SANDSTONE, Minn — Editor's note: The video above is from a previous cat rescue: It aired on Nov. 30, 2022.
Four exotic cats have a new lease on life after being rescued from a breeding facility by The Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone.
The cats - two caracals, a fishing cat and a young serval - were at Even Keel Exotics, a business with what sanctuary officials call "a long list of violations of the Animal Welfare Act and Endangered Species Act." Wildlife Sanctuary caretakers drove to Michigan last week to pick up the cats, who were reportedly found living in cramped, filthy cages that provided no shelter from inclement weather.
In all, 142 animals were removed from Even Keel Exotics, which bought, sold and bred them for profit.
"Our team was the first onsite with authorities to safely remove the cats. They saw cages that were barren and dirty,” said Wildlife Sanctuary Executive Director Tammy Thies in a released statement. "They are already enjoying grass under their feet for the first time."
The new residents will each undergo an intake exam, deworming, vaccines and eventually be spayed and neutered. A contest is currently underway that allows new donors a chance to name the two caracals. The Wildcat Sanctuary says fundraising is necessary as they take no government funding for rescues or day-to-day operations.
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