Jaye Perrett pets the ear of tiger Zhivah, one of about 22
tigers, in her enclosure at Endangered Animal Rescue Sanctuary in Citra,
Fla. on Tuesday, September 9, 2014.
Alan Youngblood/Ocala Star-Banner
Alan Youngblood/Ocala Star-Banner
Published: Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Taking care of big cats and other exotic animals is no small
task. And the care and feeding of such creatures demands dedicated
stewardship and piles of money.
Facts
Volunteers sought by EARS
• To volunteer for a special memorial event being planned by the Endangered Animal Rescue Sanctuary Inc. (EARS), email Jaye Perrett at earsinc@aol.com.• To volunteer at the sanctuary, call Gail Bowen at 454-6454.
• To learn about one-day membership tours, call 407-637-5768 or email skb255@aol.com.
• For general information, visit www.earsinc.net
Two of the most devoted
rescuers and caregivers in Marion County are Jaye Perrett and Gail
Bowen, co-founders of the Endangered Animal Rescue Sanctuary Inc. just
off County Road 318 on the outskirts of Citra.
In
mid-November, inspired in part by the recent death of a white tiger
named Daunte, Perrett and Bowen are planning a memorial event for
animals that will have a worldwide reach.
Since
2001, the 501(c)3, commonly called EARS, has cared for a number of big
cats — lions, tigers, cougars and more — as well as primates and
wildlife, including Florida black bears. The animals typically have been
abused, neglected or abandoned, or were surrendered. The facility works
closely with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Florida Fish
and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
For
Perrett, one of the most loved of all the big cats to call EARS home
was Daunte, who came to the sanctuary as a very tiny, very sickly, cub.
She and Bowen nursed Daunte from the brink of death and he grew into a
magnificent adult male.
Earlier
this year, Perrett herself fell seriously ill while in Europe and,
during a lengthy convalescence there, said she felt moved to do
something “worldwide” for animals. After she returned home, Daunte died,
in late August. “He had a massive heart attack,” Bowen said, adding, “He was the sweetest tiger I have ever known.”
The death affected Perrett in a way she had never experienced with any of the other animals at the sanctuary. “I
had been on a very positive spiritual path for about a year,” she said.
“I got so upset at the death of Daunte, I started writing and pretty
soon I had this whole worldwide memorial service planned.”
The event, set for Nov. 14, 15 and 16, will resonate with audiences around the globe. One
of the focal points is a local drumming ceremony the evening of Nov.
15, that will be broadcast through a live Internet feed and will be
joined by others drumming in at least nine countries, with more likely
to sign on in coming weeks. “Drumming is huge in Europe,” Perrett said.
The
people who helped nurse her back to health in Finland gave her a
specially made drum crafted of wood and reindeer skin, which she proudly
unsheaths from its handmade carrying bag of fabric in a tiger pattern. “I’m also in touch with local drummers who are eager to participate,” she said. “Can
you imagine, at the same time all around the world, all these people
drumming in memory of animals?” she asked. “If it’s 6 p.m. here, that
means drummers in Finland will be up at 1 a.m. drumming along with us.”
On
Nov. 16, Perrett is planning a concert that will feature Arvel Bird, a
noted performer across the U.S. and internationally, whose music is
inspired by his “Native American heart and Scottish soul.” Bird calls
himself a Celtic Indian. In
order to accomplish all she envisions for the memorial event weekend,
Perrett is appealing for volunteers. She set up the email address, earsinc@aol.com, specifically to receive inquiries from those who may be interested.
The
event will require volunteers to help with set up and break down,
manning check-in tables, helping with parking and much more, and a lot
of sponsorships and donations.
Perrett
in recent years was twice listed among the Top 10 finalists in Animal
Planet’s Hero of the Year competition for her formation of a meat co-op
serving 27 sanctuaries and rescues in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, North
and South Carolina, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.
Even so, of the upcoming event she said, “I’ve never taken on anything so big.”
“I
need a lot of people to help,” she said. “And it’s not just a
fundraiser for ongoing needs. I want everyone involved, here and
worldwide, to feel the love.” Perrett
said she is working to set up a volunteer organizational meeting next
week. Those who respond with their interest via email will be informed
about the time, date and location. In
the meantime, life goes on at the tree-shaded compound, where more than
20 tigers, a liger, three lions and all the other animals continuously
need food and care.
On
Tuesday, volunteer Merri Frederick, a nurse from Ocala, was dripping
sweat as she and two friends from London cleaned cages. Frederick has
been a volunteer at EARS for three years. Her pals, Lynn and Simon
Slattery, came from England to America for a 16-day vacation and were
spending some of that time volunteering.
Frederick
said not long after she moved to Ocala, she picked up a local magazine
that had a photo of Daunte on the cover and felt led to visit the
sanctuary, and then to volunteer there. Those
who want to volunteer in day-to-day operations are asked to commit to
at least one day a week because of the training required to care for
exotic animals.
Always
needed are supplies such as bleach, dish soap, dog and cat food
(domestic animals sometimes are rescued by EARS and then are adopted
out) and monetary donations. The sanctuary recently has started offering one-day membership tours, which are available only on a pre-arranged basis. “These
animals are in jail for committing no crime,” said Bowen, sweeping an
arm across an expanse of cages containing several tigers, the liger
named Odin, and a lion named Sabastian. “Our job is to make them as
happy and comfortable as we possibly can.”
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