N'Dito
Name:
N'Dito
Breed:
Cougar
Personality:
N'dito is a small female cougar, probably a South American subspecies, as they tend to be a bit smaller; however,...
Sanctuary News
-
MAKE THIS A SPECIAL DAY FOR YOUR FURRY FRIENDS!
SEPTEMBER 8, 2010
-
Friends,
Summer is definitely upon us here at the Sanctuary. All of the animals are enjoying their misters and pools. For the first time this year, we have seen Zippy and Domino in their pools. All the bears are really enjoying their ponds daily. They get wet and with the breeze we've had so far, it's kept them nice and cool. I hope to see you visit the Sanctuary as the weather cools off.
We have some great news for all our wonderful friends, as the Communities Foundation of Texas has developed a cool way to donate to the animals of IEAS through DonorBridge, and will make your donation go further for the animals than ever before! If you donate to the animals of IEAS through the DonorBridge website on September 8th from 7a.m. to 7p.m., your donation will be matched by the foundation! Credit cards that will be accepted are American Express, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover. If you do not have a computer available to you at this particular time, please call our office at 940-433-5091 on September 8th, and we will be happy to take care of the transaction thru DonorBridge for you. DonorBridge is an online portal created by the Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) where potential donors can do research on nonprofit organizations that match their philanthropic interests. To help promote DonorBridge, CFT has planned a "Giving Day" on September 8th, where a minimum donation of $25 is required by the CFT to be eligible for matching. This is the second year the Communities Foundation of Texas has done a "Giving Day" and the animals here at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary are hoping it will turn into a "Great Day" for them. This is an excellent opportunity, with the economic situation we are all experiencing, to make our donations go further than ever before to help those that can't help themselves. So please mark the date on your calender today! Click here to donate on September 8th.
We are pleased to announce the following prizes that will be sponsored by The Dallas Foundation:
- The nonprofit organization that receives the largest cumulative dollar amount in donations. Prize = $10,000
- Greatest number of individual donors for a nonprofit organization with an operating budget under $1,000,000. Prize = $10,000
- Greatest number of individual donors for a nonprofit organization with an operating budget over $1,000,000. Prize = $10,000
- The nonprofit organization that receives the $1,929th donation. Prize = $10,000
- The nonprofit organization that receives the 2,010th donation. Prize = $10,000
Thank you for all you have given!
Richard Gilbreth, Director
International Exotic Animal Sanctuary
940-433-5091 Office
940-393-9036 Cell
richard@bigcat.org
www.bigcat.org
Scooter has himself a new friend now. In less than 24 hours the two are inseparable. This morning they were alseep together on one of their high perches. Greta and Scooter are glad to have a playmate.
By IEAS Wednesday September 1, 2010 11am
The grizzly bears enjoyed some sweets today. They each got a chocolate cake as a treat. Willie ended up just rolling around in it. Most of the cake ended up on his face and head. He did manage to leave some for him to eat.
By IEAS Tuesday August 31, 2010 12:15pm
The International Exotic Animal Sanctuary (IEAS) received a small six poundInternational Exotic Animal Sanctuary Rescues Black Bear Cub from Alaska
orphaned black bear cub on Tuesday, June 8, 2010. The cub was found and captured wandering at Excursion Inlet just west of Juneau, Alaska. He was motherless, alone and frightened. He was sent to Fortress of the Bear for safe keeping until a home could be found.
"We received word this helpless orphan needed a new home from Tom Schumacher, Biologist at Alaska Game and Fish Dept.," says Richard Gilbreth, Executive Director of IEAS. "We immediately responded to this call and accepted responsibility for his care throughout his life."
Alaska typically does not take a wild animal into captivity unless it has a facility ready to accept it," says Shumacher, acknowledging that otherwise it would have been necessary to euthanize him.
"This cub lost his mother and needs permanent loving care quickly," says Louis Dorfman, Chairman of IEAS. "We want to give him the best home he can have in captivity, with a large habitat, swimming pool, and lots of enrichment items and caring attention."
The cub was picked up at Sitka, Alaska by Richard Gilbreth and allowed to ride in the first-class cabin due to the assistance of Alaska Airlines and their booking agent, Kerri.
This little orphan bear is already becoming bonded with staff members of IEAS and is having fun exploring his
new home. He has already benefited greatly from our Emotional Enrichment Program in which we provide him with a source of security, comfort and affection that he would have received from his mother. He is being housed in our quarantine facility while he gets accustomed to the Texas heat. Eventually, when he is old enough and big enough, he will be taken down to one of the holding areas of Bear Orphanage: a beautiful, naturalistic, five-acre habitat that consists of forest and meadow areas along with ponds and dens, which are all part of the natural ecosystem for the black bear. There, he will be next to four other orphaned bear cubs that IEAS rescued last year and this year. Three of the bears (Rascal, Rowdy and Pixie) are siblings while the fourth (Scamp) is an orphan from Alaska that we rescued this past January. Scamp has already become part of Pixie, Rascal and Rowdy's social unit. They are always together and spend their days playing in the meadow or pond and sleeping and/or playing in the trees. With the success of this social unit along with the pairing of the four older black bears, we feel that we will have the same success introducing this new cub to the younger social unit in the future.
I know all are hurting during these economic times, but any amount you are able to donate will help this little tyke receive the best quality life possible in captivity. Why make him suffer anymore than what he already has...he already lost his mom. Remember, these animals that need your help, it is through no fault of their own. I am sure this little guy would rather be roaming the mountains of Alaska with his mom, but with your help, he will have the next best thing--a quality life here at IEAS.
You can find daily updates on how this little bear is doing on myspace, facebook, twitter and youtube. You can also read about him in the Star Telegram.
RECEIVE AN AMAZING DRAWING OF YOUR FAVORITE ANIMAL
We know that many of you have come to know and love the animals here at IEAS. Whether it be through your visits to the Sanctuary or by reading about them on the website, you have come to care for these magnificent animals. This summer, you will have a special opportunity to receive a spectacular, black and white drawing of your favorite animal. Nissa Marione, an Animal Care Intern this summer, is probably the most talented artist we have ever had come through our program. Nissa would like to donate her time and talents to provide you with an amazing 8x10 drawing of your favorite animal. To our many adoptive parents, this is a wonderful opportunity to receive a unique drawing of your adopted animal! All proceeds will go strictly to the Intern Programs here at the Sancutary. Check out the photo and illustration below to see just how talented Nissa is!
Nissa Marione grew up in Milford, PA. She graduated from the University of Maine in May of 2010 with a bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Psychology. While in school, Nissa worked as an Animal Care Intern at the Greenville Zoo in SC and also spent time working with wild song birds as part of her undergraduate theses. Additionally, she took, a wildlife ecology course that explored the diverse ecosystems and animal species of Brazil, involving a two week trip to the region. After her internship at IEAS, Nissa hopes to continue her education and career in the field of animal care and conservation.
Nissa would like to ask for a donation of $200 for each portrait and $250 for each full body sketch she does. All proceeds collected will directly benefit the IEAS Intern Programs. If you are interested in this once in a lifetime opportunity, please contact our office at 940-433-5091 or you can email us at richard@bigcat.org. Don't let this unique chance pass you by! Call today!
About Us
WHO WE ARE
.jpg)
International Exotic Animal Sanctuary, Inc. (
IEAS) was founded in Boyd, Texas in 1988 as a 501(c)(3), nonprofit tax-exempt corporation. IEAS's current mission is the care and welfare of its animal inhabitants, as well as educating the public about their needs. The inhabitants include bobcats, cougars, jaguars, leopards, lions, tigers and bears among other species. As of March 2010, 58 felines and 13 bears call IEAS home, with spacious habitats, pools and houses. The employees and volunteers who care for the animals give of their time and talents to ensure the quality of life to which they are entitled. What we do
Our Mission: The purpose and goals of IEAS are to provide a permanent sanctuary for exotic animals that have been abused, abandoned, neglected, confiscated, or previously owned by people unwilling or unable to provide for these magnificent beings. Additionally, IEAS educates the public through school programs, tour lectures,support for conservation programs, and public appearances about the value and worth of these sensitive, intelligent and perceptive animals, so that their future, as an important part of our world, is insured. We are committed to strengthening and promoting conservation education and other avenues to foster conservation in which we can participate. Our major goal is to give the resident animals the best quality of life we can give them in captivity through our Emotional Enrichment Program, which deals with the emotional well-being of each individual animal and its individual emotional needs. We do this to fill the need to reduce stress and agitation, give each animal the best life it can have in captivity, and by understanding what is required to achieve that goal.WHY DO WE EXIST
It is a fundamental question that one can ask:
why is there a need for a sanctuary for abandoned, abused and/or confiscated exotic animals? Well in recent times one can find the answer weekly just by watching TV or reading the newspaper on occasion. It seems that there is a proliferation of incidents involving exotic animals all across the country, whether one reads about the 24 big cats confiscated in New Jersey, the tiger kept in an apartment in New York, or the incident in Arizona where a keeper was mauled and seriously injured by a tiger while she was cleaning the compound. The story that stands alone for horror, is the case where dozens of big cats were confiscated in Southern California in unbelievably terrible condition, and authorities found a number of dead cats littering the buildings located at the same facility. Click here to read more: Why Do We Exist?HOW WE DO IT
Of course, we give the animals the very best food that is appropriate for their needs, mixed with minerals and vitamins that are necessary for them to have a well-balanced diet that satisfies all their nutritional needs. We also give the animals very large habitats with a variety of elements that take into account their species-appropriate utilization of space, such as ramps, swimming pools for all tigers and jaguars, trees, perches, climbing poles, and a variety of enrichment items. In addition, we satisfy the animals' emotional needs with a unique program we call "Emotional Enrichment" . Exotic animals are as individual as humans. Sure, there are some generalizations that can be made about a specific species, but there are many more distinctions from one individual to another within that species. So, we work with each individual according to its personality and emotional needs. In general, we have our staff and volunteers treat each animal with the respect and dignity that would be accorded another human. Care is taken not to agitate, irritate, or unduly excite any animal. Our Animal Behaviorist physically interacts with a large number of the large cats. Some of them have never had direct contact with a human. Most of the cats that have had direct contact previously considered it adversarial, as training methods of domination/control were apparently used. We find that most of the cats respond surprisingly well to our method of utilizing only affection, trust, and respect in direct interaction. They obviously enjoy and want positive emotional interaction. We want to caution the reader that without extensive experience, this approach could potentially be very dangerous, and we do not advocate it for anyone that has not had a great deal of experience and training. Read more...
