Donner's Story

Donner arrived at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) with 33 other animals during the Colorado Project of 2016-2017. TCWR acquired a closing, 12-acre roadside establishment with 115 animals living in deplorable conditions with minimal veterinary care. Due to health issues, the previous owner needed to find a new home for all the animals he had acquired. Many enclosures had access doors made of rotting plywood and a padlock to contain these apex predators. Additionally, they existed on compacted dirt and woodchips, with little shade from the glaring eastern Colorado sun. Our team worked on-site for six months and collaborated with other accredited Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) sanctuaries to transport and provide lifelong refuge to these animals. During this period, TCWR assisted in founding the Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance (BCSA) to unite accredited sanctuaries for future rescues and to educate and provide awareness to the public about the plight of the growing wild cat crisis.

Donner is energetic and enjoys shredding cardboard boxes, tubes, pumpkins, and Christmas trees. He also likes perfumes and spices to enrich his habitat’s scent. His favorite spot to nap is at the bottom of his habitat or on his bench, where he also enjoys watching over his large habitat and observing his neighbors. When the Animal Care Staff cleans his night house during the summer months, Donner enjoys getting sprayed down by the hose for a little bath.