Businessman rehomes tiger from Greek zoo to new home at US big cat sanctuary

By AlanThompson  |  Posted: September 03, 2014

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  David Barnes
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  Phevos
  
  
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  David Barnes
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  Phevos

A Rutland businessman will fulfil a labour of love by re-homing a tiger from a Greek zoo to a sanctuary for big cats in the US. Phevos, a 15-year-old, 485lb ( 220kg) tiger was rescued from a travelling Italian circus in Greece in 2001 by local authorities and taken to a zoo in the town of Trikala. His mate, Athena, died in March after an infected wound on her paw went untreated.

Since then David Barnes, who used to work for the Animal Welfare Fund in Greece and has re-homed dozens of exotic animals in the past 20 years, has been trying to find a new home for Phevos.

Mr Barnes, 62, who is manager of Uppingham Sports and Books shop in the Rutland town, is now just £1,400 short of his target, thanks to generous donors touched by the tiger’s plight. Mr Barnes says the animals were well looked after until the country was hit by recession.

He said: “When Phevos and Athena arrived at the zoo, the enclosure was not very good and I persuaded them to build a new one and things were going well. “Then, three years ago, the financial crisis hit Greece and after that things changed.”

Former RSPCA inspector Mr Barnes lost track of the situation after having to undergo his second heart bypass operation. He added: “I got a phone call saying I should go and see Athena who was bleeding from a wound in her paw which had become infected. She died under anaesthetic.”

Mr Barnes swung into action and set up a fund raising website to spare Phevos a similar fate by raising £11,500 to transfer him to a sanctuary for lions, tigers and bears outside San Diego, in California.

He added: “Phevos is still in Greece but he is being checked on frequently by a vet friend and so far he is okay. “I have raised just over £10,100 so just £1,400 to go. Whatever I’m short of will go on my credit card.  He is now awaiting the paperwork to allow Phevos to be flown to California via Frankfurt in Germany.

He added: “I started applying to carry out the move in April and I’m hoping to go next month. It’s the biggest and most challenging thing I’ve done. I will stay with him throughout the trip, he knows me very well, I am able to feed him and stroke him in his enclosure. I want him to go soon and start his new life, I know he’ll be in good hands as the sanctuary he’s going to was recommended to me by a vet. There’s a 16-year-old female in the enclosure next to him where he’s going, I hope they might get to like each other.”

Mr Barnes, who has a 23-year-old Greek cat, Naomi, he calls his “own little tiger,” said he was very grateful to everyone who responded to the appeal and helping with his mission to re-home Phevos.
Mr Barnes can be contacted via dwb@uppingham.co.uk or on 07968 959367.

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