BIG CITY GETAWAY

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BIG CITY GETAWAY

daytrip ideas to get out of the daily grind

CAROLINA TIGER RESCUE 1940 HANKS CHAPEL RD, PITTSBORO, NC 27312 919-542-4684 • carolinatigerrescue.org

Well here is the question that has bothered us all for a long time… Dogs: loyal, empathetic, playful, can detect cancer, cute. But the dog is a high-maintenance pet, demanding training, regular walkies, and attention. Cats: independent, sensuous, keep your house mouse-free, will sit still long enough to be photographed. But your cat doesn’t really love you, and its litter tray is full of mind-warping parasites. So, which are better – dogs or cats? Are you a dog or cat person? You can be both, but here are the facts. Cats are more popular than dogs in 91 countries, and dogs more popular in 76 countries. The United States, Australia, and the UK are all dogpeople countries. New York City had the highest number of cat- or dogtagged photos in the world, and 59.6% were about cats rather than dogs. London is the only British capital city in favor of cats; Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Belfast all prefer dogs.

But, let’s look at the wild-side, shall we? Wolf – 150lbs. Very big. Tiger 700+. No contest. Spenser T. Cat – a little less than 10. But, he’s our boy anyhow. Bear tree’er he is. We have to admit we are not big zoo fans. We have seen too many animals in the wild not to cringe at something so amazing being penned up. But there are times that humans have to come in and do their best at helping animals like these. Down in central North Carolina we came across a most marvelous place. Okay, the truth is, I was down south picking up a new machine and then, looking around for what was what in the region, I came across Carolina Tiger Rescue. When I texted Shira an image, she might have a bit more than green-eyed. Who would not when this comes across your phone? But there were not just tigers here… lions count too. I did go there with a bit of a chip on my shoulder but, after talking with the folks running this place, I found some amazing things that they do.

They have a creed: We believe the ideal home for wildlife is in the wild. We believe it is critical to conserve their native habitats. We believe wild animals should not be kept as pets. We believe captive breeding should ONLY be done in accordance with Species Survival plans. We believe all wild animals, both captive and in their native habitats, deserve to be treated with respect and not exploited for entertainment and commercial purposes. We work toward a day when wild cats are living in their native habitat and are not exploited by humans. The Carolina Tiger Rescue is home to ten species of animals, including tigers, lions, cougars, and kinkajous. Many of their animals have been rescued from dire situations where they were kept as pets, props in roadside zoos, or as residents of failing sanctuaries. They live in large, naturalistic habitat enclosures, and are given excellent care by keepers and volunteers. So, there I was nose to nose with the biggest cat I had ever seen. Zabu could only be bigger. (Anyone get that reference…?) Cats all seen the same; from house cats to the biggest tiger. He looked at me with the same inconsequential look. All cats, big or small, have that ‘Feh’ feel to them. Yet, when they tell you that they love you – you know it. So here, outside of Pittsboro, North Carolina, there is this sanctuary… and amazing it is. Yup, we love tigers – but how any times have you seen huge white tigers? Maybe not that much. And how many lucky girls can say that they are kindred souls with a tiger? Well, Shira is one, as there is a beautiful tiger at the sanctuary with the same name. Her name when she rst arrived was Yashira. Carolina Tiger Rescue decided to shorten it to Shira to prevent confusion between her and the two girls she came with, who were named Yakira (then changed to Kaari) and Yanaba. But they have all sorts of felines here… cougars, servals and of course lions! Oh, my! And, so many other creatures – some which I had never ever heard of, much less seen. How about the Kinkajou? They are native to Central and South America, and are also known as Honey Bears; however, they are not related to bears. Kinkajous are most closely related to raccoons, despite having an appearance more like a primate. Kinkajous have a long, prehensile tail that is used to grasp branches and trees as they eat fruit or move from tree to tree. And, they are super cute. Or what about the caracal? Caracals are native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and India. They are known for their large, black tufted ears. Caracal in Turkish means “Black Eared”. Caracals are erce predators who hunt birds and can take down animals up to three times their size. What started out as a short visit took up the entire morning – and it was all good. For sure there is something about seeing a cat stretch out. Spenser or Zabu – it’s all the same and I hope you would agree as much as we would. Dogs are fun, cats do rule! Should you nd yourself in the area of Pittsboro, NC and happen to be a lover of animals, you owe it to yourself to visit these magni cent creatures. There are many ways to give in support of their efforts including symbolic adoption – who wouldn’t want to make friends with a tiger, leopard, ocelot or kinkajou? ,