The Bladen County Public Library staff is excited to announce Shizzy’s Wildcat Rescue (SWR), is coming to town.
SWR is a 501(c)3 non-profit animal rescue organization located on 56 acres in Columbus County, in the town of Fair Bluff. SWR will be the home to tigers, lions, jaguars, leopards, snow leopards, cougars but not limited to; bobcats, servals, ocelots, caracals, and other predatory species such as bears and wolves. The group will also have birds on site.
The library staff asked the public, “Join us on Monday, March 28th as Shizzy’s Wildcat Rescue visits Bridger Memorial Library for an informative and FUN program! There will NOT be live animals, but there will be crafts and refreshments for kids to enjoy!”
Please be sure to register by calling 910-863-4586. Bridger Memorial Library is located at 313 Main Street in Bladenboro, NC.
FAQ’s
Frequently Asked Questions
1. When was Shizzy’s Wildcat Rescue founded? SWR is 501(c)3 non-profit animal rescue
organization founded in 2013, Greensboro, NC. The sanctuary property is located on 56 acres
in Columbus County, in the town of Fair Bluff, and is currently under construction.
2. What type of animals will SWR rescue? SWR will be the home to tigers, lions, jaguars,
leopards, snow leopards, cougars but not limited to; bobcats, servals, ocelots, caracals and
other predatory species such as bears and wolves. As well as birds.
3. Where will the animals be rescued from? The animals rescued will be from many
situations in the United States and abroad. Many are rescued from private ownership,
backyard breeders, circuses, cub petting operations, roadside zoos, the entertainment industry
and other poor conditions.
4. Why can’t they be released back into the wild? Big cats born in captivity are not eligible
to be released back into the wild unless a part of a Species Survival Plan and Population
Management Plan. Inbreeding/cross breeding, hand-rearing, health issues, being defanged or
declawed and other factors make it impossible for rescued animals to survive in the wild.
5. How is the SWR different from a zoo? A sanctuary’s main purpose is to provide a home
for animals in need. While an AZA accredited zoo is more focused on creating an
environment for the public to learn about a variety of animals along with having a catalog of
animals to breed in order to have a genetic bank in captivity of endangered species. What
distinguishes a sanctuary from a zoo is its priority in the well-being of the animals, not
humans. A zoo may buy, sell, breed or trade animals or even capture animals from the wild.
A sanctuary does not breed, buy sell or trade animals, nor capture animals from the wild but
acquire only animals who can no longer survive in the wild. This might include injured
wildlife confiscated illegal exotic pet, exotic pets who are surrendered by their owners and
animals from zoos, circuses, breeders, and laboratories that close down.
6. Will volunteers and staff be allowed in the enclosures with the big cats? No, our main
goal is to keep the animals in our care safe that also means not putting them in a position to
hurt us – therefore putting themselves in danger, their caretakers and the sanctuary. We know
the animals we will care for will be large, strong and unpredictable creatures. We will be able
to give them the care and attention they need without entering their enclosures with them.
7. If the animals rescued are endangered species, why doesn’t SWR breed them?
Sanctuaries provide lifelong homes to abused and neglected animals. If sanctuaries were to
breed these animals, it would take up space for animals in need. There are already more cats
in captivity than in the wild, big cats do not need to be bred to live in cages. Breeding tiger
mutts or big cats outside of the American Zoological Association (AZA) accredited species
survival plan (SSP) does not help conserve the species. Conservation of habitats is what is
necessary to recover the wild population naturally.
8. Why aren’t you afraid of the big cats? There is a difference between fear and a healthy
respect for big cat’s capabilities and we do respect them. Most importantly, we know when
handling big cats not to put ourselves in a dangerous and uncontrollable situation. We will be
following safety guidelines that have been created by the Big Cat Alliance, which is
comprised of the best Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) accredited
sanctuaries in the United States.
9. Are the big cats tame? A big cat is never tame in the same sense as a dog or horse, but they
do not generally have an inherent desire to hurt people unless they have been given some
reason to. SWR’s caretakers/keepers will be trained to know the behavior to look for and
what to do under certain situations.
10. Can a big cat chew through the fence? No, each animal, based off the species will have a
habitat that is built not only to keep them inside but keep humans out. Regulations state that
at minimum a 9-gauge wire must be used to house big cats. 9 gauge has a strength rating of
1290 pounds. Our habitats for all big cats will be between 9-5 gauges (the lower the gauge,
the thicker the wire.)
11. Will SWR allow public contact with the cats? Or allow people to take photographs
holding the cubs? The SWR is a no touch educational facility. We believe these animals
should not be touched, used as props or any form of entertainment. It is not only dangerous
for the animal and visitor, but also fuels the exotic pet trade and private ownership.
12. How long do they live? Big cats can live up to twenty years in captivity, but the average is
about 16 to 17 years.
13. What do we do when a big cat/resident passes away? We will honor the lives of our cats
and to ensure that none of our cat’s parts end up in the trade, we have will have the cats
cremated, and their ashes will be stored inside a memorial wall on the SWR property that
includes a photo, date of birth and death.
14. What do you do with the cats when it’s cold? All our animals will have warm dens and
plenty of warm bedding during the cooler months. Big cats are built to live outside they have
nice thick fur to keep them warm. Our warm weather cats will have heated dens to give them
a little extra warmth.
15. What if there is another hurricane with record breaking flooding? We would shelter in
to protect our animals. We will also have drones available to help secure the property. We are
building so that each animal has a roofed area and a way to escape the elements of weather.
Each animal will also have elevated den boxes and platforms that exceed the flood line for
the previous floods. We also will have an elevated indoor kennel system.
16. What if an animal escape? Even though the SWR will be built in a way to not allow an
animal to escape, the SWR will follows safety guidelines set by the USDA and
protocols/procedures created and implemented by the Big Cat Rescue, out of Tampa Bay,
Florida, one of the largest GFAS accredited and most successful animal sanctuaries in the
world – which has never had an animal escape. For a copy of this emergency protocol, please
visit https://bigcatrescue.org/critical-incident-hurricane-and-disaster-plan/
17. What if the electricity goes out? SWR will have several propane generators hooked up to
all necessary areas including, but not limited to: freezers, coolers, security cameras and other
areas of need.
18. Besides rescuing cats what else does SWR do? Aside from keeping animals safe, we
prioritize educating the public on the plight of big cats in the wild and captivity. By
educating the public about the problem of overpopulation of big cats in captivity, we hope
more people will avoid situations that contribute to the big cat crisis. You can help us by
supporting the Big Cat Public Safety Act! https://bigcatrescue.org/big-cat-act/
19. Does SWR accept donations? Absolutely! As a non-profit rescue organization, the SWR
receives no governmental funding and operates entirely on donations, both large and small.
Donate today and help make a difference in the lives of wildcats in captivity and in the wild.
Your tax-deductible contribution can be made securely at shizzyswildcatrescue.org or mail
your gift to Shizzy’s Wildcat Rescue PO Box 92, Fair Bluff, NC 28439.
Did you know……
The exotic pets and parts trade is the 3rd largest illegal trade in the world (behind drugs and
human trafficking.) There are estimated to be more than 10,000 big cats in private ownership
in the United States today.
There are ZERO federal laws regulating wildcat ownership in the U.S (making it a state
decision.)
North Carolina requires NO regulation of wildcats (Yes! This means you could have one
living next door and not even know it.)
For more information or ways you can help Shizzy’s Wildcat Rescue make a difference,
please visit www.shizzyswildcatrescue.org. To volunteer or inquire about educational
programming, please email rhondabilleaud@shizzyswildcatrescue.org.
Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ShizzysWildCatRescue/
Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/shizzyswildcatrescue/
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