The Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance (BCSA) celebrated a huge win this year as it became a certified 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Founded in 2017, the BCSA “works to eliminate private ownership and the commercial exploitation of wild cats in the United States” (Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance, 2024). The BCSA allows sanctuaries to collaborate, support, and partner with other accredited sanctuaries to advance the standards of animal care.
The BCSA empowers the public to take action against captive wildlife abuse and offers a dedicated platform for the general public to report concerns. If you have firsthand knowledge of situations where animal welfare is compromised, here are steps you can take to report and address these concerns:
- First, contact your local animal control. Many animal facilities operate under permits issued by local animal control agencies.
- Second, contact the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA will inspect a facility and issue citations for violations of the Animal Welfare Act protections. Violations may result in revocation of an exhibitor’s license. Follow this link, https://www.aphis.usda.gov/awa/regulatory-enforcement/complaint, to access The USDA Animal Welfare Complaint Report.
- Next, please report any instances of big cat neglect, public interaction with big cats, or big cat private ownership situations you feel are unsafe to the US Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) at lawenforcement@fws.gov. When authorities like the USFWS confiscate big cats, rescue operations kick into gear to transfer them to qualified sanctuaries like TCWR.
- Lastly, if your advocacy efforts result in a license revocation or animal confiscation, please inform us so we can encourage others to speak up. Email cheryl@tcwr.org to share your story and any related newspaper coverage.
By leveraging the tools and resources like what BCSA offers, you can be part of the unified voice for captive wildlife and conservation.
Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance. (2024). Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance. https://www.bigcatalliance.org/