Lions, Tigers and Beers,

Oh My!

Wednesday June 5, 2013

Northdown Café & Tap

3244 North Lincoln Avenue

Chicago, IL  60657

All day & night!  11 am – 2 am

http://www.northdownchicago.com/wildcat/

Northdown Tap is hosting this incredible benefit for the The Wildcat Sanctuary in Minnesota.

Last year, with your generous help, we raised over $5000 — let’s try and double that this year!

Starting at 11am, we’ll be tapping rare beers from the best breweries in the world and we’ll again have amazing raffle prizes donated from some of the best artists & shops in the city!

Facebook event link: LIONS TIGERS AND BEERS!
Visit the fb page for updates on beers, raffles, tapping times etc.

Map / Directions

http://www.northdownchicago.com/location/

Tiger enjoying his new hammock

We also want to share that the first two residents have moved to the newly constructed Feline Meadows.  Henry and Haley, two wild born bobcats are settling in very well to their now 9,000 square foot habitat.  Our amazing volunteers constructed two large log jungle gyms.  These are more ‘natural’ than some of our other perches and they have been a huge hit.  Henry and Haley climb, play hide and seek and scratch all over the perch.  They also have the room to run at their top speed, which Haley has found to be the best part.  Your generous gifts made this move possible.

Henry exploring new habitat

With this new move we were able to move a few other cats as well.  Stelter, Brianna and Felicity are now out of Quarantine and in larger habitats next to the other bobcats.  Felicity has made fast friends with her neighbor Athena and Stelter and Brianna are enjoying exploring their new digs.  Seeing all of these cats able to enjoy life is the ultimate reminder of why we are here and why we are so grateful to have donors and supporters like you.  Thank you to everyone who contributed to the Match!

The first cat to see the vets was Kita the tiger.  Kita has had several abscesses on her lower jaw ever since coming to TWS in 2010.  It seemed every time the vets came to look at her, the abscess went away.  Finally this time the abscess was still present and the dentists were able to see the problem.  Kita had her bottom left canine extracted and should clear up any infection she might have.  She is recovering well although a little drooly but that should go away within a couple of days.

Next on the docket was Mesa the serval.  Mesa had a cracked canine and needed a root canal.  Noah the cougar was up next and also had a cracked canine and both are recovering well.

Last but not least was Ty the chausie.  Ty had four broken canines and needed the most amount of work.  All four canines needed root canals.  He was a perfect patient though and is back outside with his friends doing his best to stay away from us.

Thanks again to PEIVDF for all they do for us and for all the animals around the country.  Please visit their website and donate to a wonderful cause so they can continue their important work.  Thanks also to Dr. Plantz and team from Cedar Pet Clinic, Lake Elmo and Dr. Blake of VCA Animal Hospitals in Minneapolis.

The future here for Scarlet looks bright.  We are currently working on her new habitat and as soon as she is all healed she will be free to enjoy the great outdoors once again.  Two of our fantastic volunteers built her a special log jungle gym to stretch her wild side on, with high climbing logs and private coves to lounge under.  Scarlet remains a very private, shy cat but we are hoping that with her new pain free life and new habitat to explore she will break out of her shell be the wild cat she deserves to be.  Thanks also to Cedar Pet Clinic Lake Elmo for providing the wonderful veterinary care to Scarlet and all of our residents.

We will have an Awareness & Outreach booth, where staff and volunteers will be educating the public about TWS, our No More Wild Pets campaign and the captive wildlife crisis. Our booth will be located in the Kids Art Zone.

TWS Awareness & Outreach Booth:

Friday May 31  -   10:00 am – 7:00 pm

Saturday June 1  -  10:00 am – 7:00 pm

Sunday June 2  -  10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Unique to this event, we will showcasing/selling original TWS Cat-created Art pieces as well as an interactive kid’s table. We have been asked to participate in the Kids Art Zone activities and will have a 45 minute presentation on Friday and Saturday in the Kids Art Zone staging area.

TWS Presentations at Kids Art Zone:

Friday May 31  -  2:30 pm – 3:15 pm

Saturday June 1  -   4:00 pm – 4:45 pm

Come and enjoy this wonderful festival showcasing many Minnesota and other artists and stop by our booth to say hello or to pick up your TWS merchandise!

About the Edina Art Fair 

Wow, what a difference a week makes. I can’t believe how much can change in such a short time, from a devastating snow storm that damaged enclosures, to warm sunny days. One thing remains unchanged – that we have the BEST supporters in the world! So many of YOU came forward to answer our call for help.  Thank you!

This past season the Sanctuary has been tested.  We have had so many losses due to our geriatric population.  17 small cats needed to be moved when mold was found in the Small Cat Track building and then the snow storm displaced 20 plus hybrid/domestic cats.  You think our spirits would almost be broken.  But that isn’t the case at all.  It comes with the territory when you have over 100 rescued lives that depend on you daily.  And with your help, we will rebuild even stronger.  The cats deserve nothing less.

A special thank you to the volunteers who came to The Sanctuary to help with repairs.  In just one week – we had 34 full-day volunteers shifts filled!  The amount of work they accomplished with the staff was absolutely amazing!  Thank you!

And thank you to all of YOU who donated!  Your support not only helps with the rebuild, but it provides daily care to over 100 wild cat residents!

-Tammy Thies, Founder/Director

 Volunteers and staff raising the roof on a quarantine enclosure:

Reporting Susie Jones

April 19, 2013 5:33 PM

http://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2013/04/19/snow-damages-roof-of-wildcat-sanctuary-in-c-mn/

Heavy snow collapsed enclosures at Wildcat Sanctuary, but no animals escaped.

A tiger played in the snow at the Wildcat Sanctuary, Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2013 in Sandstone.

Photo: Elizabeth Flores, Star Tribune

Star Tribune photo galleries

Heavy snow has inflicted considerable damage at the sanctuary where many of Minnesota’s most dangerous wildcats are kept, but no animals escaped, the sanctuary’s manager said Monday.

Several hybrid enclosures that contain domestic cats collapsed after more than two feet of ice and snow built up on the roofs of the enclosures late last week. Quarantine enclosures were also damaged, said Executive Director Tammy Thies. Repairs could cost $100,000, she said.

The Wildcat Sanctuary, near Sandstone in Pine County, is a nonprofit refuge for lions, tigers, cougars, jaguars, lynx and other big cats that once were kept as private pets in several Minnesota counties. The sanctuary isn’t open to the public and is funded through private donations.

Five enclosures could need replacement and several more need repairs, Thies said. Those enclosures housed smaller cats, she said.

She said the damaged outdoor enclosures did exactly what they were supposed to do when they collapsed. “The enclosures are designed to concave when damaged,” she said. “And that is exactly what happened. All the cats were snuggled safely in their buildings and dens avoiding the elements.”

The Wildcat Sanctuary is accredited and enclosures are built to zoo standards in an effort to prevent escapes resulting from any natural disasters, Thies said.

Lions and tigers were inside their concrete and steel buildings during the recent storm and there was no damage to their enclosures, Thies said.

Thies said the Sanctuary implemented its crisis communication plan immediately after recognizing the damage, with staff and volunteers taking steps to ensure that no cats got loose.

Another 7-10” of ice and heavy snow was forecast Monday night in Pine County.

Donations are needed to rebuild, Thies said, at www.wildcatsanctuary.org/ or on the Sanctuary’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/wildcatsanctuary.

• Article by: KEVIN GILES , Star Tribune  651-925-5037
• Updated: April 22, 2013 – 5:06 PM
• http://www.startribune.com/local/east/204132081.html

In the 13 years of running this Sanctuary, I’ve never experienced anything like this. It’s been a whirlwind, after a severe storm dumped over 2 feet of ice and snow on The Wildcat Sanctuary.   What a devastating few days!

Inside view of enclosure that concaved

The good news is all

of our systems worked perfectly – from the overnight coverage, to morning rounds, to our crisis communications and recovery plan.  But, more importantly, the design and construction of our facility worked.  Our enclosure system is designed to withstand the Minnesota elements, but in some cases, Mother Nature wins.  Guess what?  We planned for that, too.  Any roofed enclosures were designed to concave in, should they ever be compromised.  This

is exactly what they did, preventing even the smallest domestic cat from being able to exit.

The big cat areas and all perimeter fencing were unaffected by the storm.  And, even though it was stressful for the humans, the Sanctuary cats never seemed the wiser.  We found them all curled up in their indoor buildings, probably wondering what all the fuss was about?

Enclosure roof with snow load

It will take months to reconstruct habitats.  But, with such dedicated staff and volunteers, we were able to crate over 20 displaced cats, bring them indoors and locate them in dry temporary areas within just 24 hours. It was a Herculean task!

Concaved enclosure in Quarantine area                         The structure concaved per our design

The worst affected area of the Sanctuary was Hybrid Haven, home to our domestic/hybrid cats.  One was destroyed, two need extensive repairs and three needed minor repairs. The pictures tell far more than words ever could.

Hybrid Haven #7

In all, five habitats will have to be completely reconstructed from scratch and nine will need repairs.  We’re already dealing with the reconstruction of our Small Cat Track area, both the building and habitats, due to a mold issue uncovered there.  This has impacted 17 cats that we recently had to move from that area while it is being rebuilt.

Hybrid Haven #7 destroyed

When it rains, it pours – or maybe we should say, when it snows, it really piles on!

For the last 13 years, we’ve been blessed with no significant repair issues.  So, I guess Mother Nature decided to pile it all on in one season!  As I write this, we’re in the middle of preparing to be hit with yet another 7-10″ of snow as another storm approaches.

These are the unexpected things you deal with when you provide sanctuary to animals that depend on you. As difficult and tiresome as the next few months may be, I’m confident that we’ll recover just fine.  Why?  Because we have you!   Thankfully, you’ve always been there for the cats, as have our phenomenal volunteers and supporters. There’s no way we could do this alone.

Domestic cats and hybrids crated in hospital, then relocated into constructed temporary areas

The storm damage total:

• 5 habitats need to be rebuilt from the ground up
• 9 habitats need repair
• Staff and contractor hours needed for demolition and rebuild
• Materials  and supplies to repair and rebuild
• Over 20 cats have been displaced from their homes
• Cost: $100,000

Can you please help us begin the road to recovery?  Your gift will help us begin reconstruction of the habitats damaged by this unprecedented storm, as well as the Small Cat Track building.  We honestly can’t do it without your help!

Read the first snow damage report here.