Lions, Tigers, Bears and More are Rescued by Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge rescues lions, tigers, bears, and other wild animals who have been rendered homeless.

When thinking of big cats, such as lions and tigers, most people picture the animals freely prowling their natural homelands. Sadly, in today’s world, there are more tigers living in U.S. captivity than in the wild. These animals are kept as pets by people who are unaware of the danger and financial burden that coincides with housing them. Others are exploited for profit in the film industry, traveling shows, or by pay-to-play schemes that create literal tiger mills, churning out cub after cub then cruelly disposing of them when the animal is no longer profitable. Many big cats live in dismal conditions – filthy, cramped cages – and fail to receive proper diets and medical care.

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge acts as a lifetime shelter for animals who have been rescued from these heartbreaking conditions. Incorporated in 1992, the Eureka Springs sanctuary has provided a home for abandoned, abused, and neglected big cats nationwide, with an emphasis on tigers, lions, leopards, and cougars. The need for our existence has never been more crucial than it is right now.

Our founding family, the Jacksons, rescued their first animal in 1978. The lion cub named “Bum” was the family’s first glimpse at the growing need for a place like TCWR. Since Bum, hundreds of animals have found their lifetime home at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. We have spearheaded many of the largest big cat rescues in the country and are the frontrunners in advocating for federal legislation to end the Exotic Pet Trade.

Not only do we give Survivors of the Trade the lives they deserve- lives full of enrichment, clean and spacious habitats, proper diets and quality medical care – but we are also working to end the Trade forever so no other animal has to endure the things our Survivors have. Through education, we are creating lifetime advocates and fostering a new way of thinking when it comes to the ethical treatment of big cats. The only thing missing from our fight is you! Please visit tcwr.org to learn more about our mission and find out how you can be part of creating a brighter tomorrow for big cats- a tomorrow that does not include tiny prisons, starvation, or abuse.

source