Our Volunteers
Big Cat Rescue Volunteers
The most primal, instinctive trait, common to both animal and man, is to leave behind their “mark”. We all strive to be remembered, to leave a legacy that insures our immortality. For animals, including most humans, the only known course is to produce offspring. We would all like to be remembered, but most of us just don’t know how.
These people have made their mark. They know that the contribution of their time and energy is changing the world and creating a better life for animals and people alike. These are the stories of people who discovered that it’s not how much money you make or how popular you are right now that matters, but rather if the world will be considerably changed for the better by your existence. These people have discovered immortality and the peace of mind that is found in giving.
The slideshow only shows our Superheroes (Green Shirts) and Heroes (Yellow Shirts) and staff, but there are also many Heroes in Training (Red Shirts) who are working their way up.
There is no experience on earth like being a Big Cat Rescue Volunteer!
MEET OUR DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS:
You might be curious – who are these sanctuary people that step up to volunteer their lives caring for big cats in need? In 2007 alone, our wonderful volunteers donated 57,302 man-power hours (that’s in addition to staff). This is roughly the equivalent workforce of 27 full time staff members.
You may wonder, what is their background – these people who donate countless hours providing enrichment, care, feeding, and cleaning at Big Cat Rescue? This is a group of highly educated, dedicated people from all walks of life. Among them, you’ll find 2 veterinarians, a retired Army medic/lab specialist, a surgical nurse, a retired computer software specialist, a Harvard MBA, a critical care nurse, a retired financial adviser from Raymond James, a nurse married to an intensive care pediatrician, an owner of a network systems company, an early childhood educator married to a gastroenterologist, a retired chiropractor, a child psychologist, a national medical equipment sales/technical support representative, a PhD, a retired office manager married to a hospital CEO, a mechanic, a nurse, a high school biology teacher, an animal specialist, a retired lawyer/PhD/management consultant, a real estate and mortgage investor, a pilot, an internationally recognized photographer, a small business owner, engineer, international travel agent and countless other prominent local citizens – the list goes on and on. These volunteers have given up significant parts of their lives and are all motivated by the same thing; i.e. the love and passion they feel for animals.
Big Cat Rescue is so thankful to have fine people like these who give up every moment of their free time to help the animals here to be more comfortable. If you ask any one of them though, they will tell you they do it because it makes them feel good to know that they are making a difference. They truly are!!!!!
You might be a BIG CAT RESCUE Volunteer…
If you go to the grocery store and look like you’re wearing the meat department.
While in the meat department, you spend $80 and don’t have one thing in your cart for dinner.
If you’ve missed work because your baby is sick, and you don’t have any human children.
If you say, “Don’t throw that away, it’s enrichment!” when your family takes out the trash.
If you purchase pumpkin pie spice in bulk, but you don’t bake.
If you describe tools to the Home Deport guy that even he hasn’t heard of before.
If you try to operant condition your family, but give up because it’s easier to train cats.
If your vehicle has been transport for human, animal, vegetable, and mineral all in the same day.
If you’re ever had to explain to a cop that the syringe in your front seat is for a Jungle Cat with liver flukes.
If you are walking your dog and have a sudden urge to pick up all the neighbor’s dog poop too.
If you would NEVER use your “BBQ tongs” to touch human food.
If you have asked for grass seed, scrub brushes, BBQ tongs, or new volunteer shirts as a gift.
If you go to the movie theatre and think of Binturongs.
If when asked, “What did you do last weekend?”, you refer them to the PodCats page of the web site.
Thanks, Jess and Cathy for compiling that Volunteer Profile!
Thanks again to all of you for making Big Cat Rescue the finest big cat sanctuary in the world!
