Some mildly favorable reaction to my tiger column last week.
E-mail:
“Dear Rich,
Oh what timing you have! Just as I was printing a flyer asking for donations for a local Tiger Sanctuary I pick up the Medford Mail Tribune and there’s your article.
I agree with much of it. Tigers should not be kept in NYC apartments. Talk about as far from their natural environment as you can get. Imagine that tiger continually battling it’s natural instincts to attack and it’s dependency on Antoine Yates. I’m surprised it didn’t happen sooner. So, here’s where the problem begins. Ming (I think that was the tiger’s name) will now be given to a sanctuary that houses tigers that are forfeited as pets, abandoned, abused and usually in need of medical attention.
I had an opportunity last weekend to visit a local sanctuary in Cave Junction, Oregon. These people donate their lives to care for these above mentioned cats. They operate on donations and a tight budget. They are state and federally licensed and the animals are well cared for. There are many of these sanctuaries across the US, in addition to the zoos you spoke of. These animals can never be re-introduced into the wild. They must be cared for for the rest of their lives. I’m in hope that your article doesn’t take away from the dedication and the hard work these many sanctuaries provide for cats like Ming. It is truly a labor of love. There is no profit….”