This was good . She never made excuses for her mistakes she owned up to them and is giving them up because she knows now they deserve better. Kudos ma'am
Mad9977 What about domesticated cats? They come from the wild just like big cats and are put in tiny cages where they can barely move around and no one calls that abuse.
When she held that baby tiger for the first time and was overwhelmed with love for felines... I had the same reaction in the adoption room at PetSmart when my eyes met Stella. Folks who love looking at big cats on TH-cam and wish you could own one - just go to your local shelter and adopt a domestic cat.
True, it was sad for me to watch those cats in those cages as well. But at least she fixed her mistake. Many crazy people just don't realize how stupid they are being. She is the only one I have seen who realized and fixed the situation to the best of her ability.
I agree the cages are torture doe these big cats - She obviously loves cats so she should go to the humane society and rescue 25 house cats and be happy - Owning big cats is a selfish ego trip - But I guess she has rescued some of these cats from worse conditions
Private ownership must be banned worldwide. We must preserve the species, protect them from abuse and poaching, and preserve lands and foliage and other wildlife so they can thrive.
You are SUCH a wonderful, caring person to do what you did. Feel good about this. It will probably be the hardest thing you'll ever have to do but you can rest at night knowing you did the right thing.
Absolute scum. It is so tragic to see that animal in a cage. Pathetically sad. Who the fuck do you think you are? You have absolutely no right to hold those animals and keep them as your "pets". You might as well call it furniture, because that's how you treat those animals.
I actually think her way of treating the cats were a better option, at zoos: they get tortured, underfed and forced to do tricks infront of flashphotagraphy, shouting people and keepers hurting them. The way she had them: small cages but not as small as the ones on zoos. They were wellfed and had toys and clean cages, no crowds of people shouting and no flashphotagraphy. No whipping or hurting them. The Tigers seriously chuffed when she came close! Tigers chuff when show affection! She also freely gave them away so the tigers could live in a biiig sanctuary! Zoos and private owners often FIGHT before letting the tigers go. So no. Not worse than the zoo since they actually freely was giving them away, they were wellfed and had good energy.
keeping these animals is abuse. they roam hundreds of kilometers and u put them in a small enclosure? did u know that there are over 10,000 tigers kept as pets in the usa while only 4000 remaining(all sub speicies) combined!
as much as i would love to agree with you, you are wrong about the 4000 tigers left in the wild.. there are less than 2500.. and that is absolutely heart breaking.. you obv care so please spread the word for people to NOT go to circuses that have exotic animals or petting zoos that pose as conservationists because they just supply the trade. i do that to everybody i meet and they hear me whether they like it or not.. if i can convert one person to not do that then i consider it a success and EVERYBODY should do the same
I totally agree that keeping tigers in a 10x10 cage is abuse. But you can't just put these tigers back into the wild. They need to be in an enclosure with at least a few acres to roam on. Better yet, they should be kept on an enclosed wildlife preserve, with great owners who really understand what tigers really need.
God Bless you Denise! You did the right thing. Something most big cat owners won't do and don't do. They SAY the cats come first but they don't. However, you PROVED these cats come first by giving them up. Thank you! I hope other big cat owners will see this and follow your lead.
Valkyrie B they were rescued from aweful conditions, and moved onto the best lives they could have, they are not pets! They needed help, we were there for them! We were just a stepping stone and made sure they were safe an well cared for at their new homes😉
Bless you, Denise, for wanting a better life for these cats, and for being unselfish enough to do what was needed to make sure they were safe and as happy as can be under the circumstances.
That is the smallest cage l have ever seen in my life. You claim to love this animal but never think about what is best for her. Try seating in your closet for the next 10 years.
T Story Time it looks to me like they lure cat out in small cage with food.. the small cage has a door to close after coming from Bigger enclosure.. they probably do it to clean big cage and feed..
Having a big cat with lots of space to run and proper care is alright. If you can provide that, go for it! But keeping them in tiny cages is pure abuse. They will become miserable. They need more space than a tiny little cage, quite a few acres at least
This shows how handling exotic cubs leads to private ownership of exotic animals. There are SO many people who first go to pet a baby tiger, lion or other dangerous exotics and then start owning/breeding them. It's not right.
90Kirame Like it's right to breed domesticated pets and hoard them and cannot take care of the domesticated pets cause there are too many and end up having to put them down. I know people who are like that.
That's just as wrong imo. You just don't hoard animals, whether they're exotic or domesticated. If you take yourself a cat or dog or any animal you'll need to take care of it for its whole life. Just taking them in and letting them live like a swarm of rats is as far from caring as it gets. Unfortunately there are way too many people who do this. And even sadder is that putting down domesticated pets is simply so easy it's not getting as much attention in media as, for example, having to put down tigers and lions.
90Kirame Same with exotic pets. If you take yourself a tiger or a lion you'll need to take care of it for its whole life. But barely anyone can do that because they are trying to make it illegal for people to own them for no reason.
AnimalLover "For no reason"? There are plenty of good reasons why people shouldn't keep exotics as "pets". As much as you tell yourself and everyone else a tiger has been hand-raised from a tiny cub, it's still a wild animal. Even during playing it can kill you. Have you heard of a child who was let into a cage with a tiger and lion? The tiger attacked the boy and the lion tried to save him. He dragged the child from his neck and broke his spine by an accident. That kid is never walking again. Not only is it dangerous to people, but the animals as well. Do Average Joes have enough money to ensure the best possible lives for the animals? Even most zoos can't do this. For the start, tigers roam hundreds of square miles in the wild and regulations in the US say the minimum size of their cage is as tiny as a parking space. That's just wrong. Can they afford a proper diet? Proper enclosures with real soil and vegetation, enough room and enrichment? Can they see if there is something wrong with the animal? Felines do not show their suffering and even if there WAS something wrong you can't see it with bare eye without any kind of education. Can they afford annual checks and veterinary care or even find a vet to do all this? Can they afford surgeries should there be need for one? Even if they had money, would they BOTHER do all this? Call me a pessimist but I very highly doubt it. Taking GOOD care of one tiger costs about 10000 dollars per one year. How many private owners do you think are offering all this to the animals? ^Just the tip of an iceberg here. These are mostly just money-related issues, not to mention the lack of knowledge, some tragic accidents like hurting yourself and suddenly being unable to care for the animals. Losing your job so you'll no longer have money. Divorcing and losing your house. With cats and dogs these questions are much simpler, but when we're talking about tigers and lions you can't just pack them into carriers and take them with you. People are known to keep these animals in garages and I saw a video of a tiger who had been living in a van through its entire life. Just watching him walk wrenched my heart out. It's becoming illegal because people have proved themselves they're unable to take care of these animals and many times are putting therm, themselves and others at risk. I visited a sanctuary in South Africa and the lions were in horrible shape there. Their previous owners had fed them PASTA and they were small and deformed and weak. It's heartbreaking what people think they can do to the animals because they "own" them. It's kinda wrong to say there's "no reason" for these new laws and legislation when there are more than there should have ever been. I hope this helped you to understand the problem.
90Kirame Domesticated cats come from the wild and so do dogs, and they are kept in worse places than these exotic pets are. Yet no one is banning us from keeping dogs and cats. There are more deaths from a dog than from an exotic pet, yet there are billions of people keeping them. Dogs are kept in kennels which are so small they can't even turn around and no one calls it abuse. I would never put my dog in a kennel. And what about vet bills for dogs and cats? It's also expensive. Domesticated cats are just like big cats, you can't tell if there's something wrong with them. I've seen people feed their dogs rice, is that the kind of diet a dog needs? Dogs and cats are abused worse than an exotic pet is.
One thing “Tiger King” (Joe Exotic), did was bring attention to large cats living in horrible conditions, in small cages in backyards!! WHY is this legal???
At least she admitted she was naive, she finally did the right thing by those Big Cats. Pity that she had such unfortunate people around her that dragged her too into the exotic pet ownership, a woman just plonking a baby tiger in her hands like that, females are maternal, for all we know she may have been emotionally blackmailed with her maternal side with the baby tiger, some of them not only want these big cats as pets they want to join in breeding them in captivity too, so what's the reasons for that one seems as they cost thousands of dollars, i don't think people who buy and sell wild animals or any animal for that matter is that much of a caring person claiming them as pets too, people like to think of these pets as their babies, really? My question is Would you sell your human sons & daughters, or grandchildren too? Or do you just make them different between buying and selling, buying and selling a living species isn't really love, love never comes with a price tag around it's neck, or ankles. What's also sickening is that men will also put a price tag on women for " sex services " selling females sexuality, just like they also poach and sell these wild animals. It's truly sickening and so sad what people do to others as well as to animals.
When I was 8 a company brought a few big cats and cubs to a random business in my city and my brother and I got our picture taken with an adult tiger and I always thought that was the coolest thing bc I love animals (I even brought the picture to school to show my class). As an adult (even before the Tiger King craze) I realized the truth behind those encounters are so cruel and inhumane and I can only imagine what they do to the adult cats to keep them in line. These poor cats didn't deserve to be in those tiny cages and I'm glad she did what was best for them. She seems like she genuinely cared for them and wanted what was best at risk of her own sadness over sending them away.
This lady is a REAL cat owner. If you are willing to go take care of your animals after you JUST got out of surgery and even give them up to make sure they live, EVEN IF you my not even have to, but just so they can be guaranteed life, you deserve the title of a TRUE cat owner. Thank you Denies for being that parent to your babies. :-)
Just because she "loves" her cats immensely, doesn't mean she was a "REAL" cat owner. Did you see the size of those cages?? You're telling me that is how a tiger is supposed to live. Even though those tigers can't be released into the wild (because they wouldn't survive), they still need a lot more room to roam and play. At least a few acres of open land, like on a wildlife preserve. She did not know what she was doing. She NEVER played with her tigers. You don't have to get up close to the tiger to stimulate it into some type of playing activity. She just kept it caged. That's no life for a tiger, and she was no "real cat owner".
her cats looked pretty happy and relaxed to me.. played with or not, she said she gave them daily stimulation. the cages were just little spots where the cats could get closer to the humans/and or they could round them up in them if they needed to locate the animal for any reason.. there was a giant enclosure with an opening to it for the cats behind the cage.... the more you know :)
Lorrin M We worked very hard to give those cats the best life, and we made sure they got those acres to run in! These cats are living into their 20's which is a long life for tigers in captivity, they lived healthy, enriched, clean enclosures, and well cared for at our place, and retired to an even better life, never exploited for money, or our financial gain! Today they are doing great, and we continue to visit, and support the places they live, which are some of the best in the U.S.
Glad to see Tim (Elephant in Living Room), and Trista & Tammy (Wildcat), and so many good people in this video. The cats will get the care they deserve at Wildcat Sanctuary. The best thing to do for these tigers, cougars, lions etc...if you love them is to let them be. Do not buy them, pay to pet them, try to make them your pet(s), and further support this animal trade. Support good rescues and of course conservation efforts to keep them in the wild.
I'm so glad this lady came to her senses. She saids enclosures, but really they were big cages, that still weren't big enough. Breeding them would have been a huge mistake. If you couldn't look after 2 tigers and a mountain lion. Why would you even consider breeding? Thankfully this didn't happen...
In 1955 my parents took me to London zoo. I remember to this day seeing a beautiful male lion in a small cage & the smell was bad. It was a hot sunny day. I asked my father to help me write a letter to the directors of the zoo to complain. I've since been to Longleat & other zoos where the animals run free. If a tiny child could see these errors all those years ago why in this day & age are people allowed to do this?
I "adopted" a white tiger named Nora at Wild Cat Ridge sanctuary. What a coincidence! Haven't visited her yet, but I have her picture on my wall. Also I "adopted" a wolf named Samantha at Wolf Haven. I have her picture also. No offense to Nora, but I love wolves. Tigers are pretty cool though.
Certain people are obsessed with their rights. That's all they seem to care about. But if your country has granted you the right to own these magnificent animals you also have the moral responsibility to give them a decent home.
She´s doing an great job. She´s safe, patient and those cats looks healthy! without her these cats would have been killed. Lucky for the tigers, there are souls like her in this world, ready to take responsibillity for animals these, that people can´t handle. Bless her.
Those life forms would be dead without her. Now that they are here it pleases me that she is willing to go out of her way, to make those cats safe. I wonder why you don´t. I agree with you that they should have never been imprisoned in the first place. The way you say it make you sound like a total idiot.
So, just because humans kill animals. we should take them from the wild and put in little cages? and gave them to people so they transform them in pets? Shouldnt we protect their natural habitats indeed? She believes animals serve humans, because she believe a tiger might be held in captivity just for her entertainment. That's a sort of "serving humans"
You are such a brave and caring caretaker. You're initial desire was to provide a forever home and not exploit the cats and made sure they would have that home when legal and the though of who would care for them if you could not. I know there is a time when you and they will meet and they can show you what you meant to their lives 💖🐯🐆
People say its cruel to keep a wild animal in captivity. If you let them all go, most of them would be dead within a week. You cant take an animal born in captivity and release them, its just crazy. Keeping them in a cage not much bigger than them is stupid, even our dogs get more room than this, but we have to live with the fact that the cats in captivity now have to live that way until they die of old age.
Breeding them to live in cages and for their own enjoyment. It’s animal abuse and I wish they made laws for this. Most animal abuse laws don’t recognize this as abuse meaning breeding for your own enjoyment.
I can understand why someone would fall in love with a big cat but they don’t belong in such tiny cages I will never understand why they think it’s ok so sad 😭
Quality of life is more important than quantity of life. If this is how they must spend their lives, in cages... better to put them down. 😔 I’m glad to see your cats are finally living where they can have the space to run and roam. At least it’s a life worth living now.
Is sticking your fingers in the cage safe?....... you have done alot of good and thank you so much. You are “Heaven sent...” I really like the rescue called, “Big Cat Rescue!” They are honestly the best I’ve seen, the **smartest! Anyone can learn from them honestly.... these animals aren’t pets they often go to “sanctuary’s.” Whom can’t afford it or just don’t care... im glad this lady is one of the few who do care and had the funds to take care of them also for so long... its also essential to know when to let go.... for the cats well-being... I hope they go to a great place! I wish this lady the best she’s done so much good thats is very much needed. The cages are small and she is really dumb to be in close range of any big cat without a barrier in between her and the cat.... i cant get over the fingers in the cage..... learn from big cat rescue ... wish these people the best this is by far not the worst I’ve seen tho
Yes they need our help, in educating those communities, prevention, protection and expansion of their NATURAL habitat. There are efforts being made to save these animals. Like I said before, if an animal is born into captivity, it should not belong to a private owner. They are not pets. I have too much empathy to see an animal live and die in a cage.
Hoarding is a bad deal. I realize that these cats are in a better place with more room, but I sure hope that these people continue to pay for the food these animals eat for the rest of their lives rather than dump that off on someone else. If someone is helping them house and care for them the least they could do is continue to pay for the food. I hope they didn't just "dump and run".
Actually, female tigers are speed bred in captivity to produce 2-3 litters a year. It is a money racket. In the wild a female has one litter every two years and those cubs are with her for two years of their life learning their survival skills from her.
Those cats did not have enough space. Keeping a tiger in a cage that size is like keeping your house cat in a pet carrier. It's like you living in a prison cell that's barely big enough to lie down in. Still those tigers loved her, chuffing and rubbing as she approached.
Crusader1815 they didn't live in the lock downs, the small cages attached much larger areas, whatever they are great now living a even better life, and I'm proud to see it through they deserved it! These cats were all rescued from different situations, if not for us they would have died! It's people who don't know the facts that place judgement, we did what was best for them, we never did anything to exploit them nor did we gain financially on them at all!
These people give up animals to sanctuaries, but do they ever help provide for their care? The sanctuaries have to constantly struggle to raise money to care for animals that people have washed their hands of.
She was a great woman a hero who cared for this cats , how ever I feel bad for them because they belong to the forest their natural habitat , they also feel enslaved because we humans take them off their natural habitat and make cage them like slaves. overall I adore her courage and love she did what most of us could not afford to do.
These animals are massive and strong and powerful that need to run wide open full tilt to stretch and exercise and stalk and hunt. They need to be animals!!!!!
Wow Georgie Ann- sounds like you have some anger issues. She's made the right decision now by letting them go so why don't you take it easy on her. I'm sure this was a hard decision. Her heart was in the right place & I can imagine these things can get overwhelming really quick. She obviously has a compassionate heart so why don't you give her a break & try to remember that we're all connected & fighting the same fight.
I watched 6 minutes of this couldnt watch anymore I realize she finally spoke up,Thank you for that I have 5 "domestic"cats I love animals,(more than humans im afraid)I kinda feel that you thought you were doing right by the animals but in a tiny tiny tiny way yes,other than the diplorable otherwise;but you should have given them to a conservation for wild Cats
Business having a cat if they don’t have the right kind of facilities for them? Her facility as shit it’s worse than even the tiger kings. All of these people that have these animals should be fined significantly! The laws need to change!!
I agree with the other comments. This lady is selfish and deluded into thinking the cats are better off with her because she is protecting them. But those cages are too small. The other cat owners actually have a bond with their big cats and take the risk of dying. This lady has remove the risk but to do that she is not interacting with the cats outside - she is keeping them in cramped cages. I am sorry for the cats and also sorry for her that she has convinced herself that keeping cats in those tiny cages is kind. IT IS NOT.
It's great and everything that these cats are being re-homed. Let's face it, these cages are too small. I wonder if these animals could receive the individualized attention they require. Multiple big cats under the care of a single person is not a good situation, and I feel this person took in more than what she could reasonably care for, despite the charitable act of rescuing them. It's also not fair for anyone to make statements about any other person's care standards due to this situation.
Ever notice how the human who imprisons the animals talk about them as objects? it's all about THEM . Selfish desires and wants. The best thing this lady could of done was call up a sanctuary, STOP talking about this woman as if she's a hero for saving the cub. WTF. The best thing would of been a sanctuary NOT keeping it as a pet in confined quarters. These tigers track miles every day in the wild.
i bought a lil tiger a years ago,its getting bigger and wanna eat more meat when i've been told to schedule his feeding program to make him less greedy from having trouble,but now the problem is that when i refused to feed him more than what it should takes it won't lick my fingers no more when i touch him! he gets angry and don't wanna play with me,need help
This is about some need the owners have. They are not considering the nature or needs of the cats. How many ppl would want to be forced to live in a space no larger than a closet? Yet they think it’s okay to keep big cats in small apartments, basements, cages. Or other inadequate space. It’s exploitative and cruel
These are wild animals - they are not pussy cats. They will behave just as wild cats do at any opportunity - and they should not be killed for it. People need to face this reality. Its not the animals fault.
This is crazy, if you love the animals so much you HAVE to put them in the wild. That's where they belong. Your 'little habitat' doesn't has the necessity for those cats to live their full potential and you denying their freedom. Peoples really need to learn which animal they can and they cant pet. Dogs and small cats, yes. Snakes, tigers, bears and other wildlife in which potentially dangerous to others and yourself, NO.
First off, your grammar is horrific. Secondly, you can have snakes as pets, and even tigers and bears if that is the only option for the animal. You're tell me if an abused tiger that has been in the circus its entire life is rescued from the circus, then you are just going to "put them in the wild". You are offering the tiger a death sentence by doing that. The tiger needs to be put in a good wildlife preserve and kept there with great owners who understand tigers. Not like this old lady who is so old she is getting kidney surgeries and having no one to take care of her damn tigers. Tigers can be kept as pets, but only in extreme circumstances, and NOT by your average pet owner.
Tom Smith "You're tell me...." Your grammar needs work too. ;) Anyway, there is a difference between rescuing an animal and retiring it to a sanctuary vs. keeping it as a pet. Pets are the ones who usually are rescued and end up at sanctuaries People choose to keep exotic animals as pets whereas rescues take them because they have no where else to go. We want to stop people from having pet tigers and lions because the inevitably end up dead or rescued anyway and sanctuaries are running out of room and money. The word "pet" and "tiger" or "lion" or any other large, exotic animal should NEVER be in the same sentence. If you ever visit a true sanctuary, don't ever refer to the animals there as the sanctuary's "pets". The last thing they want is to perpetuate the idea that these big cats belong in homes or backyards. The whole reason they're in the sanctuary to begin with is because they make BAD pets and their previous owners found out the hard way.
I honestly think it would be kinder to put the animals down rather than keeping them in such small cages. If I had a choice between living in a comparable sized cage for a human, I would definitely choose euthanasia.
like keeping a bird in a cage. Good intentions, it's a no win situation for either human or animal. I have a wild cougar in my woods so I'm learning about them. I don't want to shoot it, but I don't want it to waste me either. It came as a surprise when I was mowing the back lawn when it ran out in front of me. It was a welcome sight.
She is condemning everyone else for how they keep their cats but look at how tiny these enclosures are. They might as well be in old time zoos. What is the difference between the garage Tasha the cougar was in and the cage she is in now?
It is painful to watch these big beautiful animals in a cage. Anyone can love and learn about animals from TV. There is no need to own them. All these owners are heartless animal abusers. Whether they are in a wealthy or in a poor country they should all be treated as criminals.
I understand most of these animals are born into captivity and there are people who want to help, however I don't believe an environment with 5x5 perimeters is appropriate for any of these animals. I personally, would rather be dead, than to live my life in a cage. So are we helping them really? Ultimately, all I'm saying is if you want to RESCUE and provide for these animals, make sure you are able to provide them with essential land. And owning these animals for pleasure should be outlawed.
You know if you’re really into wild cats first tip don’t get a big cat. Tip number 2 get wild cats that are averaged sized such as clouded leopards, margay, servals etc.
How can these people not imagine, someone coming up to them. Just after giving birth and taking their child away from them forever. Plus to see these beautiful creatures shoved into tiny cages. They have no 💓. It's animal abuse and for that, they should be put into a tiny cage.
Better than them being illegal hunted in the wild. Although certain people should not own them other than those who have the proper finances and knowledge to care for one then there's no problem. People who work in zoos are not the only people who have the funds and proper enclosures for exotic animals, and even some zoos don't do it right. Most people would like to see them in the wild but even in there natural habitats they are not safe from people.
This was good . She never made excuses for her mistakes she owned up to them and is giving them up because she knows now they deserve better. Kudos ma'am
I hate seeing those Big Cats in a small cage/enclosures. They NEED Space to roam.
Tigers do not belong in tiny backyards -_- nor cages
Mad9977 What about domesticated cats? They come from the wild just like big cats and are put in tiny cages where they can barely move around and no one calls that abuse.
AnimalLover who puts his cat in a tiny cage? That, for sure, is called Abuse.
Mad9977
I know quite a few people who do that.
AnimalLover sad enough, as always the humans are worse than the animals.
Even reading "big cat owner" makes me sick.
These animals shouldn't be able to be bought.
This is sick
When she held that baby tiger for the first time and was overwhelmed with love for felines... I had the same reaction in the adoption room at PetSmart when my eyes met Stella. Folks who love looking at big cats on TH-cam and wish you could own one - just go to your local shelter and adopt a domestic cat.
I couldn't stand to watch this. These animals need to be in a sancturay or zoo where they have room to move about.
Sanctuaries are pretty much the same 🤷♀️
Sun Lover cannot watch this either. Stopping now. Hurts too much
Sun Lover You should have watched it dumbass. These animals aren’t her pets. They do go to sanctuaries.
Sun Lover they moved them to a sanctuary
Finally, a big cat owner who doesn’t think the cat won’t turn on them
The cages are way tooooooo small!
True, it was sad for me to watch those cats in those cages as well. But at least she fixed her mistake. Many crazy people just don't realize how stupid they are being. She is the only one I have seen who realized and fixed the situation to the best of her ability.
I agree the cages are torture doe these big cats - She obviously loves cats so she should go to the humane society and rescue 25 house cats and be happy - Owning big cats is a selfish ego trip - But I guess she has rescued some of these cats from worse conditions
Private ownership must be banned worldwide. We must preserve the species, protect them from abuse and poaching, and preserve lands and foliage and other wildlife so they can thrive.
You are SUCH a wonderful, caring person to do what you did. Feel good about this. It will probably be the hardest thing you'll ever have to do but you can rest at night knowing you did the right thing.
I don't see how the cats are any better off with this lady...
Thank you for telling the truth. Blessings. Thank you for giving them up. It is the right thing.
this is worse then zoo's , selfish individuals with no consideration
Absolute scum. It is so tragic to see that animal in a cage. Pathetically sad. Who the fuck do you think you are? You have absolutely no right to hold those animals and keep them as your "pets". You might as well call it furniture, because that's how you treat those animals.
Lord Frieza bug cat rescue is actually one of the only legit ...
I actually think her way of treating the cats were a better option, at zoos: they get tortured, underfed and forced to do tricks infront of flashphotagraphy, shouting people and keepers hurting them. The way she had them: small cages but not as small as the ones on zoos. They were wellfed and had toys and clean cages, no crowds of people shouting and no flashphotagraphy. No whipping or hurting them. The Tigers seriously chuffed when she came close! Tigers chuff when show affection!
She also freely gave them away so the tigers could live in a biiig sanctuary! Zoos and private owners often FIGHT before letting the tigers go.
So no. Not worse than the zoo since they actually freely was giving them away, they were wellfed and had good energy.
There should be laws against civilians owning wild animals.
Joanne Davis
There can be! It's moving through congress now. Www. Bigcatact.com
Write/call your state senators
keeping these animals is abuse. they roam hundreds of kilometers and u put them in a small enclosure? did u know that there are over 10,000 tigers kept as pets in the usa while only 4000 remaining(all sub speicies) combined!
What about alligator I don't hear nobody crying over them
And them.
***** yep. except for those hunted by poachers. Contributing to the extinction of the specie..
as much as i would love to agree with you, you are wrong about the 4000 tigers left in the wild.. there are less than 2500.. and that is absolutely heart breaking.. you obv care so please spread the word for people to NOT go to circuses that have exotic animals or petting zoos that pose as conservationists because they just supply the trade. i do that to everybody i meet and they hear me whether they like it or not.. if i can convert one person to not do that then i consider it a success and EVERYBODY should do the same
I totally agree that keeping tigers in a 10x10 cage is abuse. But you can't just put these tigers back into the wild. They need to be in an enclosure with at least a few acres to roam on. Better yet, they should be kept on an enclosed wildlife preserve, with great owners who really understand what tigers really need.
God Bless you Denise! You did the right thing. Something most big cat owners won't do and don't do. They SAY the cats come first but they don't. However, you PROVED these cats come first by giving them up. Thank you! I hope other big cat owners will see this and follow your lead.
Julie Blackburn she should have never had them in the first place... people should know better.
Valkyrie B they were rescued from aweful conditions, and moved onto the best lives they could have, they are not pets! They needed help, we were there for them! We were just a stepping stone and made sure they were safe an well cared for at their new homes😉
Bless you, Denise, for wanting a better life for these cats, and for being unselfish enough to do what was needed to make sure they were safe and as happy as can be under the circumstances.
That is the smallest cage l have ever seen in my life. You claim to love this animal but never think about what is best for her. Try seating in your closet for the next 10 years.
T Story Time truth
T Story Time it looks to me like they lure cat out in small cage with food.. the small cage has a door to close after coming from Bigger enclosure.. they probably do it to clean big cage and feed..
sheit I do that right now
That small cage had an opening in the back into a larger cage. So it’s not as bad as it looks, but still sad.
👏👏🤦♀️🐯
Having a big cat with lots of space to run and proper care is alright. If you can provide that, go for it! But keeping them in tiny cages is pure abuse. They will become miserable. They need more space than a tiny little cage, quite a few acres at least
This shows how handling exotic cubs leads to private ownership of exotic animals. There are SO many people who first go to pet a baby tiger, lion or other dangerous exotics and then start owning/breeding them. It's not right.
90Kirame Like it's right to breed domesticated pets and hoard them and cannot take care of the domesticated pets cause there are too many and end up having to put them down. I know people who are like that.
That's just as wrong imo. You just don't hoard animals, whether they're exotic or domesticated. If you take yourself a cat or dog or any animal you'll need to take care of it for its whole life. Just taking them in and letting them live like a swarm of rats is as far from caring as it gets. Unfortunately there are way too many people who do this. And even sadder is that putting down domesticated pets is simply so easy it's not getting as much attention in media as, for example, having to put down tigers and lions.
90Kirame
Same with exotic pets. If you take yourself a tiger or a lion you'll need to take care of it for its whole life. But barely anyone can do that because they are trying to make it illegal for people to own them for no reason.
AnimalLover "For no reason"? There are plenty of good reasons why people shouldn't keep exotics as "pets". As much as you tell yourself and everyone else a tiger has been hand-raised from a tiny cub, it's still a wild animal. Even during playing it can kill you. Have you heard of a child who was let into a cage with a tiger and lion? The tiger attacked the boy and the lion tried to save him. He dragged the child from his neck and broke his spine by an accident. That kid is never walking again.
Not only is it dangerous to people, but the animals as well. Do Average Joes have enough money to ensure the best possible lives for the animals? Even most zoos can't do this. For the start, tigers roam hundreds of square miles in the wild and regulations in the US say the minimum size of their cage is as tiny as a parking space. That's just wrong. Can they afford a proper diet? Proper enclosures with real soil and vegetation, enough room and enrichment? Can they see if there is something wrong with the animal? Felines do not show their suffering and even if there WAS something wrong you can't see it with bare eye without any kind of education. Can they afford annual checks and veterinary care or even find a vet to do all this? Can they afford surgeries should there be need for one? Even if they had money, would they BOTHER do all this? Call me a pessimist but I very highly doubt it.
Taking GOOD care of one tiger costs about 10000 dollars per one year. How many private owners do you think are offering all this to the animals?
^Just the tip of an iceberg here. These are mostly just money-related issues, not to mention the lack of knowledge, some tragic accidents like hurting yourself and suddenly being unable to care for the animals. Losing your job so you'll no longer have money. Divorcing and losing your house. With cats and dogs these questions are much simpler, but when we're talking about tigers and lions you can't just pack them into carriers and take them with you.
People are known to keep these animals in garages and I saw a video of a tiger who had been living in a van through its entire life. Just watching him walk wrenched my heart out. It's becoming illegal because people have proved themselves they're unable to take care of these animals and many times are putting therm, themselves and others at risk.
I visited a sanctuary in South Africa and the lions were in horrible shape there. Their previous owners had fed them PASTA and they were small and deformed and weak. It's heartbreaking what people think they can do to the animals because they "own" them.
It's kinda wrong to say there's "no reason" for these new laws and legislation when there are more than there should have ever been. I hope this helped you to understand the problem.
90Kirame
Domesticated cats come from the wild and so do dogs, and they are kept in worse places than these exotic pets are. Yet no one is banning us from keeping dogs and cats. There are more deaths from a dog than from an exotic pet, yet there are billions of people keeping them. Dogs are kept in kennels which are so small they can't even turn around and no one calls it abuse. I would never put my dog in a kennel. And what about vet bills for dogs and cats? It's also expensive. Domesticated cats are just like big cats, you can't tell if there's something wrong with them. I've seen people feed their dogs rice, is that the kind of diet a dog needs? Dogs and cats are abused worse than an exotic pet is.
One thing “Tiger King” (Joe Exotic), did was bring attention to large cats living in horrible conditions, in small cages in backyards!!
WHY is this legal???
You people realize she did have the cats in a big yard right? The small cages are temporary for safety reasons. Such as cleaning yard, medical etc.
At least she admitted she was naive, she finally did the right thing by those Big Cats. Pity that she had such unfortunate people around her that dragged her too into the exotic pet ownership, a woman just plonking a baby tiger in her hands like that, females are maternal, for all we know she may have been emotionally blackmailed with her maternal side with the baby tiger, some of them not only want these big cats as pets they want to join in breeding them in captivity too, so what's the reasons for that one seems as they cost thousands of dollars, i don't think people who buy and sell wild animals or any animal for that matter is that much of a caring person claiming them as pets too, people like to think of these pets as their babies, really? My question is Would you sell your human sons & daughters, or grandchildren too? Or do you just make them different between buying and selling, buying and selling a living species isn't really love, love never comes with a price tag around it's neck, or ankles. What's also sickening is that men will also put a price tag on women for " sex services " selling females sexuality, just like they also poach and sell these wild animals. It's truly sickening and so sad what people do to others as well as to animals.
When I was 8 a company brought a few big cats and cubs to a random business in my city and my brother and I got our picture taken with an adult tiger and I always thought that was the coolest thing bc I love animals (I even brought the picture to school to show my class). As an adult (even before the Tiger King craze) I realized the truth behind those encounters are so cruel and inhumane and I can only imagine what they do to the adult cats to keep them in line. These poor cats didn't deserve to be in those tiny cages and I'm glad she did what was best for them. She seems like she genuinely cared for them and wanted what was best at risk of her own sadness over sending them away.
The look of sadness in their eyes vile
This lady is a REAL cat owner. If you are willing to go take care of your animals after you JUST got out of surgery and even give them up to make sure they live, EVEN IF you my not even have to, but just so they can be guaranteed life, you deserve the title of a TRUE cat owner. Thank you Denies for being that parent to your babies. :-)
Just because she "loves" her cats immensely, doesn't mean she was a "REAL" cat owner. Did you see the size of those cages?? You're telling me that is how a tiger is supposed to live. Even though those tigers can't be released into the wild (because they wouldn't survive), they still need a lot more room to roam and play. At least a few acres of open land, like on a wildlife preserve. She did not know what she was doing. She NEVER played with her tigers. You don't have to get up close to the tiger to stimulate it into some type of playing activity. She just kept it caged. That's no life for a tiger, and she was no "real cat owner".
her cats looked pretty happy and relaxed to me.. played with or not, she said she gave them daily stimulation. the cages were just little spots where the cats could get closer to the humans/and or they could round them up in them if they needed to locate the animal for any reason.. there was a giant enclosure with an opening to it for the cats behind the cage.... the more you know :)
brian hughes thank you for your words of support! The cats are doing fabulous years after!!
Lorrin M We worked very hard to give those cats the best life, and we made sure they got those acres to run in! These cats are living into their 20's which is a long life for tigers in captivity, they lived healthy, enriched, clean enclosures, and well cared for at our place, and retired to an even better life, never exploited for money, or our financial gain! Today they are doing great, and we continue to visit, and support the places they live, which are some of the best in the U.S.
Glad to see Tim (Elephant in Living Room), and Trista & Tammy (Wildcat), and so many good people in this video. The cats will get the care they deserve at Wildcat Sanctuary. The best thing to do for these tigers, cougars, lions etc...if you love them is to let them be. Do not buy them, pay to pet them, try to make them your pet(s), and further support this animal trade. Support good rescues and of course conservation efforts to keep them in the wild.
I'm so glad this lady came to her senses. She saids enclosures, but really they were big cages, that still weren't big enough. Breeding them would have been a huge mistake. If you couldn't look after 2 tigers and a mountain lion. Why would you even consider breeding? Thankfully this didn't happen...
Support the big cat public safety act
We should be impressed she cleans the cages?
In 1955 my parents took me to London zoo. I remember to this day seeing a beautiful male lion in a small cage & the smell was bad. It was a hot sunny day. I asked my father to help me write a letter to the directors of the zoo to complain. I've since been to Longleat & other zoos where the animals run free. If a tiny child could see these errors all those years ago why in this day & age are people allowed to do this?
I "adopted" a white tiger named Nora at Wild Cat Ridge sanctuary. What a coincidence! Haven't visited her yet, but I have her picture on my wall. Also I "adopted" a wolf named Samantha at Wolf Haven. I have her picture also. No offense to Nora, but I love wolves. Tigers are pretty cool though.
Certain people are obsessed with their rights. That's all they seem to care about. But if your country has granted you the right to own these magnificent animals you also have the moral responsibility to give them a decent home.
She´s doing an great job. She´s safe, patient and those cats looks healthy! without her these cats would have been killed. Lucky for the tigers, there are souls like her in this world, ready to take responsibillity for animals these, that people can´t handle. Bless her.
Those life forms would be dead without her. Now that they are here it pleases me that she is willing to go out of her way, to make those cats safe. I wonder why you don´t. I agree with you that they should have never been imprisoned in the first place. The way you say it make you sound like a total idiot.
So, just because humans kill animals. we should take them from the wild and put in little cages? and gave them to people so they transform them in pets? Shouldnt we protect their natural habitats indeed?
She believes animals serve humans, because she believe a tiger might be held in captivity just for her entertainment. That's a sort of "serving humans"
You are such a brave and caring caretaker. You're initial desire was to provide a forever home and not exploit the cats and made sure they would have that home when legal and the though of who would care for them if you could not. I know there is a time when you and they will meet and they can show you what you meant to their lives 💖🐯🐆
She takes the "crazy cat lady" to another level!!
Your comment made me laugh.
So so horrible!!! A tiny cage for a beautiful
Wild animal... how can anyone cage an animal?? Terrible and shameful
Tiger cub, not baby tiger. That is where and how the problem starts, using the adjective, 'baby.'
People say its cruel to keep a wild animal in captivity. If you let them all go, most of them would be dead within a week. You cant take an animal born in captivity and release them, its just crazy. Keeping them in a cage not much bigger than them is stupid, even our dogs get more room than this, but we have to live with the fact that the cats in captivity now have to live that way until they die of old age.
Hmm...ownership should be licensed and monitored properly.
You are a good human. I wish more big cat owner were like you, who did and thought for the best of their cats, not only for their selfish motives.
denise i think you done a great job looking after them and its also great that you realised it was time to let them go.well done..do you keep in touch
Breeding them to live in cages and for their own enjoyment. It’s animal abuse and I wish they made laws for this. Most animal abuse laws don’t recognize this as abuse meaning breeding for your own enjoyment.
I can understand why someone would fall in love with a big cat but they don’t belong in such tiny cages I will never understand why they think it’s ok so sad 😭
The white tiger pacing up and down in that cage is obviously stressed. Its like a prison for animals.
Quality of life is more important than quantity of life. If this is how they must spend their lives, in cages... better to put them down. 😔 I’m glad to see your cats are finally living where they can have the space to run and roam. At least it’s a life worth living now.
My kids said a guy in the neighborhood's had a tiger in their back yard. I went and checked it out. Sure enough he did. How can they do that.
Is sticking your fingers in the cage safe?....... you have done alot of good and thank you so much. You are “Heaven sent...” I really like the rescue called, “Big Cat Rescue!” They are honestly the best I’ve seen, the **smartest! Anyone can learn from them honestly.... these animals aren’t pets they often go to “sanctuary’s.” Whom can’t afford it or just don’t care... im glad this lady is one of the few who do care and had the funds to take care of them also for so long... its also essential to know when to let go.... for the cats well-being... I hope they go to a great place! I wish this lady the best she’s done so much good thats is very much needed.
The cages are small and she is really dumb to be in close range of any big cat without a barrier in between her and the cat.... i cant get over the fingers in the cage..... learn from big cat rescue ... wish these people the best this is by far not the worst I’ve seen tho
Yes they need our help, in educating those communities, prevention, protection and expansion of their NATURAL habitat. There are efforts being made to save these animals. Like I said before, if an animal is born into captivity, it should not belong to a private owner. They are not pets. I have too much empathy to see an animal live and die in a cage.
Hoarding is a bad deal. I realize that these cats are in a better place with more room, but I sure hope that these people continue to pay for the food these animals eat for the rest of their lives rather than dump that off on someone else. If someone is helping them house and care for them the least they could do is continue to pay for the food. I hope they didn't just "dump and run".
Most times the mother is killed so that some idiot could own a tiger cub as pet!!
Actually, female tigers are speed bred in captivity to produce 2-3 litters a year. It is a money racket. In the wild a female has one litter every two years and those cubs are with her for two years of their life learning their survival skills from her.
Those cats did not have enough space. Keeping a tiger in a cage that size is like keeping your house cat in a pet carrier. It's like you living in a prison cell that's barely big enough to lie down in. Still those tigers loved her, chuffing and rubbing as she approached.
Crusader1815 they didn't live in the lock downs, the small cages attached much larger areas, whatever they are great now living a even better life, and I'm proud to see it through they deserved it! These cats were all rescued from different situations, if not for us they would have died! It's people who don't know the facts that place judgement, we did what was best for them, we never did anything to exploit them nor did we gain financially on them at all!
These people give up animals to sanctuaries, but do they ever help provide for their care? The sanctuaries have to constantly struggle to raise money to care for animals that people have washed their hands of.
She was a great woman a hero who cared for this cats , how ever I feel bad for them because they belong to the forest their natural habitat , they also feel enslaved because we humans take them off their natural habitat and make cage them like slaves. overall I adore her courage and love she did what most of us could not afford to do.
I hate seeing them in these small cages. I wish Big Cat Rescue would take them. They actually know how to take care of cats.
🤦♀️
If you’re going to own big cats you need to have them in big inclosures with a pond that they can swim in as well
Is she the former owner of Joseph, Sasha, Simba and Nikita?
These animals are massive and strong and powerful that need to run wide open full tilt to stretch and exercise and stalk and hunt. They need to be animals!!!!!
A month ago y'all was hating on her.
Now, she's honest and humble and unworthy of a Netflix special.
"If they kill me, what will happen to the cats‽"
You guys literally didn't watch this until the end.
You did the right thing, don't feel guilty about it.
Wow Georgie Ann- sounds like you have some anger issues. She's made the right decision now by letting them go so why don't you take it easy on her. I'm sure this was a hard decision. Her heart was in the right place & I can imagine these things can get overwhelming really quick. She obviously has a compassionate heart so why don't you give her a break & try to remember that we're all connected & fighting the same fight.
I watched 6 minutes of this couldnt watch anymore I realize she finally spoke up,Thank you for that I have 5 "domestic"cats I love animals,(more than humans im afraid)I kinda feel that you thought you were doing right by the animals but in a tiny tiny tiny way yes,other than the diplorable otherwise;but you should have given them to a conservation for wild Cats
Business having a cat if they don’t have the right kind of facilities for them? Her facility as shit it’s worse than even the tiger kings. All of these people that have these animals should be fined significantly! The laws need to change!!
I agree with the other comments. This lady is selfish and deluded into thinking the cats are better off with her because she is protecting them. But those cages are too small. The other cat owners actually have a bond with their big cats and take the risk of dying. This lady has remove the risk but to do that she is not interacting with the cats outside - she is keeping them in cramped cages. I am sorry for the cats and also sorry for her that she has convinced herself that keeping cats in those tiny cages is kind. IT IS NOT.
She the only one who learned from their mistakes I believe everyone deserves a second chance
RESPECT THE WORLD ! YOU LIVE IN IT SO RESPECT IT AND PROTECT IT DONT SHIT IN YOUR OWN GARDEN !
respect for her, she did the right thing!!!!!!!!
It's great and everything that these cats are being re-homed. Let's face it, these cages are too small. I wonder if these animals could receive the individualized attention they require. Multiple big cats under the care of a single person is not a good situation, and I feel this person took in more than what she could reasonably care for, despite the charitable act of rescuing them. It's also not fair for anyone to make statements about any other person's care standards due to this situation.
Ever notice how the human who imprisons the animals talk about them as objects? it's all about THEM . Selfish desires and wants. The best thing this lady could of done was call up a sanctuary, STOP talking about this woman as if she's a hero for saving the cub. WTF. The best thing would of been a sanctuary NOT keeping it as a pet in confined quarters. These tigers track miles every day in the wild.
i bought a lil tiger a years ago,its getting bigger and wanna eat more meat when i've been told to schedule his feeding program to make him less greedy from having trouble,but now the problem is that when i refused to feed him more than what it should takes it won't lick my fingers no more when i touch him! he gets angry and don't wanna play with me,need help
Bet you're just making that up you little shit
You don't have nothing stop
Sam Ciskowski
why are you insulting me? is it because you feel safe behind your fucking desktop screen?
You dont have a tiger so stop the bullshet
Luis Colon
we got rid of him longtime ago
Exactly WHY is it legal to "own" a big cat in the United States??? Looks like all it would take is new legislation.
This is about some need the owners have. They are not considering the nature or needs of the cats. How many ppl would want to be forced to live in a space no larger than a closet? Yet they think it’s okay to keep big cats in small apartments, basements, cages. Or other inadequate space. It’s exploitative and cruel
Imagine what they felt looking out into those big open fields while trapped in tiny cages. So sad! Glad they won’t be there anymore!
If you run a sanctuary, kudos to you. I was referring to private cat owners!!! It should be outlawed, period.
These are wild animals - they are not pussy cats. They will behave just as wild cats do at any opportunity - and they should not be killed for it. People need to face this reality. Its not the animals fault.
Taking photos is the least of your worries. Keeping them in the small cages is abuse!
This is crazy, if you love the animals so much you HAVE to put them in the wild. That's where they belong. Your 'little habitat' doesn't has the necessity for those cats to live their full potential and you denying their freedom. Peoples really need to learn which animal they can and they cant pet. Dogs and small cats, yes. Snakes, tigers, bears and other wildlife in which potentially dangerous to others and yourself, NO.
She knew that. Her cats were rescued from bad owners who tortured them.
If she returned them they would be died in a month
These cats were all raised in captivity. They don't have the skills to survive in the wild.
First off, your grammar is horrific. Secondly, you can have snakes as pets, and even tigers and bears if that is the only option for the animal. You're tell me if an abused tiger that has been in the circus its entire life is rescued from the circus, then you are just going to "put them in the wild". You are offering the tiger a death sentence by doing that. The tiger needs to be put in a good wildlife preserve and kept there with great owners who understand tigers. Not like this old lady who is so old she is getting kidney surgeries and having no one to take care of her damn tigers. Tigers can be kept as pets, but only in extreme circumstances, and NOT by your average pet owner.
Tom Smith "You're tell me...." Your grammar needs work too. ;) Anyway, there is a difference between rescuing an animal and retiring it to a sanctuary vs. keeping it as a pet. Pets are the ones who usually are rescued and end up at sanctuaries People choose to keep exotic animals as pets whereas rescues take them because they have no where else to go. We want to stop people from having pet tigers and lions because the inevitably end up dead or rescued anyway and sanctuaries are running out of room and money. The word "pet" and "tiger" or "lion" or any other large, exotic animal should NEVER be in the same sentence. If you ever visit a true sanctuary, don't ever refer to the animals there as the sanctuary's "pets". The last thing they want is to perpetuate the idea that these big cats belong in homes or backyards. The whole reason they're in the sanctuary to begin with is because they make BAD pets and their previous owners found out the hard way.
Sickening to take majestic animals and put in a cage when they should be roaming the jungles. Breaks my heart.
I honestly think it would be kinder to put the animals down rather than keeping them in such small cages.
If I had a choice between living in a comparable sized cage for a human, I would definitely choose euthanasia.
like keeping a bird in a cage. Good intentions, it's a no win situation for either human or animal. I have a wild cougar in my woods so I'm learning about them. I don't want to shoot it, but I don't want it to waste me either. It came as a surprise when I was mowing the back lawn when it ran out in front of me. It was a welcome sight.
You did the right thing
Tigers and Humans, Two apex predators take a risk and live together or don't get one in the first place.
I never thought it was this many big cats in the states 😱
Those cages are tiny!!! Empty cages? Straight up they should be all empty... It makes me so sad that these animals have to live like this.
This is sick. Humans who want to entrap these amazingly beautiful animals are sick. they need to be free to roam.
these people are doing the right thing!
She is condemning everyone else for how they keep their cats but look at how tiny these enclosures are. They might as well be in old time zoos. What is the difference between the garage Tasha the cougar was in and the cage she is in now?
It is painful to watch these big beautiful animals in a cage. Anyone can love and learn about animals from TV. There is no need to own them. All these owners are heartless animal abusers. Whether they are in a wealthy or in a poor country they should all be treated as criminals.
I understand most of these animals are born into captivity and there are people who want to help, however I don't believe an environment with 5x5 perimeters is appropriate for any of these animals. I personally, would rather be dead, than to live my life in a cage. So are we helping them really? Ultimately, all I'm saying is if you want to RESCUE and provide for these animals, make sure you are able to provide them with essential land. And owning these animals for pleasure should be outlawed.
Man i cried with her when the white tiger was taken away from her
She looks like she has a big cat
You know if you’re really into wild cats first tip don’t get a big cat. Tip number 2 get wild cats that are averaged sized such as clouded leopards, margay, servals etc.
They are beautiful....but this is crazy....what if it gets free and kills someone? This is disgusting!
Elton John You need a snickers, your not yourself when your hungry
These are not pets.
de facto pets
Tiger King brought me here
Instead of showing people cute little tiger cubs, people be put in a cage with wild adult tigers and than decide if they want a tiger or not!
How can these people not imagine, someone coming up to them. Just after giving birth and taking their child away from them forever. Plus to see these beautiful creatures shoved into tiny cages. They have no 💓. It's animal abuse and for that, they should be put into a tiny cage.
Better than them being illegal hunted in the wild. Although certain people should not own them other than those who have the proper finances and knowledge to care for one then there's no problem. People who work in zoos are not the only people who have the funds and proper enclosures for exotic animals, and even some zoos don't do it right. Most people would like to see them in the wild but even in there natural habitats they are not safe from people.