03.12.2013 Retirement Home for Big Cats

South of Brazil, Indiana, out in the country, is a home for lions, tigers, cougars and other assorted creatures of the feline persuasion.  We decided to visit this past Saturday - a birthday present for Jenna, my son Sam's fiance.

The Exotic Feline Rescue Center (   http://www.exoticfelinerescuecenter.org/home.html  ) is home to over 200 felines, all shapes and sizes.  They've always been in captivity; none were born in the wild, captured and sold.  They were bred to be sold as pets or to animal shows.  For a variety of reasons, each was brought to the back roads of Indiana to be cared for, a Forever Home.

The animals are in good sized grassy pens, with platforms for climbing and little houses for shelter.  Visitors to the center walk along paths separated from the pens by only a bit of grass.  The guide leads the way, telling each animal's story - these stories can be read on the website.

Here are some pictures of these beautiful creatures!