Appalled by the tragic loss of exotic animals in Ohio? Here is what you can do to prevent more...

[Lisa0825]

Good info about this tragedy and the numerous others all over...
http://bigcatrescue.org/pressroom/

Action Center:
http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/home/

Most Important Comment Period Ever to End the Trade in Generic Tigers!
Ask USFWS to Rescind the Generic Tiger Exemption. You only have until Oct. 21 to Comment.

It's easy!

Just go to the link, fill in your info and say: I am for the new rule! click here


That's all it takes to save hundreds of tigers!

For more details about it read on.

There is an enormous illegal trade in tiger parts and products made from their parts, like tiger bone wine and alleged “traditional” medicines and aphrodisiacs. We have no way to know how many of the thousands of tigers that languish in private hands in the U.S. in squalid conditions are being killed and sold into this very lucrative illegal trade.

The reason we don’t know how many tigers there are, and where they are, is that in 1998 the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) created a rule that exempted “generic” tigers from the permit and reporting requirements that normally apply to endangered species. All tigers bred outside of AZA accredited zoos are generic. Lack of reporting makes it very easy to kill a tiger and sell its parts without detection. Increasing the supply of these tiger products builds the market for them and creates greater and greater incentives for poachers to kill the rapidly shrinking population of wild tigers.

To have any chance of saving the tiger from extinction in the wild we must control and track their breeding in the U.S. to be sure our tigers are not going into the illegal trade. After FWS received thousands of emails from our supporters and others in recent years, we are thrilled to report that FWS has responded by proposing a new rule removing the exemption!
This is fantastic news, but the battle is not yet won. The people who want to use and abuse tigers and rampantly breed generic tigers to make money selling and exhibiting them will be writing in to oppose this. The proposed rule is open to public comment until October 21, 2011. We need to support FWS by showing that the overwhelming majority of Americans love tigers and want to protect them from abuse and slaughter in captivity and extinction in the wild. It is critical that FWS receive comments from you supporting this proposal!

FWS is not accepting emails, but you can comment on line. Click here
to Submit a Comment. Please enter your name and address so they know it is a real person.

You don’t have to be eloquent. Just let them know you are FOR the new rule rescinding the generic tiger exemption. (This is the main point and really all you need to say.) If you like you can point out, as FWS says in their explanation for rescinding the rule, that breeding generic tigers has no conservation value and that we should control breeding so trade in their parts does not further threaten the survival of the tiger in the wild. Please use your own words – comments that appear to be “form letters” have less impact.

If you have any difficulty with their website, please mail a letter in your own words to:

Public Comments Processing

Attn: FWS-R9-IA-2011-0027

Division of Policy and Directives Management

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

4401 N. Fairfax Drive, MS 2042-PDM

Arlington, VA 22203


If you would like to read the entire proposed rule go to:

http://bigcatrescue.org/2011/close-generic-tiger-loophole/

To see the abuse that generic cubs suffer go to:

http://bigcatrescue.org/abuse-issues/issues/pet-cubs/

[CurtEastPoint]

1. Would like to comment. Can you give a link for the 'regulations' that works, please?

[Lisa0825]

2. I was editing just now. Try it again. thanks! nt

[Lisa0825]

3. kick

:kick:

[benld74]

4. Yes that is true, BUT a more pressing issue is the 21 states ALLOW tigers to be kept!

An article I read today, about the San Diego zoo taking 4 female tigers from a Texas 'road side freak show', stated that there are over 8000 tigers in the US. AND they were NOT talking about zoos!

[Lisa0825]

5. Yes, Big Cat Rescue has written about that as well, and they advocate for bans, not just regulation.

[customerserviceguy]

6. No more exotic 'pets' for rich assholes would be a good start.

And yes, that includes people who keep snakes and other potentially harmful creatures that have not been domesticated.

[riderinthestorm]

7. Thank you for this. Why you don't have a million recs I cannot understand. K and R! nt

[Lisa0825]

8. Thank you! I was losing faith myself! nt

[Booster]

9. K&R

[Kennah]

10. Only laws can prevent dumbasses like this

[Lisa0825]

11. You got that right! That's why BCR is very involved in legislation efforts. nt

[Lisa0825]

12. kick

kick

[sasha031]

13. Thank you so much for posting this, I commented last night

and forwarded it to facebook and twitter.
I am a supporter the Wildlife Conservation Society, and am now going to make a contribution to Big Cat Rescue.

This belongs on greatest page, again thank you for your effort.

[Lisa0825]

15. Thank you!!! :-)

:pals:

[Liberal_in_LA]

14. thank you...for posting this.

[Lisa0825]

16. Here is an article about the Tigers Big Cat Rescue recently took in from Texas...

http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wildlife/article1197551.ece



Arthur sank his large front teeth into a pumpkin like it was an apple. Then he paraded around the pen at Big Cat Rescue with the orange globe in his mouth, showing off the prize to human spectators. The 15-year-old golden tiger was calm and even friendly, making "pfff" noises with his mouth. Tigers make the sound, known as chuffing, to greet one another and demonstrate their good mood. Staff at the sanctuary chuffed back as Arthur pranced.

(More at the link above.)