There are several non-profit organizations all over the world that are trying to help the environment in some way. Great Cats of Indiana is a wonderful example of a whose primary focus is helping animals in need and shows that it doesn't matter where you live because a non-profit can be started anywhere. They help displaced and neglected animals by giving them a place to stay safely and receive the proper food and medical requirements the animals need. They house tigers, lions, cougars, bobcats, jaguars, and even though they aren't "cats", wolves and bears. Their website is a clear picture of what a non-profit organization is, from their mission statement, online store, and through their daily operations it can be seen "what it takes" to run a non-profit organization.
Like other non-profit organizations, Great Cats of Indiana has a mission statement. Their mission statement reveals their goals and objectives for forming their organization. Their primary focus is to care for displaced animals that need their help in order to live. Not only do they want to serve animals, but they want to educate people to help bring an end for the need of these animals to have to live in a sanctuary, instead of in the wild where they should be. Their mission statement exemplifies their goals of providing a future for wildlife.
Another key factor in being a non-profit organization is finding different methods of fundraising other than just simple donations. Donations are good but not always reliable. One way Great Cats has achieved this is through their online store, gift shop, and daily openings to the public. By providing alternative methods of fundraising, they are able to cover more expenses needed for the animals. Their online store sells knives and they also have a gift shop visitors can shop if they go to one of the daily opened visiting times. Allowing people to visit their animals is a great way to raise more funds for the animals, and possibly create new donors. Great Cats is doing what non-profits have to do in order to raise the appropriate funds for caring for their animals.
Running a non-profit organization is "no piece of cake". It takes a lot of hard work and committed people to effectively run one. Great Cats exemplifies this on their web page by the following statement," When they get hungry, thirsty, cold or sick they can’t fix this on their own, they need us to provide food and water, shelter and medicine when needed to assure they stay healthy. This is a responsibility we take very seriously. By taking these animals in we have agreed to give up our vacations, a night on the town, the nine to five lifestyle and any sense of a routine day to day existence. The path we have chosen is difficult at times, but we gave up these things because the animals needed us to be a part of their lives. We gave up these things because we feel they are worth it, and we feel that they deserve a chance to have a life free from the abuse, torture, pain and neglect many of them knew before coming home to our facility." They have given up many of the things people take for granted in their daily lives just to save these helpless animals. Being able to take care of them is rewarding enough for them. These are the type of people needed to run an effective non-profit organization: dedicated and hard working.
Great Cats of Indiana is a real life example of what it takes to run a non-profit organization. Everything from their mission statement, to the long hours they endure to care for what they cherish most. If you are interested in seeing them and their "cats" in action, you can catch them on Animal Planet's "Growing up Tiger". Also, feel free to check out their website and make a donation to help their cause!
http://www.greatcatsofindiana.org/index.htm
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7 comments:
LOL that lady with the petition is crazy... i just made a visit and its perfectly fine. you can really see the love between the animals and the owner.
Anonymous...so loving their visit that they don't put their NAME on their comment...hmmm...
Yeah, the place is great...that's why the USDA has a motion to go to hearing to close them down.
It's a filthy pit of a place. If you live in this area and want to see a NICE, REAL big cat sanctuary, travel to Exotic Feline Rescue Center in Center Point, IN. (about an hour west of Indianapolis). www.exoticfelinerescuecenter.org
Diane Gustafson
disgusting place..just look at the pictures! Diane your doing a great job at trying to help get those cats out of there they deserve a real home, not a corn bin! Nasty people, nasty place the pictures say it all. Keep up the good work Diane!
June 14, 2003/Idaville, Indiana: A woman on a tour of Great Cats of Indiana had part of her left index finger bitten off by a bear when she reached into the animal’s cage.
Cat "rescue". Riiight. The facility is gross. They give tours, which my family was going to do, until we got there. Looked like the kind of place people get eaten. Seriously.
We were at the Great Cats of Indiana facility today (5-25-09). Diane, you need to get a real life.
We went to this site as the direct result of visiting the Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum with the glorious return of the NKP 765. They were promoting this site. In addition, we were told the story of a Bengal abandoned after birth by the mother. The cat's name was Thor. The owner of the Grand Central Station Restaurant was thrilled and humbled to actually see Thor's early life. After Thor reached a certain size, this facility provided him shelter. We wanted to meet this kitty. However, Thor was relocated to another facility and is suppose to be doing well.
These animals do not look abused. The animals were well groomed, well fed, and content. Their temperaments were similar to those in other sanctuaries.
Roadside Zoo???? Idaville, Indiana is in the middle of NOWHERE. Every sanctuary where I have been asks for money. This place requires 2,000 pounds of food. The Exotic Feline Rescue Center requires much more. How do you think the owners can support such a food bill? If you cared, open up your purse. The cost of food is slightly more than a couple of Happy Meals.
Tours??? You got to be kidding. Each site we have been at have staff conduct guided tours. This is to try to prevent the stupid visitors from feeding themselves to these animals. All places have signs stating these animals will bite. Few read visitors read them. About five minutes after our tour guide told us not to touch or reach toward the cages at the Exotic Feline Rescue Center, some moron did just that. The three lions had their eyes and ears locked on this idiot within a nano-second. It was very obvious by the "Oh (Expletive)" look on this nut's face that he did something wrong. If you are not going to listen to the guide, you better listen to the big kitties. They will not tell you a second time.
What we saw today was a site that probably started off with the intent of having one or two animals. However, cats are like potato chips, you can't have just one. The facility grew quickly and the owner(s) is(are) trying to adapt. There was at least five or six staff working with the animals. The staff had very good relationships with the animals. You should have seen how playful the bears and cougar were with the staff. I wanted to play with those animals like the staff. (No the staff were not inside the cages.) However, the female lion in heat kept reminding me there is a reason why the visitors were kept outside the cages.
One of the best parts about this style of sanctuary/roadside zoo is that you can get within an arm's length of the animal. This is something that the average visitor must learn. One cannot act the same way you would act in a public zoo. Human beings need to learn that they are part of the animal world and need to be very respectful. Take away the guns and other auxiliary items, humans are no match when placed next to these big cats. If you don't believe me, go to Las Vegas and ask Roy. Another benefit is that you can actually talk to the staff and learn about the specific animal's history.
A word of advice: don't look to the government for answers. The only time politicians and bureaucrats help/serve is when it can serve their personal needs/net worth. "Animal rights" will not guarantee lots of press coverage like a "position on abortion" will receive. However, you might get lucky and actually find a statesmen.
Diane if you are concerned and actually care, get off your backside do something positive. All cats do four things, eat, sleep, look adorable, and POO. I have three SHD cats and that litter box requires a lot of attention. If you have extra time, please talk to Paula Poundstone. She has twelve cats. I am sure she would like help with litter box duty.
If you want to make a difference, do something constructive. Volunteer, raise money, locate food sources, help build shelters, etc.
i have been actually working with the cats at gc for years-- and we all laugh at the 'gust bunny' and her inane blather.
if you look at her facebook page, note she depicts herself as some sort of anime bimbo sucking on a tigers nose...
she was there ONCE. and if you read, you see she makes two comments that flat out amaze me. one-- the animals would be better off euthanized than live there-- and that is evidence she would not know what she is talking about. think about that one gust bunny.
two, she complained the black leopard did not even want to talk to her-- well, he does not even look at one time floozeys, let alone one demanding his attention.
robs place is dirty, and underfunded, yes. but rather than make petitions and huff and puff--DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
last week me and my vol crew (15 of us, and no online virtual gust bunnies) cleaned, fixed cages, and improved the ACTUAL LIVING CONDITIONS OF THE ANIMALS.
oh, and maybe it takes more than a half hour to see if they are happy animals or not. she is shallow as an oil slick, with no answers other than paste and click petitions.
once again, consider-- if you dont like the prison, you dont advocate killing the prisoners.
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