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A tiger at the Endangered Animal Rescue Sanctuary and a mugshot of Joe Exotic from Santa Rosa County Jail.

Netflix’s “Tiger King” will go down in history as the collective distraction that helped America get through the dark, depressing days of early COVID-19 lockdowns. The show followed the true story of the feud between private zoo owner Joe Exotic, the self-described “gay, gun-carrying, redneck with a mullet,” and Carole Baskin, founder of Big Cat Rescue.

Exotic is currently serving out a 21-year prison sentence for animal rights abuses and hiring someone to kill Baskin.

The show was a raucous look inside the world of big cat owners and brought a lot of attention to the animal abuse that runs rampant in the industry. The light it shed on the industry was so bright it led Congress to take action. The Senate unanimously passed the Big Cat Public Safety Act on December 6. The House had already passed the bill in July.

The White House has signaled that President Biden will sign the bill into law.


The legislation prohibits keeping tigers, lions and other big cat species as pets and bans public contact with these animals, including paid interactive experiences like cub petting. Those who currently own big cats will be able to keep their animals so long as they register them with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and do not allow them to have direct contact with the public.

There are an estimated 7,000 captive tigers in America living either in zoos or with private owners.

The bill was originally crafted by Baskin and her husband Howard in 2011 and was introduced to Congress every year since, but never got any traction until “Tiger King” was released in 2020.

“I am harder to intimidate and kill than some thought!” Carole Baskin joked in a video celebrating her legislative victory. “The passage of the bill is the successful culmination of many years of battling against narcissistic, abusive, dangerous men who dominated the cruel trade and did everything they could to stop its passage, including wanting to intimidate, discredit and even kill me,” Baskin added.

“Within a decade, most of the thousands of big cats living this way will have passed away, and in 20 years, no big cats will be living in this kind of misery,” she continued.

The passage of the legislation was also applauded by The Humane Society.

“An extraordinarily cruel era for big cats in the U.S. finally comes to an end with the passage of the Big Cat Public Safety Act. We’ve been fighting for this moment for years because so many so-called ‘Tiger Kings’ have been breeding tigers and other big cats to use them for profit,” Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said in a statement.

The legislation is a big win for the animals and people as well. The Humane Society reports that since 1990, there have been more than 400 incidents involving captive big cats, and five children and 19 adults have been killed and hundreds of others injured.

Many objected to how Joe Exotic was celebrated for the few weeks that “Tiger King” ruled popular culture because he was, in the end, a man who profited from animals’ misery. Now, we can look back at the show’s popularity and see that it’s played a positive role in protecting these majestic animals from abuse for the foreseeable future.

1. This is Aasha. She's a healthy, happy tiger living in the care and comfort of a wildlife rescue center. But this wasn't always the case.

All photos by In-Sync Exotics, used with permission.


2. Aasha had a rough start. As a cub, she was put to work in a traveling circus.

None of the animals in the show were receiving proper care. As such, Aasha was malnourished and had bald spots and open sores on her body.

3. That's when an inspector from the U.S. Department of Agriculture called Vicky Keahy at In Sync Exotics.

Keahy is known throughout the country for taking in big exotic cats, especially those who've been abused or neglected. At In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Education Center, her Texas sanctuary, she cares for tigers, lions, cougars, and more.

4. With medicated shampoo, medicine, and lots of love, Keahy got to work bringing Aasha back to life.

And after all those baths, the young cub learned to loved playing in the water.

5. Aasha grew equal parts strong and curious, especially about other tigers at the facility.

6. She soon made friends with Smuggler, a playful male tiger who happens to be twice her size.

7. After a few successful playdates, the two moved into the same enclosure.

But don't call it a love connection: to reduce the number of cats in captivity, all the rescued animals at In-Sync are either neutered or placed where they won't be able to breed.

8. Which is just fine for Aasha, who's now celebrating five happy, healthy years at the sanctuary.

Want to support animals like Aasha and Smuggler? You can!

There are thousands of exotic animals living in homes or working in shows across the U.S. They often lack the proper conditions, space, food, and enrichment required for their size and species.

That's why rescue and rehabilitation efforts like In-Sync Exotics are so important. They support all types of animals, including big cats, primates, elephants, and more. These facilities and nonprofits greatly appreciate reliable, conscientious volunteers, donations, or even just a signal boost.

So if you're up for giving animals a fresh start, give what you can.

Since Aasha has been here she is healing and becoming more like a tiger cub. She enjoys playing with her enrichment and has learned to play with the water from the hose. She hasn't jumped in her tub yet but we know it is just a matter of time. All of us at In-Sync are looking forward to a long happy healthy life with Aasha and a lot of great laughs

Family

7 ways thinking like a tiger can help you start your week right.

It's the beginning of a new week and you may be feeling kind of bleh, but channeling your inner tiger can help you start off the right foot.

Today is not a day to whimper — today is a day to roar with delight! According to the World Wildlife Fun and the Global Tiger Forum, tiger populations are finallygoing up after over 100 years of decline.


This puts us at about 3,900 wild tigers — about 700 more than the 2010 estimate.


Seven tiger-inspired things to remember this week that'll help you succeed at work and in life:

1. Don't let others talk over you. Raise your voice and be heard!

Photo by China Photos/Getty Images.

You know who ignores a tiger? You know who interrupts a tiger during a work meeting? No one, that's who! If you were a tiger, your roar would be heard nearly two miles away.

2. Don't be afraid to show off your stripes — the things that make you unique!

Image from J. Patrick Fischer/Wikimedia Commons.

Every tiger's stripes are unique — no two are alike! You shouldn't feel the need to hide your stripes either. Customize your workspace with pictures of your family or favorite hobby. Find cool wallpapers or desktop apps like Rainmeter to make your desktop your own.

3. If you've got a problem, jump right in and start swimming.

Photo by Noah Seelam/AFP/Getty Images.

Tigers aren't scared of water. In fact, they're basically at home in it and can swim for miles!

What does this mean for you? If you're got a job or assignment, don't procrastinate. If it feels too large, find a small part of it you can do now and try working on it for just 10 or 20 minutes. If you can keep doing that, no problem is too big (or too wet) for you.

4. Don't let others take advantage of you. Own your space.

Image via Paul Mannix/Wikimedia Commons.

Someone asking to borrow your stapler or eyeing your lunch again? Tigers can claim more than 200 square miles as territory. What's yours is yours. Don't be afraid to let people know it or be afraid to say no (politely, of course). If you do loan something out, set clear expectations of when you want it back.

5. Be social! But respect the space and time you need to chill out.

Image via Paul Mannix/Wikimedia Commons.

Tigers have their own territories and tend to live on their own but do often roam larger areas as well, which means they can keep track of what their neighbors are doing.

"Solitary tigers actually have a rich social life; they just prefer to socialize from a distance," says the National Zoo's website.

You can balance your private and social life as well. Set time limits for social media. Feel free to turn your Slack or Gchat status to away or busy (or invisible!). You'll be more productive, and it'll mean that when you do meet up with your friends, you can leave work at work and focus on them.

6. If you don't succeed at first, don't give up. Keep trying until you get it right.

Image from China's Tiger/Wikimedia Commons.

Even though tigers are powerful hunters, only about 1 in every 10 hunts is successful. That's OK, though, because does the tiger give up? No! So don't get discouraged. Take a break, relax, analyze what went wrong, and try again.

And when a tiger succeeds, they know how to make the most of a good thing, chowing down on up to 90 pounds of food in one sitting. You should savor your victories as well, after all, you've earned them!

7. Finally: Take your sleep seriously.

Image from Ltshears/Wikimedia Commons.

If you've been working like a tiger, you've also got to take care of yourself like one. After all, tigers can sleep over 16 hours a day.

Make sure you're getting a healthy amount of sleep each night, set specific bedtimes, don't drink caffeine in the evening, and — if you're feeling really wild — remove all screens from your bedroom. Your sleep is precious, and you need every minute of it.

So channel your inner tiger this week and spread the good news!

Tigers are still endangered and disappearing in some areas, but the increased numbers are a giant sign of how amazing tigers are and how much people want to keep them around!