The Center for Animal Research & Education is working to help turn the tide of the abused and abandoned big cat. The previous organization operated primarily as a boarding facility for performing animals and assisted in big cat rescue efforts by providing care and a sanctuary for animals rescued from abusive and unsafe environments. Founder Heidi Berry, a recognized authority in the field of captive management and husbandry of large exotic felines, moved to refocus the purpose of the Center in 2002. In order to protect and provide for the Center’s long-term future, all commercial activity was terminated and the conversion to a nonprofit entity commenced. By 2003, CARE had received its tax-exempt 501(c)(3) determination from the IRS. On November 2, 2004, the facility received its USDA Class C license.
Heidi and countless volunteers are the driving force behind the Center’s mission. Their tireless devotion to the care and welfare of the great cat family is the foundation on which the Center was built. It is the organization’s staff, volunteers, members and donors who hold the hope and promise for the future welfare of the magnificent creatures that depend on CARE for a safe haven.
Currently, CARE is home to 1 Snow Leopard, 7 Cougars, 5 Black & Spotted Leopards, 3 African Lions, and 35 White and Orange Tigers.
CARE is dedicated to working for and with this feline family to:
• Provide a resource to the animal medical and scientific community for study, research and the development of programs. The objective is to learn from the animals’ natural behaviors, instincts and habitats. No experimentation of any kind will ever take place nor will the animals’ safety and comfort ever be compromised.
• Provide a medical and scientific educational forum for veterinarians, veterinary students, animal caregivers, environmentalists, animal trainers, and volunteers. Additionally CARE is a place for collaboration on learned and discovered techniques to enhance the quality of life of big cats in captivity.
• Establish public awareness of the magnificence of the big cats, the activities at the center and the issues faced in caring for large exotic felines in order to create a better understanding of the level of commitment required and to facilitate greater community involvement.
• Provide a safe educational and recreational venue where families, groups, school children, and people of all ages can gather to observe and learn from these great creatures.
