Since the original post in classifieds is usually read by people looking to buy or sell, not donate I'm posting this here. I also believe the readers of lounge are more apt to give or volunteer for this organization! There are no strings, no bs, everyone you do or give directly helps

http://www.conservatorscenter.org

In short this place, without grants or federal funds provides a permanant home for large and small cats without a place to go. Check them out and if you'd like to help, even if it's $5 or something on their list I will go out of my way to get it from you and get it to them.

Please make their christmas awesome!

Original Post
http://www.thewolfweb.com/message_topic.aspx?topic=367608&page=1

11/26/2005 11:16:04 AM

I don't know if they are affiliated, but this group is great too.
http://www.cptigers.org/

This place takes in tigers and such that are bought as pets and can't be handled by their owners anymore. They also have other carnivores (mostly felines) and at one time (not sure if they still do), they had the only two of some type of feline that were the only two known to be left in the world. It is about a quarter of a mile from my house and you can hear the tigers sometimes at night outside my bedroom window.

11/26/2005 6:29:06 PM

Do they have Ligers?

It's pretty much my favorite animal. It's like a lion and a tiger mixed... bred for its skills in magic.

11/26/2005 7:53:14 PM

cpt rocks the casbah...alpha phi omega does service projects down there fairly regularly

11/26/2005 9:34:37 PM

Both organizations are awesome. They take care of animals that other people would put down.

They don't always get along though, due to some differences in management and opinions (mission statements, handling practices, breeding philosophies).

I have worked as animal keeper staff at CPT and volunteered at CCI.

CCI does WAY more rescuing of animals that are cast off by inexperienced owners. CPT hasn't even finished their quarantine facility, though they are trying as best they can with the resources at their disposal.

Neither places has Ligers. That's not even a true species, just a hybrid.

Give to both if you can. CPT has more infrastructure and needs primarily money.

CCI NEEDS MORE TOOLS AND SPECIFIC ITEMS NOW.

Doug and Mindy (CCI) are great people who really care about their charges. They're out there every day rain or shine caring for animals.

[Edited on November 26, 2005 at 10:56 PM. Reason : ...]

11/26/2005 10:55:39 PM

I've started getting PM's for items and such. I'll start picking things up this week and so on through christmas.

Thanks for the good words! Both places are awesome. My experience with CPT came from when Nancy was the director so it was pretty shitty. I've heard things got better, then worse, then better so i honestly know knowthing about the condition of CPT.

I do know that there isn't a lot of beurocracy with CCI. Things are resolved quickly on their end.

11/27/2005 11:54:12 AM

woot keep it coming. Seems some people have posted this to other message boards for me. THANK YOU! I've gotten about half a dozen donation emails. Keep it up!

11/28/2005 8:57:29 AM

i've volunteered/interned @ Cpt for the past 4 years and helped Mindy and Doug out a few times @ CCI (right after they moved to the new location - when they only had 1 tiger)

both organizations are wonderful and run by great people who are compassionate about these animals.


**if you hunt/know people who do/ or hit a deer with your vehicle - CPT would love to have any extra deer meat. the cats love it and its much closer to what they'd eat in the wild. whole carcasses are fine (i get to hack them up when i'm there). so if you have any extra meat that will just get wasted i'll take it off your hands.(doesnt need to be dressed or anything)
i go out to CPT every week and have a truck. or you can bring it out to pittsboro yourself. about 30 min ride from campus.
CPT does do tours and i'd recommend anyone interested in seeing what goes on out there to take one. (check the website for more info)

oh and I'm sure CCI would love any deer meat too.

11/28/2005 11:46:59 AM

I want an elephant. How can I get one of those?

11/28/2005 11:51:38 AM

hey hey - when did you intern XCchik?

11/28/2005 2:06:11 PM

Quote :

"cpt rocks the casbah...alpha phi omega does service projects down there fairly regularly"

I've gone with APO once when they did CPT community service. It was great!

11/28/2005 3:05:21 PM

i too have volunteered there....cool place.

11/28/2005 3:06:56 PM

i started volunteering on Sats (and some Sundays) back in Fall 2000.
i've volunteered on a steady basis since 2000 with the exception of one year (i was volunteering @ Duke PC then)
interned the summer of 2002 i think... i cant remember


[Edited on November 28, 2005 at 4:20 PM. Reason : j]

11/28/2005 4:17:50 PM

Hey Raige, I don't have any extra money, but I've wanted to go volunteer there. When do you go?

11/28/2005 4:42:56 PM

It's really hard for me to get out there lately due to my work. I'm exhausted. But you can go yourself, provided they know you're coming. Usually I try to get 3+ people to go because they need a lot of manpower moving cages, building them, feeding the animals etc.

http://www.conservatorscenter.org/contact.html

You can call or email them. Weekends are the best.

The people that have gone with me before on here loved it. They worked for a bit (2-3 hours), hell even got to play with a flame thrower... yes... i said flamethrower, and then got to visit the animals. People coming out to help are a god sent. There's so much to do everyday.

That's what I'm doing this. I don't have the time and energy to go out everyweekend, but I can help this way. Also you don't have to give money. The items are just as valuable. Even metal food bowl dishes that the cats can't eat are nice.

Thanks to everyone who's given so far.

11/29/2005 8:04:50 AM

bttt for cats

11/29/2005 3:22:04 PM

i did an internship at cpt one summer. that was the most fun i had all year.

i'm a loser though...so

11/29/2005 4:11:16 PM

^^^Well I'm not the strongest person in the world, but I've built my share of exotic animal cages. I applied for an internship at CPT though.

11/29/2005 8:21:06 PM

A Conservators center you don't have to apply for an internship as much as you need to be ready to get into the thick of things. They need help, no doubt and if you're willing to put the time into it whether it be learning from their volunteering vet or construction this is definitely the place.

There's something for everyone here but I'll tell you right now, if you don't want to get dirty, this isn't the place for you. But if you don't mind that it's hella rewarding especially if you ever want to work with exotics.

Keep up the pm's it's awesome. So far I've gotten half a dozen items off the list.

12/1/2005 12:51:16 PM

BTTT. It's coming close to christmas, I know some of you have some items around.

Add to the list Beer kegs! Turns out tigers get a kick out of beating the crap out of them. Of course they're probably thinking... "GOD what i would do for a tap right now".

12/5/2005 12:01:19 AM

tigers like bowling balls for toys too
ot those huge plastic barrels
- basically anything that isnt easy for them to break/crush

12/5/2005 11:51:23 AM