PERFORMING ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY
Rescue. Advocacy. Sanctuary. For Life.
Since 1984

March 2019 | Newsletter
Asian elephant Gypsy has lived at PAWS for 12 years.
She enjoys rubbing against trees to scratch herself and seems to be partial to these two mighty oaks in her habitat at PAWS' ARK 2000 sanctuary.
PHOTO BY ED STEWART

True Sanctuary Means a Lifetime Home
For the Animals in PAWS' Care
This month marks a big anniversary for one of the animals at PAWS’ ARK 2000 sanctuary: Black leopard Alexander (left) has been with us for 20 years! It’s hard to believe that we have been caring for him more than half of PAWS’ existence as an organization – this year we are celebrating our 35th anniversary .
 
Alexander’s story began when he was just a cub, purchased by a family as an exotic "pet." Like other “pet” big cats, he was soon chained and relegated to the backyard. As Alexander grew, so did the danger of keeping a big cat. One day, Alexander clawed a child; he was confiscated and sentenced to death. Thanks to the efforts of a local humane agency he was spared, and PAWS offered Alexander a lifelong home. But Alexander’s story doesn’t end there. With his arrival at our Galt sanctuary on March 11, 1999, our work was just getting started, and still continues 20 years later as we care for this special big cat. Today Alexander enjoys a spacious habitat at ARK 2000 thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Audrey Steele Burnand and her family members, Alyson and Cecil Rossi, and Kristin and Mike Stewart, whose generous gift made Alexander's spacious habitat at ARK 2000 possible. (Click here to watch a video of Alexander's 2013 move from Galt to his new home at ARK 2000 .)
 
It’s very easy to get caught up in the excitement that surrounds a rescue and forget that every rescued or retired animal who arrives at PAWS will require daily care for many more years. At PAWS' sanctuaries, animals are monitored 24 hours a day/7 days a week, fed nutritious and often specialized diets, and provided expert veterinary attention and medications when needed. Barns, dens and enclosures are maintained and often modified as an animal ages. Longer-lived animals, such as elephants, will be with us for decades to come.
 
It is thanks to the support of people like you that PAWS can take on this immense responsibility and true labor of love. You might be surprised to learn just how long some of our animals have been with us:
African elephant
Mara: 29 years

Mara has lived at PAWS longer than any other sanctuary animal. Read Mara's story in our July 2016 newsletter here .
Black bear Boo Boo:
25 years
Black bear Winston:
24 years




Capuchin monkeys
Groucho, Chico
and Zeppo: 23 years
Black bear
Sampson:
16 years
Tiger siblings
Roy, Kim Claire:
16 years
African elephant Lulu:
14 years
Tiger Alka: 14 years
Tiger Malabar: 14 years
Asian bull elephant
Nicholas: 12 years
African elephant
Maggie: 12 years
As a true sanctuary, we provide a lifelong, permanent home for the animals who arrive at PAWS. They are never sold or traded, relocated for management purposes, or bred. The interests of each animal always come first. At ARK 2000, elephants traverse grassy hills foraging for fresh vegetation, bears climb trees or search for acorns, and tigers prowl through thickets of bushes or take a nap in the sun. In the quiet of their natural surroundings, the animals are finally able to relax and find peace.
 
You can only imagine what this means for an elephant like Gypsy, who endured 40 years of grueling circus life and was traded between at least half a dozen circuses. Or tigers Roy, Kim and Claire, who were bred to be someone’s exotic “pets” and faced uncertain futures. At PAWS they have found a forever home, along with all the other wild animals we care for and love. 
Please consider making a special gift in honor of PAWS’ 35 th anniversary and the animals who call our sanctuaries home. Just click on the Donate button below. Thank you.
PAWS' 35 Years of
Rescue, Sanctuary and Advocacy
In recognition of PAWS’ anniversary, throughout the year we will be sharing some of the highlights, achievements, and memorable moments from the last 35 years. This month we focus on the early 1990s, which included some PAWS "firsts" and important advocacy actions.
 
Highlights and Memorable Moments: 1992-1994
 
  • 1992: PAWS testifies at a Congressional hearing in Washington, D.C., in support of the “Exhibition Animal Protection Act.” PAWS continues to advocate for legislation to protect performing wild animals, including the recently introduced Circus Cruelty Prevention Act in California.

  • 1992: Pat Derby and Ed Stewart are founding members of The Association of Sanctuaries (TAOS), setting standards of animal care for sanctuaries. TAOS later evolves into the highly respected Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS).

  • 1992: PAWS presents its first conference, “Animals in Entertainment”, in Sacramento, California. Today, PAWS organizes and hosts the biennial International Captive Wildlife Conference. (The next conference will take place in November 2020 in San Andreas, California.)

  • 1992: PAWS is instrumental in the passage of the California “Canned Hunt” bill, prohibiting the shooting of captive animals at close range. The bill followed the first investigation of canned hunts in California, conducted by PAWS.

  • 1994: PAWS exposes the Milwaukee Zoo’s training video featuring Asian elephants Tammy and Annie, who were tied down with ropes and chains and cruelly beaten by keepers using bullhooks. Tammy and Annie were relocated to PAWS in 1995.
Lily Tomlin Congratulates PAWS

Click on the video above to watch award-winning actress, comedian, and elephant advocate extraordinaire Lily Tomlin’s congratulatory message to PAWS on our 35th Anniversary. Lily has been a long-time friend to PAWS and to captive wild animals. She won an Emmy Award for her narration of the ground-breaking film An Apology To Elephants (2013), which documents the abuse of elephants and efforts to provide more humane treatment for them. PAWS was featured in the documentary, which has informed and inspired so many people.
PAWS' president Ed Stewart attended the 2013 Emmy presentations, and afterwards shared a warm moment with Lily, as, together, they triumphantly held the Emmy award. Lily paid a wonderful homage to PAWS' co-founder, the late Pat Derby, saying, "Tonight, I received an Emmy for narrating the HBO documentary, An Apology to Elephants. This is a great acknowledgement of the work of Ed Stewart and Pat Derby, founders of PAWS, who have worked on behalf of elephants for so many years. It was also the result of the hard work of Sheila Nevins, Amy Schatz, Lisa Heller, and, of course, Jane Wagner, who wrote the narration. We all speak in one voice to free the elephants. If you haven't seen it, watch the documentary on HBO, and I'm sure you will agree. Ed and I share this Emmy in honor of Pat Derby."
California Residents:
Take Action to Support the
Circus Cruelty Prevention Act
 
California State Senator Ben Hueso has introduced SB 313, the Circus Cruelty Prevention Act , to ban the use of wild animals in circuses. PAWS is pleased to be actively supporting this important animal protection bill that would end the abuse and exploitation of these animals for entertainment.
 
In circuses, wild animals are forced to perform under threat of painful punishment, confined in small cages and crates as they are transported from show to show, and generally deprived of all that is natural to them. Both New Jersey and Hawaii have already banned the use of all wild animals in traveling circuses.
 
A hearing has been scheduled for SB 313 in the state Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water on April 9, 2019.

Here are actions you can take:
 
1. Attend the hearing and show your support. The hearing will take place on April 9 at 9:30 a.m. in Room 112 at the State Capitol in Sacramento . Please be aware that there is no public comment at state hearings. However, you will have the opportunity to state your name, where you live, and that you support the bill.

2. Call and email members of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water and urge them to vote in favor of SB 313. If your state senator is on the committee, please be sure to say you are a constituent when you call and email. (To locate your state senator, click here .)
 
Please be sure to call and email before April 9 .
 
When you call, simply state your name, where you live, and that you are urging the senator to support SB 313, the Circus Cruelty Prevention Act.
 
Contact Information for Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Water:
 
Senator Henry Stern, Chair – Phone: (916) 651-4027

Senator Brian W. Jones, Vice ChairPhone: (916) 651-4038

Senator Benjamin Allen – P hone: (916) 651-4026

Senator Andreas BorgeasPhone: (916) 651-4008

Senator Anna M. CaballeroPhone: (916) 651-4012

Senator Robert M. HertzbergPhone: (916) 651-4018

Senator Ben Hueso - Bill SponsorPhone: (916) 651-4040
Senator.hueso@senate.ca.gov (When calling or emailing, please thank Sen. Hueso for introducing this bill.)

Senator Hannah-Beth JacksonPhone: (916) 651-4019

Senator Bill MonningPhone: (916) 651-4017
 
If you send an email before April 1, please copy it to: senate.natural.resources@senate.ca.gov  

PAWS Says Goodbye to Black Bear Arthur
It is with deep sadness that we report the death of beloved black bear Arthur who arrived at PAWS 17 years ago this month. His estimated age at that time was about 10 years.
 
Arthur was born in the wild around 1991 and had been living in a culvert on a golf course in Southern California before his arrival at our Galt sanctuary. After receiving numerous reports about a bear seen "hobbling on three legs" at the golf course, he was finally captured by the California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW). Unable to forage for natural food sources because of his injuries, Arthur had been surviving on garbage. He bore numerous scars on his face and an injury to his left eye from fighting with other wild bears before his capture. X-rays revealed the bear had been shot and the buck shot was embedded in his hips, too deep to be removed. Arthur was treated by veterinarians from both CDFW and the University of California, Davis, and transferred to his permanent home at PAWS' Galt sanctuary on March 5, 2002. 

PAWS' co-founders Ed Stewart and the late Pat Derby designed an especially comfortable habitat with features that were easily accessible and could accommodate Arthur's special needs. Our veterinarian, Dr. Jackie Gai, developed a treatment plan to address his pain and arthritis.
Arthur's grassy habitat included two pools, pine and fruit trees, and honeysuckle vines. With his arthritis pain alleviated, he enjoyed searching through the tall grass and trees for acorns and bits of fruit that caregivers scattered in the brush or hid in the trees. Even though Arthur had two cozy dens to choose from, he often preferred to sleep under the stars. He would dig a shallow depression in the soft soil for himself which was lined with a deep layer of straw bedding. A favorite lounging spot during the summer was beneath his apricot tree where he would occasionally reach up, pull down a low branch, and snack on the fruit at his leisure without having to get up. 

Arthur's mobility declined gradually over the past few months and it became increasingly difficult for him to walk. On March 19th, Arthur took a sudden downward turn and had great difficulty getting up from lying down. When he did get up, he could not walk more than a few feet before his legs gave out. His appetite also decreased and he could not keep down even small amounts of food. Dr. Gai administered a number of medications to try to help, but his condition did not change. When it was clear that Arthur would not improve, the heart-wrenching but most compassionate decision was made to euthanize him to prevent further suffering. 

Arthur held a very special place in the hearts of his caregivers, who catered to his every need. When Arthur required eye drops for his old injury, care-giving staff were able to call him to the fence where he would stand patiently while eye drops were administered in a gentle mist. When he needed a nail trim, Arthur would let us clip his claws through the fence while he enjoyed a special treat. He had a calm and gentle nature and he taught us about resilience and welcoming every day with a positive outlook.

Arthur passed peacefully from this life on March 20th, surrounded by many who loved him. He leaves a giant, bear-sized hole in our hearts and he will be greatly missed by all who knew him and who had the honor of caring for him.
PAWS Participates in
Living With Animals Conference
PAWS Director of Science, Research and Advocacy Catherine Doyle recently participated in the Living With Animals Conference at Eastern Kentucky University. She presented a paper titled, “Captive Wildlife Sanctuaries: Public Perception and the Problem of Normalizing Captivity.” The conference centers on the ever-present relationships with animals examined through the arts and humanities, sciences, and applied fields. This is the second time that Catherine has presented at this academic event.
A Very Special Big Cat Adoption
Big cat lover Isabella Serrano (left) from Sonora, California, wanted to do something special for her 9th birthday. So her birthday party invitations featured a photo of black leopard Alexander and asked for donations instead of gifts so she could "adopt" him and give Alexander "as much money as possible." Isabella's parents describe her as a "real sweet kid with a very big heart" who, at the age of five, grew her hair down to her waist so she could donate it to Locks of Love .

We had the privilege of meeting Isabella and her family at our March 9th open house at ARK 2000 when she presented PAWS with her donation of $270! From Alexander, and all of us at PAWS, thank you Isabella for your kindness and generosity! 
L-R: African elephants Lulu, Maggie and Toka at ARK 2000
PHOTO BY ARK 2000 SANCTUARY MANAGER BRIAN BUSTA
SPECIAL EVENT:
PAWS 35 th Anniversary Open House
April 20 – Buy Your Tickets Now!
 
In honor of PAWS’ 35 th anniversary, we are presenting a special Open House event that’s open to all ages. (This event replaces our annual Grape Stomp benefit which will return next year.) So come and celebrate with us on Saturday, April 20!
 
Visitors will experience how the rescued or retired wild animals live at the 2,300-acre ARK 2000 natural habitat sanctuary, while learning about the animals' histories, their rescue stories, and important issues surrounding the exploitation of captive wildlife.
 
In addition, we will offer fun activities for kids, the PAWS gift shop (all proceeds go to the care of the animals), a silent auction featuring many exciting and unique items, a chance to win great prizes in a raffle, and special gifts for everyone who becomes a new PAWS member that day.
 
A limited number of tickets are available for this event, which runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tickets are $50 for adults, $35 for seniors (65 and over), and $35 for children age 12 and under. We recommend that you purchase your tickets early – this special Open House is sure to sell out. No tickets will be sold at the gate on the day of the event.
 
What to expect at ARK 2000: You will be riding a shuttle to different areas of the sanctuary, as well as walking on grass, dirt, gravel and some paved surfaces. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes! PAWS’ management, caregivers, and volunteers will be available to tell you about the animals and answer questions.
  
This event happens rain or shine. Tickets are not refundable.
 
Two ways to purchase:  Click here  to buy online and print your tickets at home; or call 209-745-2606, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PST, to charge by phone. Visit our calendar of events page for more information.  Ticket sales close on Thursday, April 18, or earlier if this event sells out.

Thank You March
Amazon Wish List Donors
Catherine Zugar: One 5 lb. tub of Psyllium; one gal. of Red Cell; one bottle of AminaVast, 60#. Danielle T. Olander: one 10 lb. tub of Psyllium; two 5 lb. tubs of Psyllium; two 8 oz. bottles of EicosaDerm; one gal. of Red Cell, one qt. of Red Cell. Jessica Martin: two 8 oz. bottles of EicosaDerm. Judy Fukunaga: one 32 oz. bottle of EicosaDerm; one bottle of Azodyl, 90#; one Probiocin; one 8 oz. bottle of EicosaDerm; one 20 lb. tub of Psyllium. Nancy Gordon: "Veterinary Parasitology Reference Manual" for the veterinary library at the Pat Derby Animal Wellness Center at ARK 2000. Carole Bognar: one bottle of Renal Essentials, 60#; one 8 oz. bottle of EicosaDerm. Mary Goode: one bag of Greenies Pill Pockets, 60#; one Probiocin; one bottle of Renal Essentials, 60#. Danielle Anderson: one qt. Red Cell. Anonymous Donors: four 5 lb. bags of Missing Link; three bottles of Clorox bleach; "Veterinary Hematology: Atlas of Common Domestic and Non-Domestic Species" for the veterinary library at the Pat Derby Animal Wellness Center at ARK 2000.

Click on the Amazon Wish List link below to donate
specific items that are needed at our sanctuaries:
View "wish list" items that are needed,
but not listed on the Amazon list,  here .
There are many ways
you can help PAWS animals:
Donate To PAWS. Although we work closely with regulatory agencies on animal rescues, PAWS receives no government funding and must rely on your donations to continue our work. Three ways to give and every donation matters.  Learn more

Adopt A PAWS Animal. If you would like to help our animals, one of the best ways is to become an "adoptive parent," or give a PAWS adoption as a gift to an animal lover in your life. PAWS adoptions are symbolic adoptions only. No animal will be sent! Learn more

PAWS Partnerships. Help us change the life of a victim of captivity by becoming a PAWS Partner. PAWS partnerships help support our sanctuary operations and the day-to-day care of the animals. Learn more

Estates/Planned Giving. You can help us make sure captive wildlife in need of shelter will always have a PAWS sanctuary to call home! Learn more

Give to one of PAWS' ongoing MightyCause fundraisers: the "Dollars for Dirt" or "Give BIG" campaigns for PAWS' elephants, or our "Support a Rescued Tiger" campaign to benefit the 14 rescued tigers living at our ARK 2000 sanctuary.
Purchase PAWS apparel and merchandise. Clothing for adults, kids, toddlers and infants, as well as other fun merchandise like coffee mugs - available from our  online gift shop .

Shop online through IGive and raise money for PAWS! Up to 26% of your purchase - at more than 1,600 retailers - can be donated to PAWS. Learn more

PAWS Amazon Wish List. View here , and shop using  AmazonSmile .

EBAY Giving Works. List items on EBAY and choose PAWS as your charity. Donate a percentage of each sale to the animals. Visit our EBAY charity listing page  here . Start selling!

Corporate Donations and Matching Fund Programs. Learn more  about what is needed.

Donate Your Vehicle To PAWS.

Attend A Fundraiser. PAWS sanctuaries ARE NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC but we do schedule a limited number of special events throughout the year. Click here to view PAWS' Calendar of Events.
PAWS provides lifetime care to the big cats, bears, elephants, and other animals who call our sanctuaries home. Your kind support provides expert daily care, necessary veterinary treatments, and specialized nutritional support, all tailored to the individual needs of each animal.
Your generous donations make this excellent care possible.
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P. O. Box 849, Galt, CA 95632 | (209) 745-2606