October 23, 2011
Hello Dear Friends of EARS!
A Bear Question Visitors Often Ask
We are often times asked, by guests of the sanctuary, "why can't the bears be released back into the wild." Well, the answer is rather simple. "There is no longer a wild into which they can be released." Florida is becoming a place where human inhabitants are longing to experience warm winters, therefore too much of the bears' natural habitat is being taken over by construction and neighborhoods. We totally understand that this is all a part of the natural evolution of things. Our job at EARS is to see to it that the misplaced bears are provided a home in which they can live out their lives with dignity. The bears of EARS receive everything humanly possible, to create a loving environment, complete with plenty of food and enrichment.
The Red Hat Society
Recently, EARS has hosted several chapters of The Red Hat Society. The ladies of The Red Hat Society are certainly among the most memorable of guests. Their attitude and demeanor denotes happiness, and complete gratitude for the work involved in providing a permanent home for the otherwise helpless animals. We, the staff of EARS wish to express our absolute gratitude to you, for your graciousness and appreciativeness for the work we do. You, my dear friends, are a bunch of real cool ladies.
The Unity Church of Gainesville
Today was a marvelous day in which a great group from The Unity Church of Gainesville toured the sanctuary. They were courteous, and they all observed the rules of safety. One of the questions they asked, and which is a common question was "how many pounds of meat do the big cats eat each day?" When I responded "approximately 20 pounds each", the guests were astonished. I suppose this is only possible simply because those of us who truly live for the benefit of the animals, are willing to do without some basic necessities. Please don't pity Jaye, the volunteer staff, or me. We have chosen this path in life, and we are doing all which we believe is right.
Cooler Weather Making Animals at EARS Frisky!
As this weekend comes to a close, and the weather is somewhat cooler, I am once again reminded of the fact that I am truly blessed to be the caregiver of so many truly deserving, magnificent animals. The mischievious monkeys are darting around their habitats, obviously loving the absence of the Florida summer heat. The lions are roaring a mighty chorus, and the tigers are completely beside themselves relishing the change in temperature. The cougars, bobcats, leopards, and even the fox seem to be facing the heavens, and sighing relief of thanks. The Florida fall and springs can only be described as WONDERFUL, yet the summers are just a tad bit warm. The winter months are tolerable, but the primates and tortoise habitats are heated, just in case they could become chilled. During the brief Florida winters, one of the volunteers checks on the heaters, every two hours during the nights. That usually is me, however Angie also takes her turn. Speaking of Angie, what in the world would we do without her?
Hello Dear Friends of EARS!
A Bear Question Visitors Often Ask
We are often times asked, by guests of the sanctuary, "why can't the bears be released back into the wild." Well, the answer is rather simple. "There is no longer a wild into which they can be released." Florida is becoming a place where human inhabitants are longing to experience warm winters, therefore too much of the bears' natural habitat is being taken over by construction and neighborhoods. We totally understand that this is all a part of the natural evolution of things. Our job at EARS is to see to it that the misplaced bears are provided a home in which they can live out their lives with dignity. The bears of EARS receive everything humanly possible, to create a loving environment, complete with plenty of food and enrichment.
The Red Hat Society
Recently, EARS has hosted several chapters of The Red Hat Society. The ladies of The Red Hat Society are certainly among the most memorable of guests. Their attitude and demeanor denotes happiness, and complete gratitude for the work involved in providing a permanent home for the otherwise helpless animals. We, the staff of EARS wish to express our absolute gratitude to you, for your graciousness and appreciativeness for the work we do. You, my dear friends, are a bunch of real cool ladies.
The Unity Church of Gainesville
Today was a marvelous day in which a great group from The Unity Church of Gainesville toured the sanctuary. They were courteous, and they all observed the rules of safety. One of the questions they asked, and which is a common question was "how many pounds of meat do the big cats eat each day?" When I responded "approximately 20 pounds each", the guests were astonished. I suppose this is only possible simply because those of us who truly live for the benefit of the animals, are willing to do without some basic necessities. Please don't pity Jaye, the volunteer staff, or me. We have chosen this path in life, and we are doing all which we believe is right.
Cooler Weather Making Animals at EARS Frisky!
As this weekend comes to a close, and the weather is somewhat cooler, I am once again reminded of the fact that I am truly blessed to be the caregiver of so many truly deserving, magnificent animals. The mischievious monkeys are darting around their habitats, obviously loving the absence of the Florida summer heat. The lions are roaring a mighty chorus, and the tigers are completely beside themselves relishing the change in temperature. The cougars, bobcats, leopards, and even the fox seem to be facing the heavens, and sighing relief of thanks. The Florida fall and springs can only be described as WONDERFUL, yet the summers are just a tad bit warm. The winter months are tolerable, but the primates and tortoise habitats are heated, just in case they could become chilled. During the brief Florida winters, one of the volunteers checks on the heaters, every two hours during the nights. That usually is me, however Angie also takes her turn. Speaking of Angie, what in the world would we do without her?
October 8 & 9, 2011
Hello Dear Friends of EARS!
Thank You, Angie!
Sometimes we overlook the people and things we take for granted. In this instance, I am referring to our EARS staff member, Angie Stroud, who has been absent of selfishness in caring for the animals, for the past three years. Angie is present at EARS six days each week and she is fast becoming more of a family member than a staff member. Angie is a "take control" kind of person, yet she is kind, gentle and soft-spoken when dealing with matters of urgency. She is the mother of three wonderful children, yet she successfully balances her time between the children and her duties at the sanctuary. Angie spends time nearly every day, in the habitat with our monkey, Joey, a macaque. Joey will only accept Angie to enter his living quarters, as he and she groom each other so lovingly. Thank you, Angie, for being here for Joey, and all the other furry residents and thank you, Angie, for being the wonderful person which you are.
YEAH! Emma's Back!
During the past seven years, Emma Oding has been one of the most loyal and trusted volunteers EARS could have ever hoped to have. Last year, after graduating from nursing school, she moved to Oregon to be with her fiance', and to seek a nursing position there. Well, just one month ago, and as luck would have it, Emma was offered a great position in nursing, in Gainesville. Sooooo....she's back at the sanctuary, donating her time and talents to the animals. Our sincere thanks to Emma for her tireless efforts, her trustworthiness, and her complete devotion to the care of the animals.
Sugar-Gliders New Residents of EARS
Last week we received a call from a lady who owned two sugar-gliders which she could no longer keep. The sugar-gliders (affectionately known as pocket pets), needing a home, are two little boys. The staff of EARS accepted the sugar-gliders, and they are now in the care of Mary who has been a volunteer staff member for the past ten years. This is just one small example of the many deserving animals who simply need a home in which they can live out their lives, with love and dignity.
Rain, Rain, Go Away!
Even though the rain is needed and appreciated, the past two days of (pretty much) nonstop rain, has proven to be difficult for the human caregivers. We donned our rain-gear and rubber boots, and we braved the wet conditions. Of course the tigers and bears absolutely are having a blast romping through the rain. The lions and monkeys prefer to remain dry, so they are in their shelters, peering out as if to say "why the heck is all this water falling from the sky?" Never fear beautiful furry ones! Tomorrow will be filled with sunshine, and another day of fun enrichment and plenty of food, and all will be well.
Monkey Business!
Now that the weather is tolerable, and the chilly winter nights are nigh, it'll soon be time to heat the monkey habitats. Thanks to the building skills of volunteers, Marsha and Bill, the monkeys have cozy, heated wooden boxes in which clean blankets are placed daily. During the winter nights, I check on the monkeys every two hours, to make certain the little darlings are warm. EARS is home to macaques, vervets, marmosets, bush babies and capuchins.
We Can BEARLY Contain our Excitement!
The new bear habitat is 99.99% completed. The effort put forth to provide the bears with a new, spacious enclosure has certainly proven to be a labor of love. Our sincerest thanks to all the humans, staff & volunteers who have helped to make this dream come true. And a special thanks to volunteers, Joe and Tammy who traveled from Michigan, numerous times, to lead the efforts on the bear enclosure project.
Sultan Getting New Digs!
Sultan, a snow tiger, and the "baddest" (& at times the muddiest) boy on the block, will soon be moved to his new environment. Even though the enclosure where he is now is spacious and shady, his newer habitat will provide him with even more comforts. Thanks to the Keen family, EARS has an enrichment program which provides the furry residents with enrichment to help prevent boredom. Sultan, as well as the others, seems to sincerely appreciate the new smells and sights to which he is exposed every day.
Supplies
If you have any supplies which you wish to donate to the well-being of the animals, please call me at 352-595-2959.
Thank you for supporting EARS! Your help means so much to us!
My sincerest thanks,
Gail
Hello Dear Friends of EARS!
Thank You, Angie!
Sometimes we overlook the people and things we take for granted. In this instance, I am referring to our EARS staff member, Angie Stroud, who has been absent of selfishness in caring for the animals, for the past three years. Angie is present at EARS six days each week and she is fast becoming more of a family member than a staff member. Angie is a "take control" kind of person, yet she is kind, gentle and soft-spoken when dealing with matters of urgency. She is the mother of three wonderful children, yet she successfully balances her time between the children and her duties at the sanctuary. Angie spends time nearly every day, in the habitat with our monkey, Joey, a macaque. Joey will only accept Angie to enter his living quarters, as he and she groom each other so lovingly. Thank you, Angie, for being here for Joey, and all the other furry residents and thank you, Angie, for being the wonderful person which you are.
YEAH! Emma's Back!
During the past seven years, Emma Oding has been one of the most loyal and trusted volunteers EARS could have ever hoped to have. Last year, after graduating from nursing school, she moved to Oregon to be with her fiance', and to seek a nursing position there. Well, just one month ago, and as luck would have it, Emma was offered a great position in nursing, in Gainesville. Sooooo....she's back at the sanctuary, donating her time and talents to the animals. Our sincere thanks to Emma for her tireless efforts, her trustworthiness, and her complete devotion to the care of the animals.
Sugar-Gliders New Residents of EARS
Last week we received a call from a lady who owned two sugar-gliders which she could no longer keep. The sugar-gliders (affectionately known as pocket pets), needing a home, are two little boys. The staff of EARS accepted the sugar-gliders, and they are now in the care of Mary who has been a volunteer staff member for the past ten years. This is just one small example of the many deserving animals who simply need a home in which they can live out their lives, with love and dignity.
Rain, Rain, Go Away!
Even though the rain is needed and appreciated, the past two days of (pretty much) nonstop rain, has proven to be difficult for the human caregivers. We donned our rain-gear and rubber boots, and we braved the wet conditions. Of course the tigers and bears absolutely are having a blast romping through the rain. The lions and monkeys prefer to remain dry, so they are in their shelters, peering out as if to say "why the heck is all this water falling from the sky?" Never fear beautiful furry ones! Tomorrow will be filled with sunshine, and another day of fun enrichment and plenty of food, and all will be well.
Monkey Business!
Now that the weather is tolerable, and the chilly winter nights are nigh, it'll soon be time to heat the monkey habitats. Thanks to the building skills of volunteers, Marsha and Bill, the monkeys have cozy, heated wooden boxes in which clean blankets are placed daily. During the winter nights, I check on the monkeys every two hours, to make certain the little darlings are warm. EARS is home to macaques, vervets, marmosets, bush babies and capuchins.
We Can BEARLY Contain our Excitement!
The new bear habitat is 99.99% completed. The effort put forth to provide the bears with a new, spacious enclosure has certainly proven to be a labor of love. Our sincerest thanks to all the humans, staff & volunteers who have helped to make this dream come true. And a special thanks to volunteers, Joe and Tammy who traveled from Michigan, numerous times, to lead the efforts on the bear enclosure project.
Sultan Getting New Digs!
Sultan, a snow tiger, and the "baddest" (& at times the muddiest) boy on the block, will soon be moved to his new environment. Even though the enclosure where he is now is spacious and shady, his newer habitat will provide him with even more comforts. Thanks to the Keen family, EARS has an enrichment program which provides the furry residents with enrichment to help prevent boredom. Sultan, as well as the others, seems to sincerely appreciate the new smells and sights to which he is exposed every day.
Supplies
If you have any supplies which you wish to donate to the well-being of the animals, please call me at 352-595-2959.
Thank you for supporting EARS! Your help means so much to us!
My sincerest thanks,
Gail
The Truth About Big Cats
Many people limit their understanding of big cats by the fears they hold that have been instilled by movie productions, circus trainers being brutally attacked and the media coverage that is focused on negative publicity. What you don't see is the abuse, starvation and unfit working and living conditions that exist behind the scenes. EARS challenges you to reach past your doubts and fears and get to know the truth about big cats. We offer pictures of these cats at their rescue & months later living happily at EARS. They came to us starved, sick and helpless. Now they are self-sufficient, healthy and absolutely beautiful.
Gail
Many people limit their understanding of big cats by the fears they hold that have been instilled by movie productions, circus trainers being brutally attacked and the media coverage that is focused on negative publicity. What you don't see is the abuse, starvation and unfit working and living conditions that exist behind the scenes. EARS challenges you to reach past your doubts and fears and get to know the truth about big cats. We offer pictures of these cats at their rescue & months later living happily at EARS. They came to us starved, sick and helpless. Now they are self-sufficient, healthy and absolutely beautiful.
Gail
WISH LIST
I was asked to create a wish list which would be included in our website. As I sat down with pen in hand, I was ever so confident that the task could easily be accomplished. How could I have ever been so mistaken!
The needs of the animals range from bleach for disinfecting, to water tubs to stainless food preparation containers; from galvanized nails to all sizes of treated lumber. There is no end to all that is needed to create comfortable environments and spacious habitats. The needed office supplies include paper, pens, and file folders.
I'd like to include a plea for funds for building additional habitats.
It would be wonderful if we could have an affordable used forklift or bobcat in good or repairable condition. It would be immensely appreciated. All of our meat has always been moved by hand from delivery to the freezer and daily from the freezer to our food prep area.
We also still house dogs from Hurricane Katrina which could not be placed so we are always in need of dog food.
If you have any supplies which you wish to donate to the well-being of the animals, please call me at 352-595-2959.
My sincerest thanks,
Gail
The needs of the animals range from bleach for disinfecting, to water tubs to stainless food preparation containers; from galvanized nails to all sizes of treated lumber. There is no end to all that is needed to create comfortable environments and spacious habitats. The needed office supplies include paper, pens, and file folders.
I'd like to include a plea for funds for building additional habitats.
It would be wonderful if we could have an affordable used forklift or bobcat in good or repairable condition. It would be immensely appreciated. All of our meat has always been moved by hand from delivery to the freezer and daily from the freezer to our food prep area.
We also still house dogs from Hurricane Katrina which could not be placed so we are always in need of dog food.
If you have any supplies which you wish to donate to the well-being of the animals, please call me at 352-595-2959.
My sincerest thanks,
Gail
Copyright © 2009 EARS Inc. All Rights Reserved.
