calliecritturs
Posted : 1/9/2007 7:44:14 PM
Florida has so much displaced wildlife and there are several wildlife refuges near here. One, in particular, is a favorite of ours - they have taken animals that have been discarded from roadside zoos, abused 'pets', etc. just as she has. In particular they've got several tigers and Florida panthers. About 5-6 years ago they had a pair of cubs actually born there to a bonded pair of Florida panthers (FL panthers are endangered) so it was a big deal.
WE visited, and I happened to know a kid who volunteered there so we got the grand tour. The 'cubs' were now about 90 pounds but I got to go IN THE CAGE with them.
Now I'm violently allergic to cats ... but apparently NOT to big cats. But I just could not pass this up. I sat and got to cuddle the female (not on my lap but I petted her and got 'kissed' (their tongues are like the spiney side of velcro -- that's pretty much what it feels like to get 'kissed' by a big cat -- their tongues are VERY rough so it's quite a 'kiss' if you aren't expecting it).
The male was in a PLAY WITH ME mood ... so he came up and started to 'hug' me to pull me down (and I'm a big lady -- he was most definitely having his paws full) and he took my arm in his teeth but completely playfully. My husband was outside having a heart attack about ... and I look at this big cat and said (as only Callie could manage) "Excuse me ... you wanna take a bit of me? Nope .. I NEED that arm thanks!! So I kinda just pushed him firmly, and disengaged my arm (carefully) and laughed and ducked as he jumped over me. HE thot that was grand fun!!!
It was more fun than I'd EVER had ... and it started David and I on wildlife rescue -- we will stop our car for ANYTHING. From snapping turtles to sick birds.
Folks -- if you ever can HELP something do it ever so very carefully. Teeth are sharp, talons are sharp and some things bite instinctively (like above-referenced snapping turtle). You 'move' them with a stick or with something .. you don't just walk up to a hurt lion and cuddle him.
But I can promise you ... once you start it's addictive. You'd probably be really surprised to find out the wildlife rescue in your own area. GET INVOLVED -- it doesn't take much.
After we lost Muffin the Intrepid 3 years ago (today in fact) after his battle with renal failure, I had just bought an entire case of lactated Ringer's. So what do you do with like $200 of lactated Ringers solution? The package that was 'open' of loose liter bags we took to wildlife refuge up at Christmas, FL and the whole box we'd just gotten delivered we took to the Audubon Society (which happens to have a great predatory bird facility about 2 1/2 miles from our house). Both groups were THRILLED to get that ringer's solution.
But say your kids are looking for a 'good deed' to do (or a scout troop, etc.) -- having a bake sale or something like that and just buys stuff like gauze, alcohol, and Betadyne solution -- can be such a HELP to organizations like that.
I hope this lady inspires some of you -- they all need help!!