Wildlife rehabilitation facilities provide care to injured, sick or orphaned animals with the goal of being able to return them to their natural habitat. Some animals are humanly euthanized if they are suffering and medical care would be fruitless. Other animals may recover but are still unable to survive in the wild and then live their life out at the rehab center or an education facility.
Each state has their own laws and requirements for wildlife rehabbers. Before a permit is issued, certain requirements must be met (such as facility inspections, exams, training, internships hours etc.). Most birds are protected by Federal Law and other wildlife is protected by State law. Rehabilitators who wish to care for birds also must get permits from the US Fish & Wildlife Service.
Wildlife rehabilitation facilities should be working with veterinarians to diagnose and treat the animals in their care. Rehabbers should have knowledge of nutritional requirements, behavior, dangers the animals can present to people, and caging requirements. On-going education is also needed.
ANIMAL BREEDING FACILITIES
There are different types of animal breeders. Examples: some breed pets (like dogs), some breed farm animals, some breed exotic animals. Breeding may be done to generate income or to protect a species. Breeding also may be done to produce desirable traits (cows that produce more milk, control the size of the animal etc.).
Ethical breeders are skilled in many areas and should be trained in:
– Animal husbandry
– Ovulation and breeding patterns
– Artificial insemination
– Medical procedure and should have a Veterinarian to advise. (vaccinations, neutering, emergency
care, birthing care, etc.)
– Record keeping- Genealogy-
– Good relations with zoos, farms etc. to make sure animals are being ethically placed.
When people visit the Cat Haven, many of them think that we (and zoos) are taking cats out of the wild and placing them in our facility. This seldom happens, especially when dealing with species that are struggling for survival in the wild. If an exotic cat is orphaned or injured in the wild, intervention can be taken to save these animals. We do not capture healthy cats from the wild an place them into a captive situation. All of the cats at the Cat Haven were born in a captive situation with exception of our Bobcats (Whirlpool and Maytag) who were found orphaned in the wild.
Wild cats live with their mothers for 18 months to 2 years before moving on to find their own territory. Mothers teach the cubs how to hunt, what to hunt and how to stay safe. Cats that have spent their early years in a captive situation do not have the skills to be able to survive in the wild. Though it has been attempted, there has been very little success with re-wilding cats like this.
Like any industry, there are ethical breeders and some that are not so ethical. Strict record keeping is vital to ensure that animals are not inbred. For each specie of cat in captivity, a “stud book” is maintained so that genealogies can be traced.
ANIMAL TRAINING FACILITIES
Animal trainers teach animals to respond to commands that result in a specific behavior. Some trainers work with domestic animals and others work with wild animals. Animals are trained for various reasons: companions, helpers, protection, detection and entertainment to name a few.
As in any business, there are ethical trainers and a few that treat animals badly. When training wild animals, often the natural behaviors of the animal are considered and animals are then taught to respond to a command (such as “sit”, “up”, “target” etc.) .
Most animal trainers today work to train their animals with “positive reinforcement” methods. (this might be a food reward, a kind word, a gentle stroke etc.)
Animals that are used in the entertainment industry are monitored by the American Humane Association. Dogs, cats, horses, bird, marine animals and certain species of wild animals are often trained and used in the entertainment industry.
At the Cat Haven, several of our cats have been filmed and photographed for various reasons. Our Cheetahs are trained with several basic commands (“sit”, “up”, “walk”, “target” “easy” “stay” “down”) They do not do “tricks” and are only encouraged with a food reward to do normal behaviors. Our Cheetahs and several other cats are also comfortable being education ambassadors at schools and other functions. If our cats exhibit behavior that lets us know they are uncomfortable (on a collar and leash, crating, riding in a vehicle), they no longer participate in our education programs.
EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION CENTERS
Project Survival’s Cat Haven is an education and conservation center. Part of our Mission Statement says: “It (the Cat Haven) specializes in education and is engaged in both captive and range country conservation.”
Our cats are ambassadors for education and help to get people interested and excited about helping conservation projects in the wild.
Many people are curious about wildlife and love the chance to see these animals in person. Education/Conservation facilities offer the chance to see the animals and learn more about wildlife. This helps people understand that everyone plays an important in preserving this planet that we all share.
Some of our cats were orphaned in the wild or were “re-homed” with us from other facilities. We provide excellent homes for all of our cats but our focus is to educate people about the plight of endangered cat species, and to raise funds for the conservation projects in the wild. Working to mitigate problems between cats and people in the wild, these projects are vital to protecting and conserving these beautiful animals.
Animal education can include: Docent lead tours, classes in a classroom setting, speaking and power point presentations at events and schools, in-house classes, hosting guest speakers who are currently working in the field with endangered species etc. All employees should be educated and be able to answer questions about how to help get involved with conservation.
