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It was my intention to cover the cougar case, but I'm afraid the death of the pseudo-sanctuary's latest acquisition, Vivi, baby tiger, needed to be addressed. I originally wrote about Vivi (first known as Zee Zee) in February 2009, shortly after her arrival to the pseudo-sanctuary. Tours visiting the "sanctuary" reported the 4 month old tiger cub lived next to the bears and was moved next to the two adult tigers. The tour guide told guests the plan was to integrate Vivi with the two adults sometime in the future.
Now Vivi is dead and the pseudo-sanctuary's vet, concerned with the extremely high number of big cat deaths this year, requested the tiger be taken to the Texas Vet Medical Diagnostic Laboratory for a necropsy. The picture shown above was found on the pseudo-sanctuary's veterinarian's web site; another photo seen on the site shamelessly depicts Vivi sedated and being "held" by one of the vet techs. I wonder when those photos will be taken down, if ever.
I warned the USDA/APHIS about Vivi living at the pseudo-sanctuary. Did they keep an eye on her? Did they keep an eye on Noel, the baby cougar, whom arrived just two months prior to Vivi? NO! Now Vivi is dead and Noel is allegedly "recovering" from her injuries sustained when "introduced" to the adult cougars. Noel lives at the pseudo-sanctuary's unregulated, non-inspected property, alone, right next to several tigers. Yes, you read correctly -- Vivi is living in one of the New Jersey tiger quarantine cages, within an eye view of several tigers! Due to her alleged injuries, it is unlikely she will ever be integrated with the 6 surviving cougars (assuming there are still 6 cougars left). So she will have to spend the rest of her life in a tiny quarantine cage next to tigers. Poor thing must be terrified.
And what would be the point of reporting Vivi's death to the USDA? I'm sure the pseudo-sanctuary's government paperwork will be in order -- never mind the epidemic of animal deaths at the tour facility. So, for grins, let's catch up on the number of deaths which occurred in the last few months -- 8 cougars, 1 liger, 1 tiger cub, and at least 2 tigers (possibly 4 in all)--that's a minimum of 12 animals since February 2009! This is outrageous and the sad thing is there is absolutely nothing anyone can do to save these animals, nor warn others from sending their "pets" or "lab animals" to this place. Government failed these animals because they are more concerned with "intentions" and the "paperwork" then they are on the health and welfare of the animals. I can assure you if animals were substituted for children or elderly residents, this place would have been shut down years ago.
So "where" can the directors be found during this epidemic? On vacation of course, where else? The male director is on yet another vacation and will not be back until next week, at which point, the female director plans to take yet another vacation.
With the heat maintaining over 100 degrees with a heat index of over 102 degrees every single day for weeks, I'm sure the death toll will continue to rise. But heck, you can be sure the "paperwork" will be in order.
God Bless Vivi and all the other animals that died at this place within the last few months; they deserved so much better. Vivi never got a chance to live the life of a tiger as her light was snuffed out way too soon. I just pray no more baby animals are either born or taken to the pseudo-sanctuary as I'm afraid they too will meet a very tragic end.
