Petting Cubs is Always Abusive

The fact is that the majority of these exhibitors are in fact incessant breeders of big cats and these exhibits only perpetuate their justification for breeding more.  They are not rescuers of big cats nor are they providing sanctuaries for these animals.  They are exploiting them for profit!  Sandsburg Mall – Galesburg, IL; Pzazz Resort Hotel and Casino – Burlington, IA; Mounds Mall – Anderson, IN; Concord Mall – Elkhart, IN and Lincoln Mall-Matteson, IL all have hosted lion and tiger cub exhibits put on by Joe Schreibvogel, a breeder that travels the country, using many business names, to display lion and tiger cubs.

Schreibvogel has a history of USDA violations for abusive treatment of animals and is currently under investigation by USDA for the deaths of 23 cubs.  Last year, he displayed sick cubs with violent diarrhea at the Mounds Mall.  You can see video of this awful abuse, and learn more about Schreibvogel at www.TigerCubAbuse.com

Other exhibitors are known for their training and presentation of circus acts, such as Kay and Clay Rosaire.  They breed and exploit these animals on the one hand and then claim to rescue them on the other at their dismal Big Cat Encounter facility in Sarasota, FL.  The IX Indoor Amusement Park – Cleveland, OH is one such location that the Rosaire’s perform at with their “rescued” animals.  Learn more about Kay and Clay Rosaire at https://911animalabuse.com/big-cat-habitat-kay-rosaire-clay-rosaire-circus/

Cubs used for petting and photo exhibits are torn from their mothers shortly after birth, causing emotional pain to both mom and cub.  They spend countless hours in small cages in trucks when they aren’t being poked and prodded on display. What happens to the lions and tigers that are used to make money after they are too big and dangerous to use this way? Most spend their entire lives in small concrete and chain link cells, often in horrible conditions. If you go to Big Cat Encounter (the Rosaire’s facility) you will see the cats are relegated to tiny cages that surround a grassy area. They tell the public that the cats take turns in the grass area, but there is no evidence that the cats have such access on any regular basis. USDA rules allow keeping a 500 pound tiger for its entire life in an area only big enough to stand up and turn around.