Big cat sanctuary holds annual fall festival

Posted Friday, Nov. 07, 2014
 

By Diane Smith

BRIDGEPORT — Blue-eyed beauty Acari cradles a pumpkin with her paws.
Crunch. 

Pumpkin pieces fly as the white tiger flashes her teeth, chomping away at the holiday treat. A large chunk gets caught in her teeth, but she quickly shakes it away.
Crunch. Crunch. 

“She’ll tear it to shreds,” said Heidi Krahn, executive director and founder of the Center for Animal Research and Education (CARE) in Bridgeport. The nonprofit group provides a sanctuary to 41 exotic cats, including tigers, lions, leopards and cougars.

This weekend, people can see the cats firsthand at CARE’s Fall Festival, the nonprofit’s annual fundraiser. Those attending will see cats tearing into cardboard boxes filled with chicken treats and adults can even play tug-of-war against a tiger (with the protection of a fence between the two participants). The cats will also bob for pumpkins.

“That is going to be a lot of fun for her,” Krahn said, nodding toward Acari. “Tigers like water and obviously pumpkins.”

 

If you go---
The fourth annual CARE Fall Festival is Saturday and Sunday and Nov. 15-16 at the Center for Animal Research and Education, 245 County Road 3422, Bridgeport, off Farm Road 2123.
Tours begin at noon and 3 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday. Tickets for the tours are $20, $10 for children under 12. Tickets can be purchased at the facility or online at carerescuetexas.com.

The event will feature cubs Araali and Zuberi, tours and information sessions about the big cats and lemurs. Games, refreshments, face-painting, prizes, arts and crafts also will be offered.

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