Yesterday, in the early morning rain, Kurt & Lisa Stoner from Forest Animal Rescue met the rest of the team, friends from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and The Wild Animal Sanctuary (TWAS) at the Miami International Airport.
We have worked together for two long years to move two Patagonian Pumas (cougars) from a closed zoo in Argentina to Forest Animal Rescue to live the rest of their lives in peaceful sanctuary. They finally arrived on U.S. soil.
From the Beginning: A zoo in Rawson, Argentina was closed in 2015 as a result of public pressure. As other animals were being placed with facilities in their own country, two pumas that had spent their entire lives together at this zoo had nowhere to go.
Two rescue groups in Argentina helped to organize the placement of the animals, IFAW offered their assistance and approached Forest Animal Rescue to ask if we could accept these two beautiful cats for lifetime care at our sanctuary. Pat Craig from the Wild Animal Sanctuary was organizing the transportation of other animals from Argentina and offered his assistance with the complicated permitting and logistics of an international transfer.
The team was established – these magnificent cats would be moved to Florida to live the rest of their lives together at Forest Animal Rescue.
On August 24, after two years of determination and teamwork, the pumas arrived safely in Miami. The transport crates were loaded into Forest Animal Rescue’s air conditioned trailer and driven five hours north to their forever home at the sanctuary in the Ocala National Forest.
We have stepped up to provide lifetime care for these cougars that have endured so much, but providing a spacious habitat, diet and ongoing veterinary care is very expensive.
We are raising $10,000 to be sure they have what they need at the sanctuary for the first year, their initial care will be the most involved.
We have almost reached our goal. Will you step up for them, too?
You can help us provide for these two cougars by donating to our special fundraiser
Gifts may also be mailed to:
Forest Animal Rescue, 640, NE 170th Ct., Silver Springs, FL 34488
Past News:
https://www.forestanimalrescue.org/argentina-cougars/
It’s so sad that this major hurricane is expected to hit Florida. I hope they remain safe, as well as everyone who takes care of these animals.
Thank you – we are as prepared as we can be…we will let everyone know how we are doing after the storm is over.