatRescue.org MakeADifference@BigCatRescue.org
Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:
http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU
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EXOTIC DANCE
By DEBBIE LITTLE
April 29, 2008 --
I've always liked to walk on the wild side. I suppose that's how you
explain why I spent a recent vacation in Oklahoma. Africa would have
been better. (My husband wasn't interested.)
The venue didn't matter - the activity did. Past memorable trips have
included swimming with dolphins and feeding giraffes. This time, I
wanted something even more hands on.
Which is how I came across an exotic animal sanctuary/refuge in a
small town two hours north of Dallas.
Called in entirety the G.W. Exotic Animals Memorial Park, it is home
to 1,400 beasts (over 80 percent of them rescued). Among them: 182 big
cats.
Without a real clear idea of what I was getting myself into, I booked
passage to the middle of nowhere.
On my first day in Oklahoma, I arrived at the park at 9 a.m. sharp to
be greeted by director Joe Schreibvogel.
Joe explained to me that some people want to work on their retreat and
others want to just spend time with the animals.
Not wanting to appear lazy, I asked for a combination of the two. I
was placed in the competent hands of Vic, who served as a personal
guide during my stay. Vic was about to bottle-feed "the babies." I
tagged along.
The babies turned out to be two 4½-week-old tigers and one 3½-week-old
lion that had to be fed roughly every four hours.
Once he had me hooked, Vic announced that today was "Hay Day." All old
cage straw would need to be replaced. Sounds easy enough, until you
consider that the park is 16 acres.
I'd like to think I helped, or at least didn't get in the way too
much. The park policy is no one eats until all the animals eat, which
on this hay day was 5 p.m. I was ready to scratch someone.
Day two started the same with bottle-feeding duty, but this day was
more about spending time with some of my new favorite animals: a pair
of 10-week-old taligers and a pack of wolf hybrids.
The taligers (liger mother-white-tiger father) came to the park as
five day-olds. I spent several hours watching the cubs stalk each
other, a wild deer outside their enclosure and me. (They are taught
not to bite but they like to go for your sneakers if you're not paying
attention.)
On my final day, I got to accompany Vic as he took Rick and Faith, a
visiting couple from Illinois on their private tour. Included was a
visit to the back breeding area not open to the public.
Visitors who fall in love with a particular animal may sponsor them;
the people from Illinois, within minutes, became enamored with the 3
½-week-old lion I'd fed on my first morning.
Sponsorships, which are essential to the fiscal health of the
USDA-regulated park, is a simple process.
For $600 down and $100 a month thereafter, Rick and Faith were given
the privilege of naming the little lion.
Since the cub had relieved herself on Faith during their playtime, it
was decided its name would forever be Poopy. (An appropriate name
since the couple owns a company that cleans septic systems.)
I immediately informed my husband that the next time we flew out, my
intent would be to sponsor an animal myself - a wolf pup, I think.
Maybe it would have cost him less to take me to Africa.
LOWDOWN
GO: Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for kids under 12 (under 3 is
free). The $25 all-inclusive package includes a private tour,
hand-feeding of the deer, cattle, goat and pig, plus lion, bear and
wolf viewings, and playtime with the babies.In spring and summer, the
park is open seven days, 9 a.m -7 p.m.
INFO: (405) 665-5197; gwpark.org
