deidre's birthday part 1

This is really the second part, but she's writing about it first 'cause she can :)

After getting up and around and opening the presents, deidre got ready to go to Big Cat Rescue. We/we ended up leaving home later than planned and stopped by the library to drop off some things that were due and then began the drive over the bridge to Tampa. At one point a wrong exit was taken, deidre won’t say by whom * Master * and deidre was afraid that We/we would be late. We/we were by only about 5 minutes though and they let us in after signing a special disclosure.

deidre got to see some very beautiful animals and some others that had been treated so badly she was on the verge of tears.

One of the tigers had been kept chained to a wall to guard a stash of drugs and had spent so much time lying on the floor that she was not only underweight from lack of nutrients but had softball sized calluses on her ‘elbows’

One of the panthers had been part of a circus act where he was forced to jump through a ring of fire. Whenever the poor guy refused to do so he was clubbed over the head, which eventually led to horrible tear duct damage and a fear of humans.

Another one of these beautiful creatures was kept in a harness that was never adjusted. Eventually his flesh began to grow over the harness and it had to be cut out with a razor.

Most of the animals at Big Cat Rescue have stories like this. They’ve been neglected and abused, but there are happy stories too. Walking around watching them deidre could see a bit of her own cat’s playfulness in some of the big kitties. They’d role over and show their bellies, or meow in response to the guide’s voice or just do other goofy cat things. We/we got to hear a lion roar too. It was an incredible trumpeting sound, completely unlike the sound that comes from the MGM Lion.

Some of the animals have retired from performing early at this sanctuary so that they can live out their lives happily. As happily as an animal in a cage can be. The enclosures are large and clean, not cement like at a zoo but with vegetation growing inside so that they can live as naturally as possible. Their health and diet are monitored carefully though there is never direct contact unless necessary. The keepers do not get in the enclosures to pet them or to play with them. There are plans in place in the event of an emergency so that the cats can be evacuated quickly and safely.

The staff consists of only 4 paid people. The other 60+ people who are involved are volunteers. It’s obvious from their body language and words that these wonderful people care for the animals quite a bit.

she couldn’t take a camera with her so she has no pictures to share unless she steals them off of the website but there will be plenty of time to take pics later on because deidre will be volunteering there!

On the first Saturday of every month the facility has an orientation. deidre will be attending the one in October. Master wants her to have plenty of time to think it over before she give up half of her time off. Afterward there is an interview process to determine if the potential volunteer is sane enough to work there. Hopefully deidre will pass that test, get her little yellow shirt, and begin spending 8 hours there every other Monday. she will begin on the lowest rung of volunteers with duties that range from weeding, to shit clean up to washing off the slabs that the meat is placed on. deidre will probably never be able to donate more than 16 hours a month of her time to this wonderful place, so chances are slim that she will ever be raised to a level of higher responsibility. she’s okay with that. It’s worth it.

Master asked her on the way home why it was worth it if she is never raised above the lowest level. her answer was simple. Most people have the ability to rise above their circumstances regardless of what they are. There are almost always options for a person to work themselves out of situations. It may be difficult, and at times seem impossible, but it’s doable. These animals don’t have that ability. They’ve either been taken from the wild or were raised in captivity and have become dependant upon humans. They can’t be turned loose. They can’t be expected to survive on their own. People put these animals into these situations. deidre is only one person, but she can make a little bit of a difference in some of these animals’ lives. As silly as it may be deidre hopes that one day perhaps one of them will look at her and know her, to see her without judgment, to consider her a friend or whatever the equivalent is in kitty language.

More about presents and deidre’s very fuckable waitress to come.