Lions & Tigers, But No Bears-Classic Ernie

Back in the days before my camera was broken, I tried to go out hunting for pictures every weekend. Sometimes I had a hard time finding new places to shoot, and I'd venture further afield than usual. One of those days found me in San Antonio, Florida, at the Rattlesnake Festival. That was pretty much a bust, but they had a few big cats there from a wildlife refuge. I forgot the name of the refuge during the next few weeks, but when I went hunting for it, I found another one a little bit closer in Tampa. These pictures are from Big Cat Rescue. For an entry fee of about $20, they take you on a tour and you get to see all the cats they have rescued, either from owners who couldn't afford the upkeep of a giant kitty cat, or from people who abused them, or even from defunct animal shows and circuses. Some of their animals are actually retired from Siegfried & Roy, who pay for the care and feeding of their animals in perpetuity. If you get the chance, go vist this place, it's worth the trip, camera or no.