Big Cat Rescue
| Date opened | November 4, 1992 (as Wildlife on Easy Street) |
|---|---|
| Location | Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| Website | bigcatrescue.org |
Big Cat Rescue is an animal sanctuary near Tampa, Florida, United States, devoted to rescuing and housing exotic felines, rehabilitating injured or orphaned native wild cats, and ending the private trade and ownership of exotic cats via educational outreach and legislation. As of August 2015, the center is home to 19 big cats and 67 small cats. Big Cat Rescue has sheltered binturongs, bobcats, caracals, civets, cougars, Geoffroy's cats, leopards, lions, lynxes, ocelots, sand cats, servals, and tigers.
The sanctuary is located on 67 acres (27 ha) in the Citrus Park area of North Tampa. In 2014, Big Cat Rescue received over 27,000 visitors. Big Cat Rescue began operating in 1992, and bills itself as "the largest accredited sanctuary in the world dedicated entirely to abused and abandoned big cats." It is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and is a member of World Animal Protection.
Big Cat Rescue started on November 4, 1992. The sanctuary was previously known as Wildlife on Easy Street, which featured a bed and breakfast experience that allowed guests to spend the night with a young wild cat in their cabin. According to the sanctuary, this part of its history was a misguided effort to aid captive conservation and animal welfare of privately owned animals. The company became a nonprofit in 1995.
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