Savanna's Story

In September 2020, after years of litigation, Tim Stark was court-ordered to relinquish 200 animals at his Charlestown, Indiana ‘pay-to-play’ facility. Due to increased public scrutiny and pressure placed on authorities, the court order stemmed from inhumane declaw procedures and his highly profitable cub petting photo opportunities. This rescue involved missing and abandoned animals, SWAT teams, U.S. Marshals, and threats of violence from Tim Stark. The ruling that all hybrid species were now protected under the Endangered Species Act played a pivotal role in protecting big cats of all kinds. Government organizations often call in Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) to handle high-profile cases like this one. Thankful to our donors, TCWR was able to provide forever homes for eight big cats, including a lioness named Savanna, three other lions, and four tigers. All eight animals suffered from inadequate care, resulting in infestations of intestinal parasites, inhumane declaw procedures, and other health-related concerns.

Upon arriving, this lioness received preventative vaccinations and dewormer to combat the intestinal parasites she came with. Despite having various parasites, Savanna appeared to be one of the more healthy cats TCWR rescued from the Indiana facility. Savanna was initially shy and reserved but quickly became known for her playfulness. Amid a large habitat packed with weekly changing enrichment, her favorite thing to play with is sticks! She tends to keep a collection of her favorite sticks inside her den. When not playing, she enjoys napping on her bench platform or walking to her fenceline to interact with her neighbors.