Boone County Rescue

On May 14, 1996, the Boone County, Ark. Sheriff’s Department asked Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge to assist in what would be found to be a severe case of neglect. When TCWR staff reached the cats they found a total of ten cats. 4 of the tigers, two leopards, and a lion were crammed into a twenty-foot horse trailer. One of the tigers and a leopard were locked in the trailer’s overhead compartment. Located in the very back was a female tiger with two cubs, and in the middle with the divider left open was the lion and the other leopard. The final two tigers were found in 6×6 foot cages next to the trailer, and a cougar in a 2×4 cargo drum. The floors of all the cages were covered in excrement, and judging by the buildup of waste, the cats had been in these small units for an estimated three weeks.

Starvation was painfully evident, with all of the cats dangerously thin. Tragically, one of the leopards, Freckles, had died of starvation just hours before TCWR’s arrival. On his side was a spot of skin where the fur had been licked away. Presumably, Toby, the lion, was attempting to revive Freckles by licking him.