Today I presented the Big Cat Public Safety Act at a Congressional Briefing

My name is Carole Baskin, and I am the founder and CEO of Big Cat Rescue. I've been working with wild cats since 1978 (more than 35 years). There is estimated to be between 10 and 20,000 big cats in back yards and basement across America, but no one knows for sure because no government agency keeps track.

Since 1990, there have been over 740 dangerous incidents involving big cats – tigers, lions, cougars, and other species. Five children and 16 adults have been killed, and another 50 children, and scores of adults have been mauled. Big cats pose a serious threat to public safety as well as to law enforcement officers and other first responders, who must risk their lives, when these animals escape or attack. You will find these stats on the handout, but I'd like to share a story that explains why this is happening.

On March 4, 1996 two of the worst cases of physical abuse, I have ever seen, came from a breeder in Pahrump, Nevada named Karl Mitchell. We rescued a black leopard, named Shaquille and a cougar named Darla from him. When they arrived their faces were bloodied beyond recognition.

When my late husband called Karl to ask what had happened to them, I overheard him responding in horror, when Karl told him that he had to take a baseball bat to the cats and that's why he didn't want them any more.

Darla, the cougar, had a fungal infection in her brain, because it had been exposed from the crashing blows to her head, and she wasn’t long for this world after that. Shaq’s face was the consistency of ground hamburger and his eye sockets had been crushed so that, even years later, when he had fully recovered, his eyes teared constantly. His involuntary trail of tears were a solemn reminder of the abuse he had endured.

When Karl Mitchell went to jail for a non animal related crime, his animals were dispersed and I hoped it was the end of the abuse, but I was wrong.

Five years later, in 2001, USDA permanently revoked his license, and to date there are unpaid fines of more than $100,000.00 for violations of the Animal Welfare Act, and exhibiting without a license, and yet, as of today, he is still advertising pay to play schemes with big cats under the name Big Cat Encounters.

According to investigative reporter George Knapp, “He’s been arrested at least a dozen times in Nevada and California, including a bust in California for trying to flatten two Fish and Game officers who suspected he was dealing in black-market exotic animals.”

California officials described Mitchell as a “threat to both animals and humans.” Karl Mitchell has been charged with burglary, carrying loaded guns in public, assault, felony stalking, auto theft, witness tampering and evading arrest.

“In 2002, Mitchell shot and killed one of his tigers because it got out. In 2004, his then girlfriend had one of her fingers bitten off by one of Mitchell’s cats. Although he has no permits of any kind for exhibiting his animals, Mitchell has continued to charge $500 an hour for close contact with his cats.”

Mitchell was convicted in the theft of a truck and for allegedly stealing $40,000 while operating the county animal control program. He served over two years in prison from 2004 to 2006. As soon as he was out of jail he was right back in the tiger pimping business.

A year ago he was ordered by a local court to remove the 10 tigers from the property for violations of the federal law and local zoning. This summer, District Court Judge Kim Wanker, ordered that the tigers be removed by September 1, or face contempt of court charges, punishable by up to 25 days in jail and a fine.

That didn’t happen either, due to further stalling by Karl and his wife Kayla Mitchell by appealing to the zoning department.

Opponents of our bill will say that states should regulate this sort of thing, but this case is a perfect example of how ineffective it is, to try and regulate an inherently abusive and dangerous practice, that shouldn’t be allowed at all. Meanwhile the business of charging people to pet big cats at the Nevada facility has continued, in violation of the law, for another 14 years. If you go to the Big Cat Encounter site you will see images of tigers, off leash and outside of any fenced perimeter.

This puts the public and law enforcement at risk and this isn’t an isolated incident. This is just one of the more flagrant law breakers. Most are smart enough to hide their misdeeds until there is a tragedy.

I come from a long line of law enforcement officers and can tell you that they are not equipped to deal with lions, tigers and other big cats.

Today’s speakers will tell you first hand how they have been called on when big cats have been released. You will also hear from experts in the zoo industry, who understand the danger and expense of keeping big cats in captivity.

With that I’d like to introduce one of my personal heroes in

that world, Ron Kagen, director of the Detroit Zoo.

Later:

Our next speaker needs no introduction as he is well known for his starring role in documentary called The Elephant in the Living Room. As a retired law enforcement officer and paramedic he’s seen it all when it comes to big cats wreaking havoc when they escape. I hope you never need his services, but given the enormity of the problem, it isn’t a matter of IF another Zanesville tragedy will occur, but WHEN.

Hi, I’m Carole Baskin and I’ve been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views. If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story. The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/

I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story. My hope is that others will recognize themselves in my words and have the strength to do what is right for themselves and our shared planet.

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Music (if any) from Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) This video is for entertainment purposes only and is my opinion.