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Critter Magazine Feb 11 EARS Article
By Jessica M. Torrence
Lions, tigers & bears … rescued and living comfortably in N. Florida
In the little town of Citra, Florida, just past the train tracks, there‟s an unimposing gate that leads to a world where some very big animals live happily. Just beyond that gate, a tiger greets visitors by rubbing up against enclosure fencing and producing a low, almost-purring
sound.
Angie Stroud, a volunteer, is quick to educate a private tour group of six, that Rick James, the large male tiger housed in the first enclosure, is chuffing; it‟s a happy sound. The tour begins when an energetic voice spiced with a Georgia peach accent grabs our attention - it‟s Gail Bowen, our tour guide. We walk on to meet the rest of the animals thriving at Endangered Animal Rescue Sanctuary (EARS).
The non-profit 501(c)3 rescue, is nestled away on 35 acres of land. EARS exists specifically to provide permanent homes for unwanted and/or abused endangered animals. Gail Bowen and Jaye Perrett, co-founders of EARS, along with a crew of dedicated volunteers, maintain enclosures for the over 80 abandoned, neglected, and/or abused animals. The sanctuary currently houses 4 lions, 22 tigers, 6 bears, 3 cougars, 2 bobcats, 2 jaguars, 1 lynx, 14 monkeys, 1 Fennec fox, 1 tortoise, and 30 dogs. EARS provides these animals safe haven after they were rescued from various circumstances; some were left to die in private homes or abandoned in wooded areas; others were mistreated at circuses, or tossed away by breeders or zoos when they were no longer considered profitable.
EARS spares no expense in providing all the creature comforts to their residents. Every day, the enclosures are thoroughly cleaned with diluted bleach and water, ensuring the most sanitary conditions for both the animal residents and staff. While some of the property contains homes where volunteer staff live, including Bowen, the majority of the land is dedicated to the animals, with enclosures built that far exceed the USDA-required specifications. For example, only a 10‟ x 24‟ space is required for an enclosure for tigers. “It‟s like putting you in a phone booth and saying, „Have a nice life!‟” scoffs Bowen.
For that reason, the animals have enclosures that are easily 4 to 5 times the required size. The tigers share quarter-acre courtyards decorated with trees, wooded areas, and swimming pools. In the summer, you can barely see the tigers in their personal jungles. They also have plenty of room to run, as the tour group witnessed firsthand, backing away from the fence as Rick James galloped playfully towards us. He stopped just at the fence, tilted his head, and chuffed once again. The goal is that all of the animals live in enclosures that are not only safe, but provide the comforts of home.
The bears living at the sanctuary were not an original part of the mission, but EARS has enough room and more than enough heart to take them. Though the bears currently enjoy adequate space, EARS doesn‟t accept “adequate”. A four-acre plot has been designated for the proposed bear enclosure. The group is currently raising funds for the project and they have applied for a $50,000 grant. Bowen tells us that plans don‟t stop there; they will also build improved living spaces for the lions and then the leopards.
While the sanctuary focuses on expanding enclosures, they keep in mind that all creatures need enrichment - stimulating activities that address the psyche of the animals. A volunteer from Michigan, using her own funds, flies to Florida every month to provide free enrichment programs for the animals. She spends countless hours documenting the different types of planned activities, as well as the residents‟ responses to them. Photos of resident tiger enrichment, playing with pumpkins, can be found at the group‟s website, www.EARSINC.net.
In 2005, EARS opened their doors to 300 animal victims of hurricane Katrina. Unlike the other animals at EARS, these rescued pet cats and dogs were adoptable. Forty-seven were returned to their homes in Louisiana, and all but 13 of the dogs found forever homes. These remaining dogs are still up for adoption and live in their own separate area. At the end of the tour, a volunteer suggested that each dog get free, supervised time to roam the grounds with the other resident dogs. Bowen happily agreed, and so we were witness to yet another act of
kindness, the kind that happens every day at EARS.
As the tour comes to an end, Bowen points out the cemetery honoring their former residents as family. Any EARS resident that has passed reposes peacefully in the cemetery. Little angel markers are scattered throughout the oddly spaced graves of tigers laid side by side with monkeys, lions, and others. An EARS resident herself, Bowen finds no other conclusion than that she will be buried right next to those for whom she had a lifelong passion.
The animals who come to EARS find sanctuary for the rest of their lives. When questioned if new animals are ever born at EARS, Bowen responded that only when the animal arrives already pregnant. With males and females of the various species happily mingling in large enclosures, EARS has preventatively neutered the males. The beautiful and majestic faces of these animals make us beg the question: is it acceptable to allow these animals to pass away without reproducing, especially when they are endangered? Gail Bowen, serious and passionate, states without argument: “A true sanctuary does not breed.”
In the little town of Citra, Florida, just past the train tracks, there‟s an unimposing gate that leads to a world where some very big animals live happily. Just beyond that gate, a tiger greets visitors by rubbing up against enclosure fencing and producing a low, almost-purring
sound.
Angie Stroud, a volunteer, is quick to educate a private tour group of six, that Rick James, the large male tiger housed in the first enclosure, is chuffing; it‟s a happy sound. The tour begins when an energetic voice spiced with a Georgia peach accent grabs our attention - it‟s Gail Bowen, our tour guide. We walk on to meet the rest of the animals thriving at Endangered Animal Rescue Sanctuary (EARS).
The non-profit 501(c)3 rescue, is nestled away on 35 acres of land. EARS exists specifically to provide permanent homes for unwanted and/or abused endangered animals. Gail Bowen and Jaye Perrett, co-founders of EARS, along with a crew of dedicated volunteers, maintain enclosures for the over 80 abandoned, neglected, and/or abused animals. The sanctuary currently houses 4 lions, 22 tigers, 6 bears, 3 cougars, 2 bobcats, 2 jaguars, 1 lynx, 14 monkeys, 1 Fennec fox, 1 tortoise, and 30 dogs. EARS provides these animals safe haven after they were rescued from various circumstances; some were left to die in private homes or abandoned in wooded areas; others were mistreated at circuses, or tossed away by breeders or zoos when they were no longer considered profitable.
EARS spares no expense in providing all the creature comforts to their residents. Every day, the enclosures are thoroughly cleaned with diluted bleach and water, ensuring the most sanitary conditions for both the animal residents and staff. While some of the property contains homes where volunteer staff live, including Bowen, the majority of the land is dedicated to the animals, with enclosures built that far exceed the USDA-required specifications. For example, only a 10‟ x 24‟ space is required for an enclosure for tigers. “It‟s like putting you in a phone booth and saying, „Have a nice life!‟” scoffs Bowen.
For that reason, the animals have enclosures that are easily 4 to 5 times the required size. The tigers share quarter-acre courtyards decorated with trees, wooded areas, and swimming pools. In the summer, you can barely see the tigers in their personal jungles. They also have plenty of room to run, as the tour group witnessed firsthand, backing away from the fence as Rick James galloped playfully towards us. He stopped just at the fence, tilted his head, and chuffed once again. The goal is that all of the animals live in enclosures that are not only safe, but provide the comforts of home.
The bears living at the sanctuary were not an original part of the mission, but EARS has enough room and more than enough heart to take them. Though the bears currently enjoy adequate space, EARS doesn‟t accept “adequate”. A four-acre plot has been designated for the proposed bear enclosure. The group is currently raising funds for the project and they have applied for a $50,000 grant. Bowen tells us that plans don‟t stop there; they will also build improved living spaces for the lions and then the leopards.
While the sanctuary focuses on expanding enclosures, they keep in mind that all creatures need enrichment - stimulating activities that address the psyche of the animals. A volunteer from Michigan, using her own funds, flies to Florida every month to provide free enrichment programs for the animals. She spends countless hours documenting the different types of planned activities, as well as the residents‟ responses to them. Photos of resident tiger enrichment, playing with pumpkins, can be found at the group‟s website, www.EARSINC.net.
In 2005, EARS opened their doors to 300 animal victims of hurricane Katrina. Unlike the other animals at EARS, these rescued pet cats and dogs were adoptable. Forty-seven were returned to their homes in Louisiana, and all but 13 of the dogs found forever homes. These remaining dogs are still up for adoption and live in their own separate area. At the end of the tour, a volunteer suggested that each dog get free, supervised time to roam the grounds with the other resident dogs. Bowen happily agreed, and so we were witness to yet another act of
kindness, the kind that happens every day at EARS.
As the tour comes to an end, Bowen points out the cemetery honoring their former residents as family. Any EARS resident that has passed reposes peacefully in the cemetery. Little angel markers are scattered throughout the oddly spaced graves of tigers laid side by side with monkeys, lions, and others. An EARS resident herself, Bowen finds no other conclusion than that she will be buried right next to those for whom she had a lifelong passion.
The animals who come to EARS find sanctuary for the rest of their lives. When questioned if new animals are ever born at EARS, Bowen responded that only when the animal arrives already pregnant. With males and females of the various species happily mingling in large enclosures, EARS has preventatively neutered the males. The beautiful and majestic faces of these animals make us beg the question: is it acceptable to allow these animals to pass away without reproducing, especially when they are endangered? Gail Bowen, serious and passionate, states without argument: “A true sanctuary does not breed.”
