July 29th is International Tiger Day! The site hasn't been updated in a while, obviously, but we're going to celebrate anyway, because tigers are awesome. It's the best holiday you haven't heard about since Sysadmin Day. So, get out there and hug a tiger and toss a sysadmin a hunk of raw meat.
Strike that. Reverse it. This way please.
At any rate, I am taking this opportunity to appreciate the amazing nature of these creatures, our neighbors of the natural world who are really getting a rough go of things. Habitat loss and poaching are still a critical problem, and they've had recent issues with abuse in Thailand, all in the name of human entertainment of course.
The fact is that if we don't work hard, there will be no tigers. Several breeds are gone, and all the rest are on the brink.
If nothing else, please consider taking a moment to think about what it means to share the world with animals like this. Spread the word. Donate what you can, be it time or money, or take a friend or relative to a zoo.
In the vein of donation, and in honor of Tiger Day, I want to do a blitz fundraiser for our retired animals. Two simple flavors: Fun and Functional.
Fun
While in general our cats like to mostly sleep, eat, and mess with their caretakers, we'd like to start working on more enrichment as part of our program. A simple starting spot is a toy. Tigers, as you might imagine, are rough on toys, so we want to get something sturdy that's rated for zoo animals. $240 buys (and ships) a sturdy 20" play ball from Boomer Ball. We'll start with one and have everyone try it out for a week to see if they're interested in play, and get more if they seem to enjoy it.
Practical
Tigers certainly keep themselves clean, but their enclosures not so much. Sunlight and water means algae, exposed wood gets muddy in the winter and sometimes a bit moldy in the summer. We scrub everything away, but a pressure washer is really the right tool for the job. We're looking for $330 for a new unit from Costco (though if someone would like to donate a working pressure washer, we'd be happy to give it a good home!).
If you wish to help us with either or both of these supplies, please visit our Donate page and make a contribution. Be sure to let me know which of the two you want your money going towards, and we'll make sure it happens. I'll send out the results in a week.
Thanks! Happy Tiger Day!