Winter comes to the big cats of Wisconsin at Sauk County Rescue

Do you assume your vacation feast is nice? How about one serving of 20 kilos of meat? How a few 20-pound meat feast day by day? How a few meat feast day by day for 21 cats?

These cats usually are not your typical home cat. No, these are large cats that want large meals. These cats feed on lions and tigers. Lynxes and tigers.

The large cats, who’re fed day by day, name the Wisconsin Huge Cat Rescue and Schooling Middle in Rock Springs residence. Though the group is now closed for excursions throughout the winter months, the cats’ work is not finished but. There are not any holidays for individuals who care for them day in and time out.

The cats are within the care of Jeff and Jenny Kozlowski for the remainder of the cats’ lives. Wisconsin Huge Cat Rescue takes in large cats from zoos, circuses, and people who can not adequately look after them.

The Kozlowskis have seen feast and famine currently. Take, for instance, meat. The group just lately misplaced each of its meat suppliers because of the inflationary price of meat. Now, the husband resorts to getting meat from the grocery retailer. The prices add up.

They’re telling hunters to take down deer carcasses, if they’ve any. Cats will eat them. They’re extensively asking owners to look by their fridges and freezers. Any stale meats they may half with in favor of a senior cat? Perhaps there’s a rooster Tyson that might be good for the Tiger. Maybe there is a pork tenderloin that by no means made it to the oven {that a} Jaguar would possibly like to share.

To assist with the mounting prices, the Kozlowskis started to assume outdoors the field. They constructed two cabins just lately: a household cabin and a spa cabin. Visitors can, even within the winter months, keep in a single day with the massive cats.

Cats embody Avalanche and Bam Bam. Gypsy and Megatron.

With working prices of roughly $200,000 per yr, the group is at all times striving for a extra steady monetary basis for the advantage of the animals. With a decline in excursions in previous years, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, with no grant author, and with out native, state, or federal funding, all of their cash comes from people who’re wanting to make a distinction within the lives of felines.

The group was based in 2005. At the moment, the Kozlowski household owned two lion cubs, Pebbles and Bam Bam. They might journey with the kittens, providing picture alternatives for company. It proved to be a financially profitable enterprise, but it surely took a psychological and bodily toll on the lions.

Because of the abusive nature of the enterprise, they rethought their profession route and opened the shelter, now a 501(c)3 nonprofit group. With their mission, as their web site states, “to supply a secure place and cozy residence for abused, uncared for, and undesirable senior cats.” In them”, they’ve acquired many cats. They presently have 21 with a capability of 32.

The group can also be ensuring Wisconsin enacts laws to guard the massive cats.

Wisconsin is one in all solely 5 states within the nation that doesn’t have legal guidelines relating to large cat possession. Which means that anybody in Wisconsin can personal, say, a Bengal tiger. There could also be a license charge to be paid. There could also be native ordinances that have to be adhered to. There could also be laws to think about, however in Wisconsin, your neighbor can very effectively personal a lion, legally.

This upsets the Kozlowski household, as they really feel it’s not just for the well being and security of the animals to have some laws in place, however for the well being and security of the group. They had been reminded of the 2011 case in Zanesville, Ohio, during which a non-public proprietor launched 50 unique animals he owned earlier than committing suicide. A lot of the free-range animals have been killed by native legislation enforcement. The checklist of lifeless animals in the neighborhood included tigers, mountain lions, bears, and extra.

There was additionally the “Tiger King” documentary throughout the pandemic, and the phenomena that rapidly impressed, and that the group needed to cope with. It was unhealthy information, but it surely was additionally excellent news. “We get quite a lot of unhealthy evaluations from individuals who do not know something about us,” mentioned Jenny Kozlowski. Wisconsin Huge Cat Rescue has no affiliation with Huge Cat Rescue in Florida, which is mentioned on the present, nor with another entity in this system. “On the identical time, folks have found that we’re right here, doing the work.”

Jenny Kozlowski walks by the Wisconsin Huge Cat Rescue Complicated. it is chilly. She placed on a hat and gloves. She rubs Avalanche’s head. Gypsy scratched behind her ears. “We’re right here for them,” she mentioned. “We, day by day, for the remainder of their lives.”

With the veterinary care offered by Lodi Veterinary Care; with volunteers serving to to take care of the complicated; with cat lovers who put cash into animal adoptions and foster care; With native residents donating to the trigger – the group’s want checklist contains the whole lot from tractors to paper towels and gloves to hoses; Trash Baggage to Golf Carts Animals stay the remainder of their lives in a secure atmosphere within the tranquility of Rock Springs.

like a gypsy. She is without doubt one of the rarest cats in america. There are roughly 20 of them recognized. Lily is a hybrid offspring of a male lion and a feminine ligher (she herself is a hybrid offspring of a male lion and a feminine leopard).

Like Avalanche, a tiger that has misplaced an eye fixed and a sister who died just lately. Just like the tiger, Kenya, which is now 3 years previous, can stay one other 15 to twenty years in captivity. Like a tiger with cataracts. Like lion cubs grappling on the frosty floor. Like the 2 servants that had been greater than their earlier proprietor might deal with. Like Bam Bam, who remains to be with Kozlowski, now totally grown.

Winter is coming and the cats are roaring and the Kozlowskis proceed to look after them and can, with the assistance of the group, proceed for a lot of seasons to come back.