Big Cat Rescue

Big Cat Rescue Corp.
NicknameBCR, Big Cat Rescue
FormationMarch 30, 1995; 29 years ago (1995-03-30) as Wildlife on Easy Street, Inc.[1]
FoundersDon Lewis[1]
Carole Baskin[1]
Type501(c)(3) organization
59-3330495[2][3]
Location
Coordinates28°03′37″N 82°34′18″W / 28.060314°N 82.571559°W / 28.060314; -82.571559
FieldsProtection of endangered species, wildlife sanctuary/refuge, education[2]
Carole Baskin[2][3]
Jamie Murdock[2]
Secretary/Treasurer
Howard Baskin[3]
Revenue (2018)
$4,429,347[3]
Expenses (2018)$3,201,985[3]
Staff (2018)
20[3]
Volunteers (2018)
126[3]
Websitebigcatrescue.org
Formerly called
Wildlife on Easy Street, Inc.[5]

Big Cat Rescue Corp., also known as BCR and previously known as Wildlife on Easy Street, Inc., operates an animal sanctuary in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States, which rescues and houses exotic cats, and rehabilitates injured or orphaned native wild cats. It was founded by Don Lewis and Carole Baskin in 1995.

The animal sanctuary has been open to the public and BCR sells tickets to visitors for tours including private tours, night tours, and feeding tours.[6][7] However, BCR closed the facility to the public on March 16, 2020, due to the COVID-19 outbreak,[8][9] and Baskin later announced that she was considering not reopening the animal sanctuary to the public.[10]

In 2019, BCR had 51 animals—17 big cats and 34 small cats of 11 species including bobcat, Canada lynx, caracal, cougar, Eurasian lynx, jaguar, leopard, lion, ocelot, serval and tiger—down from 66 in 2018.[11]

BCR has been accredited by Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries since 2009,[12] and has received 4-star ratings from Charity Navigator for 2007–2022.[13]

  1. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference sunbiz1995 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b c d "BIG CAT RESCUE CORP". GuideStar. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Form 990" (PDF). bigcatrescue.org. March 13, 2019.
  4. ^ "Hillsborough County Property Appraiser, Search Real Estate by owner=Big Cat Rescue Corp". Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference sunbiz2003 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ "Big Cat Rescue, #9 in Best Things To Do in Tampa". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  7. ^ "Tickets for Big Cat Rescue Tours". Big Cat Rescue. Archived from the original on November 15, 2019. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  8. ^ Marchante, Michelle; Teproff, Carli (April 7, 2020). "A tiger in NY has coronavirus. How Florida zoos and rescues are protecting their animals". Miami Herald. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  9. ^ Douglas, Cassandra (April 7, 2020). "Tampa's Big Cat Rescue Took Down Their Signs & Told Us Why (PHOTOS)". Narcity Media. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  10. ^ Stewart, Dominique (April 17, 2020). "Carole Baskin Says Big Cat Rescue May Never 'Open For Regular Tours Again'". Narcity Media. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  11. ^ "Big Cat Rescue Corp. - Inspection Reports". Animal Care Information System. USDA. Archived from the original on August 22, 2019. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
  12. ^ "Big Cat Rescue Corp". Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. Retrieved May 1, 2020.
  13. ^ "Big Cat Rescue". Charity Navigator. Retrieved February 27, 2019.