SHELTON, Wash. — A big cat sanctuary in Washington plans to reopen next week after a bird flu outbreak killed over half of their animals.
The Wild Felid Advocacy Center in Shelton said it plans to welcome visitors back on Feb. 25, the following Thursday and Saturday.
“It will be a slow opening with just a handful of guests per visitor day,” WFAC Director Mark Mathews said. At the end of 2024, the sanctuary lost 20 wild cats to bird flu. The first deaths came in November, but the cause of death wasn’t confirmed until the end of December.
The first to get sick was a cougar, Hannah Wyoming. The veterinarian thought she had cancer. And when Crackle, an African Caracal got sick, the vet thought the cause was cancer, too.
But the big cats died, and others soon followed.
The remaining 17 cats were put into quarantine with strict protocol. Staff were required to disinfect their footwear, wear masks and gloves, and, depending on how close they were to the cats, wear gowns.
The shelter said they believe that the bird flu may have come from tainted food and threw out about 8,00 pounds as a precaution.
Matthews told KIRO 7 that the cats are doing fine, and the sanctuary is now focusing on providing them with more room.
The Wild Felid Advocacy Center has a series of construction projects underway through March that will increase habitat size, feature multiple-level deck construction, and incorporate more gardens and foliage to create seclusion and spaces of relaxation.
The sanctuary needs donations to make this a reality, to care for the animals, and to keep the doors open. If you’d like to help, you can do so by clicking here.
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