They started with a search for a pet bobcat and found themselves stumbling across a breeding program for hybrid cats raised purely for their fur, thoughtlessly culled once they’d reached their point of maturity. These 56 bobcats were the first to come under the wings of the Big Cat Rescue. As their search continued, they found caracals trapped in a room in the basement of an unassuming house, bred in captivity for the sale of hybrids. Declawed and enslaved, the only sunlight available filtered through an outdoor cage extended from the basement prison, these cats were left to wither away. This was where they saved Cyrus from, rehabilitating him back into his natural environment and habitat. On Valentine’s Day came another addition, left at the steps of a rehabilitation center and redirected to Big Cat Rescue. A fluffy coat of spotted fur and innocent eyes that would melt even the hardest hearts, Aphrodite was little more than a cub when she entered the rescue center.

These are just a few of the harrowing stories haunting the protected refugees of the Big Cat Rescue from lions and tigers to ocelots and cougars. Over a 100 individuals from 12 species that were fished out at the nick of time from abandonment, abuse and captivity now stand proud in the sanctuary as a living reminder to guests. The cats are all part of a bold statement and their heartrending stories are sure to galvanize each and every visitor who gets the chance to meet them.