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"Hope is
the companion of power and the mother of success, for those of us who hope the strongest have within us the gift of miracles."
Sydney Bremer
"It's Meow Or Never"
For those of you who aren't sure about adopting, having a wonderful heart, patience and so much to give, please see
this video. I have been graciously allowed to add the url to my page. I urge everyone who visits this
page to view this as words just don't compare. Takes a few minutes to load but it is worth
it !
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You
should all go to the following link to read the fate of animals that people just do not know about. I think
after reading this you may think before letting a pet
"have just one litter", be put to sleep and
left at a veterinarian's office, or get rid of your animals because they were an inconvenience or get a pet without realizing
the care involved only to get frustrated and surrender it to a shelter, etc. I am not perfect and I have my hard times
both financially and emotionally when it comes to my animals. I am not trying to guilt anyone but it seems
we view animals as having no worth, feelings, or rights. I am not involved in any organizations or volunteer at
shelters, etc. I have no time with my own life and animals. I just care and I hope by having this page
on my website that it helps open minds, hearts and eyes when it comes to natural health and the lives of our pets.
Even if it helps one pet, one person - I will be happy.
I DO NOT SUPPORT
PETA
A Rescue of The " Big Kitty " Kind
Above photo of Scarlett Stahl and two of the
trainers at Tiger Island at Marine World with Kuma- one of "Scarlett's tigers ".
I
am sure you will delight in this story - I thought it would be of great interest for all of you to add to my Rescue page.
I am very fond of tigers, and, after all they are a cat.
Scarlett Stahl arrived
at my home with her daughter on November 21, 2004. They flew all the way from CA to Massachusetts to see my naturally
raised babies. Her daughter adopted two of them and we had a wonderful visit upon which I learned that Scarlett played
a very big role in the rescue of two tiger cubs in 1996.
At the time she worked at the Customer
Service Desk for Delta Airlines and has since become a Travel Agent. This is her story which she wrote for Delta's
brochure. She has graciously allowed me to use her pictures and the story to share with all of you.
Marine World
By Scarlett Stahl
While working at Customer Service Desk for Delta Air Lines, I received a transfer call from a supervisor of Tiger Island at
Marine World. He told me that two tiger cubs had been born on March 25, 1996, at a zoo in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
Their mother had rejected them and their only hope of survival was to be brought to Marine World to be raised there with the
proper facilities. The official carrier of Marine World, United, had denied boarding in the cabin and the supervisor
was appealing to Delta for help. The cubs were only a few days old and were too small to travel in the cargo area, but,
as they were not domesticated pets at least six weeks of age, they were not considered suitable for transport in the cabin
either. I advised him of Delta's policy but told him I would investigate and see if anything could be done to help.
I called and spoke to the station manager
at Ft. Wayne who agreed to give permission for the transport in the cabin out of his station. However, the only two
connecting cities, Cincinnati and Atlanta, were reluctant to make a decision. In desperation, I called the systems analyst
in Atlanta who finally gave the green light to transport all the way through in the cabin.
Hallelujah ! When I informed the Tiger
Island supervisor that we had confirmation, he was elated and invited me to be his guest at Marine World, which is 30 miles
northeast of San Francisco. As I live in Los Angeles, I told him that I appreciated the offer but doubted that I would
be coming any time soon. Several months later, I received a note thanking me again, repeating the invitation and found
pictures enclosed of the male, Kuma and his sister, Shiva. Immediately I fell in love with them and they became
MY tigers.
Two years passed and vacation plans were made
to attend a doll convention in Vallejo. When I learned that the convention would be across the street from Marine World,
I remembered the invitation, contacted the supervisor, Chris Austria, and informed him that I would like to write an article
about the tigers. I told Chris of my desire to cuddle a baby tiger and there was a long silence. Finally, Chris
replied that the youngest tigers there were 11 months old, filled with youthful exuberance, and not as well trained as they
would become. I then asked about patting a tiger and again there was a long silence. Chris replied, " They are
very nice with people they know but they don't know you." At that point, I asked if a picture at least would be possible
and Chris said that was a possibility and he would be happy to make arrangements for my visit with the publicity director,
Jeff Jouett.
At Marine World, Jeff met me at the front
and escorted me back to the Tiger Island area and told me that they were trying to inform the public about tigers, who are
an endangered species. The trainers are with the cubs from birth or as close to birth as possible in order to establish
a trusting relationship between them. At birth, the cubs weigh between two and three pounds. By two years, they
weigh about 300 pounds !
There is a blind tiger who lives there and
is taken on walks to stimulate him.
I must admit that, while I waited in the back
for them to bring a tiger out, I did feel uneasy, that is until they arrived and told me that the tiger was Kuma, MY tiger.
He was magnificent and they walked him around the little path while I sat watching in a chair, waiting for instructions.
I noticed him looking at me while he stood up against a tree and clawed at it, just like a cat clawing his claw scratcher,
but this was a 300 pound kitty. And, after clawing, he sprayed it, marking his territory. Chris suggested that
it would be better if I stood up rather than sitting down. Soon, they had him lying down, while they patted and stroked
him. Chris called to me that it was my time to come over and kneel behind Kuma and stroke him, which I did. This
was my big moment and my heart raced. He felt so solid and had rather rough fur. Then, Chris told me to stand
up slowly when Kuma stood up, which caused me to ask if Kuma didn't like people sitting down. Chris replied that was
not the case, in fact, he likes it too much. I was told that Kuma is very sociable but his sister Shiva is rather reserved.
I was able to pat and stroke Kuma a second time when Chris coaxed him to stand and rest his paws on Chris's shoulder while
Chris poured milk into his mouth as a treat.
Incredible !
After they took Kuma away, they brought out
Devon, the 11 month old who was smaller but still weighed 165 pounds. After a few low growls, it was evident he wasn't
in the mood for a photo shoot, so I settled for just a pat on his back. Then, Chris led me to the front of Tiger Island
to see the show, which was incredibly wonderful. The trainers ran pulling the long sheets tied into ropes for the tigers
to chase in and out of the water while the tigers went under to catch their toys. I saw Kuma, his sister Shiva, Devon,
and a couple of other tigers all playing together at the same time with the trainers and having a wonderful time. I
don't want to spoil the show for you, so I won't go into more detail but will just say this is a MUST-SEE-SHOW and the trainers
are happy to answer questions afterward.
The moral of my
story is to give thoughtful consideration to all requests.
Please note
there is MUCH more to Marine World that Tiger Island. There are 24 exciting rides, which include a suspended looping
coaster called Kong, an upside-down scream machine, Voodoo, head-spinning Hammerhead Shark, the high-swinging Ark and the
3-D Dinosphere TurboRide. There are more than 35 marine and land animal attractions, including Dolphin Harbor, Giant
Aquarium, and Elephant Encounter. It is the only theme park of its kind in the world !
Marine World
Parkway, Vallejo, CA. 94589
707-643-ORCA(6722)
This page will
be host to animal rescue leagues and shelters for all animals from cats, dogs, pot bellied pigs to horses and more.
I have adopted myself from a rescue. I have also been fortunate to deal directly with Rottie Rescue when my dog
got loose and eventually ended up with them and shipped to Maine where he was to stay with a foster family until a home was
found. My dog would have been put down because of his breed had it not been for the efforts of that exceptional rescue
organization. He has an amazing temperment but that doesn't matter - his breed has a bad rap due to those who exploited
them and they are the first to be put down. You get what you give and what you breed - give love and your animals
will give it back, breed bad temperments and you get bad temperments and you ruin a breed.
My only complaint is that due to ignorance,
shelters overvaccinate, overdrug, etc. No one really educates themselves on the chemicals and adjuvants in drugs and vaccines
and the damage they do to health. The vets they use more often give multiple vaccinations at once which is a huge mistake
as well as vaccinating animals that are not perfectly healthy. You should never vaccinate an animal that is not absolutely
healthy. You can compound and add to existing health issues.
I do, however, implore those of you
looking for a pet to please check your local shelter and rescues. There are so many beautiful animals who desperately
need a home. Our shelters and rescues can only handle so much.
You can make a difference by just adopting one animal
- that is one life saved :-) they could be the absolute joy of your life.
Please do your part and be a responsible
pet owner and spay and neuter your pets! We would have much less rescue needed if you would just put aside a couple
dollars a week so you have the money to spay/neuter by the time the animal is sexually mature. Ethical, caring Breeders require
spay/neuter of purebreds adopted as pets in each contract as well.
We all need to do our part.
I realize it may seem odd that a "breeder"
has anything to do helping out with our rescues and shelters. Most people consider breeders mostly to blame for animal
overpopulation. The truth is, it is careless and ignorant breeders and owners that contribute to overpopulation.
Backyard breeders with little education on genetics and no care for anything but making a buck and breeding their animals
into the ground. Owners that never " get around " to spaying and neutering - " just want one litter ".
Many owners are sick of taking care of their animals or are abusive and the animals end up in one of these institutions.
Of course, there are many animals who's owners have passed away or financial burden forces owners to give up their beloved
pets.
Many pets are usually acquired
by people from " backyard breeders", mills, stores who buy from mills, those who bought and did not spay/neuter and bred
for the "fun" of having litters and making some money without the study on genetic inheritant faults, having contracts to
protect what they produce, etc. People pay good money for purebreds from a reputable breeder and they aren't
going to give them up to a shelter or rescue.
Any responsible breeder has a contract
with every animal we place in homes to prevent them ending up in shelters and rescues. When you decide to
breed, you are responsible for these animals and a breeder will do everything possible to ensure placing them in
good homes. Of course as with everything in life, nothing is guaranteed and not all people are honest, we can only do
our best. Prospective adopters are screened to the best of our ability to match up personalities, financial
stability and ensuring a permanent home. I was screened over a period of two months for one of my cats and that is no
exaggeration. Dedicated breeders work with these breeds to improve them, breeding to show so our quality
is judged and we preserve the breed for future generations. It is costly and we are lovingly slaving with
every spare minute to care for our chosen breed. You would be amazed at the efforts involved and the expense - as well
as the huge sacrifices we make.
There are many "backyard breeders" and
" mills ". Don't support them by buying from stores and malls and ads in papers that offer choices of many breeds or
super cheap prices. You certainly do get what you pay for. A good breeder knows the breed standard & colors for
their breed outlined by the registry ( CFA, AKC, TICA, CFF, etc ) that they should belong to if they
are breeding. Just because they have animals registered with AKC or CFA, etc. and can give you registration papers
does not mean they are a registered breeder ! They should have a Certificate from the registry with a kennel or
cattery name & number as well a their name on it if they are a reputable breeder - ask to see it !
If they have an online website which is a plus - visit it.
Anyone can buy/sell
a pet ( show quality or not ) with papers if the parents are registered - it does not mean you are getting a quality
animal at all - you could be getting a low pet quality with registration papers as there is no law that says a low quality
animal cannot be registered. A Pedigree will tell you if you have an animal from quality lineage - even
if the animal is not high quality itself - it possesses the potential. The Pedigree will list usually about 4 Generations
- parents, grandparents, etc. and with any titles they may have acquired which affirms quality. The more Grand Champions
and higher titles in the first 4 generations the better. Many cat breeders give a written Pedigree with a kitten
and you can buy an official copy from the registry when you register your kitten if you have papers to do so.
I will not allow registration of my
Pet quality kittens- they do not come close enough to the standard. They are still precious to me irregardless - just
not the quality I feel should be representing the breed with CFA. I will give a Pedigree of these kittens to the adopter
so they have the lineage documented. Many people mistake Pedigree for "papers" also which it most certainly is
not. Pedigree is more important in my eyes - for proof of parentage and quality of lines - but to show or breed you do need
registration as well which has to have the PIN number from the litter registration in order for any future kittens
to be registered from the animal. That is the only reason registration is really needed - for breeders to show
or breed otherwise it is pretty much just a piece of paper and useless to a Pet owner aside from showing definite ownership.
A breeder should know common health issues
related to their breed and have proper testing done to certify their stock is negative - such as the DNA testing for
PKD to ensure a Persian breeder that their cats do not carry that defective gene. They should have all adult cats tested
and be able to produce a copy of the results to you. The animals should be well groomed and live in clean
quarters and no overcrowding. Ideally, a cattery with 10 adults and under is a healthy cattery on average. For
further assurance of the breeder's professionalism and ethics, they should be showing their cats so that you know the
cats are actually judged for quality against the registry standards.
There are a huge number of breeders
who are irresponsible, do not study or care about genetic faults passed on, never show to affirm the quality of their
stock and are only interested in the money. It is the new owner who pays astronomically in the end for vet bills
due to health problems because of a heartless and greedy group of people working with inferior breeding stock and no respect
for what they do. Those of you who buy from these people are supporting them. If they do not question
you about your life, why you want an animal and your ability and experience in taking care of them - do not buy from them
- if they have no contract concerning the future well being and health of the animal - do not buy from them. If the
cats are living in unsanitary conditions, seem sickly, overcrowded, are not ever shown - do not buy from them !
Do some research and take the time to find
a respectable and honest breeder. You will help put these people out of business and eliminate genetically unsound breedings
and lessen the load on shelters and rescues.
Placing blame is easy and it is human
nature but it gets us nowhere. Anything can happen to cause pets ending up in shelters. We are all to blame.
Bottom line is that these animals need a family. We spend so much on material things to make us " happy". The
unconditional love and companionship of a pet offers true happiness and fills the empty space most of us have. We need
to work together to find them good homes, they deserve a life of love and happiness also :-)
I would like shelter and rescue organizations
to please send me their contact information, website urls, etc. so I can fill this page! I am planning on showcasing
some of your animals also so send a good picture ( jpg. format scanned at about 400 )and some information on the animal (
their likes, dislikes, temperment, health issues, etc.) Maybe we can find good homes for them through my website.
Did you know rescues/shelters
can set up at cat shows ?? There has been a rescue set up at most CFA shows I have attended. We get lots of
visitors to our shows and you may be able to place some cats in good homes. You will also have a good time and see what shows
are all about( though not understand the points system easily !) and make some good friends and contacts. Go
to CFA's website and check the show schedule for shows in your vicinity and contact the entry clerk for information.
You will also see household pet classes at
some of the shows. I have seen many beautiful cats adopted from a shelter/rescue entered in the shows and winning tons
of ribbons. Walk around and take pictures of these people and their adopted rescues and put them on the rescue websites
! It is a good way to stir more interest in adoption. You might have a "star" in your rescue yet to be shown :-)
Can't adopt ?? Volunteer your time or
Donate !!! Your gift of time and/or money helps so much in the care and upkeep of these animals until a home is found.
You can also donate pet supplies you have hanging around that you don't use or find at bargain stores.
Breeders - donate cages, carriers,
food, blankets, dishes, etc. anything you don't use anymore that is in good condition. Every little bit will help
these rescues/shelters !!
E-Mail Me
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