BIG CAT RESCUE CORP

ANIMAL CARE - THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDED FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR FOOD AND MEDICAL CARE AT AN ACCREDITED SANCTUARY FOR 31 BIG CATS, MANY OF WHOM HAVE BEEN ABUSED, ABANDONED, ORPHANED OR RETIRED FROM PERFORMING ACTS. IN 2023 THE ORGANIZATION MOVED THE 33 REMAINING BIG CATS TO AN ACCREDITED SANCTUARY IN ARKANSAS WHICH HAS SIMILAR PHILOSOPHY AND ANIMAL CARE CAPABILITIES. THAT SANCTUARY HAS OVER 400 ACRES WHICH ALLOWED THE ORGANIZATION TO FUND THE CONSTRUCTION OF MUCH LARGER ENCLOSURES FOR THE ANIMALS THAN COULD BE PROVIDED AT THE SMALLER 67 ACRE TAMPA PROPERTY. IN 2024 THE ORGANIZATION SOLD 56 ACRES OF THE FORMER SANCTUARY PROPERTY AND IN JANUARY 2025 SOLD THE REMAINING 11 ACRES. THE ORIGINAL 42 ACRES ACQUIRED OVER 30 YEARS AGO HAD A VERY LOW COST BASIS AND THE 15 ACRES ACQUIRED IN A SERIES OF PURCHASES IN MORE RECENT YEARS HAD A BASIS WELL BELOW THE SALE PRICE. THE RESULT IS A SUBSTANTIAL ONE-TIME GAIN OF OVER 15 MILLION ON THE 2024 SALE.

ADVOCACY - THE ORGANIZATION EDUCATES THE PUBLIC ABOUT BIG CAT ISSUES IN CAPTIVITY AND IN THE WILD AND ADVOCATES FOR LEGISLATION THROUGH ITS WEBSITE THAT RECEIVED AN ESTIMATED 335,000 VIEWS DURING THE YEAR AND THROUGH EMAILS SENT NO LESS THAN MONTHLY THAT GO TO OVER 6,000 RECIPIENTS. OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL BIGCATTV.COM HAS OVER 1.3 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS AND OUR VIDEOS THERE HAVE RECEIVED OVER 600 MILLION CUMULATIVE VIEWS. WE HAD OVER 4.2 MILLION FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS AT YEAR END, OVER 300,000 FOLLOWERS ON X, AND OVER 170,000 ON INSTAGRAM. OUR MOST SIGNIFICANT ADVOCACY ACCOMPLISHMENT WAS THE PASSAGE OF THE FEDERAL BIG CAT PUBLIC SAFETY ACT INTO LAW ON DECEMBER 20, 2022 AFTER OVER A DECADE OF OUR LEADING THE EFFORT TO GET IT PASSED. THE BILL ENDS THE ABUSIVE CUB PETTING AND PHASES OUT PRIVATE OWNERSHIP OF BIG CATS BY THOSE WHO ARE NOT USDA LICENSED EXHIBITORS. WE BELIEVE THIS WILL END 90% OF THE ABUSE OF BIG CATS HELD IN CAPTIVITY IN THIS COUNTRY. SINCE THEN WE HAVE WORKED ACTIVELY WITH US FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE ON ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW. IN 2024 WE WORKED ON A BALLOT INITIATIVE IN COLORADO TO END THE MORE ABUSIVE KINDS OF HUNTING OF COUGARS, BOBCATS, AND LYNX. UNFORTUNATELY, IT DID NOT PASS.