Guilty on 17 counts, including soliciting murder of Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma––A federal court jury on April 2, 2019 convicted self-styled “Joe Exotic” Joseph Allen Maldonado-Passage, 56, formerly known as Joe Schreibvogel, on two counts of having solicited the murder of Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin in 2018. […]
“Joe Exotic” allegedly thought he could get away with murder
Accused of hiring hit man to bump off Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin TAMPA, Florida––“Joe Exotic,” 55, allegedly thought he could get away with murder. Also known as Joseph Maldonado-Passage, Joseph Allen Maldonado, and Joseph Allen Schreibvogel, “Joe Exotic” was on September 7, 2018 indicted by a federal grand jury on two counts […]
Tony, the truck stop tiger since 2001, dies at 17––will he be the last?
Had at least 13 predecessors in 30 years IBERVILLE PARISH, Louisiana––Tony, 17, the latest and perhaps the last of a succession of at least 13 tigers exhibited for 30 years at the Tiger Truck Stop in Grosse Tete, Iberville Parish, Louisiana, was euthanized due to advanced kidney failure on the evening of October 16, […]
Hurricane Irma: survival stories from 27 zoos & sanctuaries
No losses of zoo & sanctuary animals reported! (See also Hurricane Irma: first reports on animals in the Caribbean islands, Hurricane Irma: Hemingway cats & dolphin rescuer Rick Trout rode it out in the Keys , and Hurricane Irma: how wildlife endured) Current USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service licensing data indicates that at least 217 […]
A tale of two of the world’s oldest tigers, both named Bengali
One Bengali lived at Big Cat Rescue, the other at Associated Humane Societies’ Popcorn Park Zoo Bengali, 21 or 22 years of age, either way one of the half dozen oldest tigers on record, and one of two tigers within that elite half dozen to share the name Bengali, died on May 31, 2016 at […]
Genie, the Big Cat Rescue sand cat
ANIMALS 24-7 honors Genie, the beloved tiny sand cat resident of Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida, who passed on December 8, 2015. Wrote Big Cat Rescue founder Carole Baskin, “Genie was 15 years old, which is beyond the age of any other sand cat we are aware of. Genie arrived at Big Cat Rescue […]
“Xi & Obama: please talk tigers!”
Fourteen leading tiger experts appeal to Chinese and U.S. presidents Discussion of China’s tiger farms and its growing domestic trade in luxury tiger products was unfortunately not on the table for President Xi’s September 24, 2015 visit with U.S. President Barack Obama. Between 5,000 and 6,000 tigers are being farmed today in China for a luxury […]
Big Cat Rescue: remembering every large & exotic cat
Memorial Wall includes nearly every cat species TAMPA, Florida––Visitors to Big Cat Rescue will see almost every species of cat whom anyone has ever raised in captivity. The cats are without exception kept in exemplary conditions, displaying the relaxed ferocity in repose that most cats take as a birthright. But visitors will see no “Wall […]