Visit to the Sanctuary

Let me describe the journey to The Wild Animal Sanctuary.

First you pass the small town of Hudson - which is obviously a farming community. Paved roads give way to dirt roads . . . and before long, you are traveling by farm houses - one of which has the charming sign "Live Chickens $5." After the field of chickens comes a field of cows, then a field of goats, a field of llamas - and then a field of tigers. And just as your mind begins to comprehend what it just saw . . . you may come across two horses grazing . . . next to a camel (whether the camel belongs to the Sanctuary or to the farmer next door is hard to say).

I wonder what the farming folk thought about the Sanctuary when it was established 27 years ago. Somewhere between rows of corn and a field of llamas and cows this strange feller let a bunch of 500 pound cats loose. When the sun comes up, it's hard to be sure if your alarm clock is the "cock-a-doodle-do" of a farmyard rooster - or the black leopard's piercing chirp.

A. absolutely loved the Sanctuary, and ran from enclosure to enclosure:

"Mommy, what that?"
"A tiger."
"Mommy, what that?"
"Another tiger."
"Mommy, what that?"
"Honey, for the 29th time, it's a tiger." (The Sanctuary has 75 of them.)

We spent a few minutes watching one of the volunteers fill a tiger swimming pool with fresh water. Three tigers were playing in the enclosure, all of them doing their best to be kitty-sponges and soak up all the spray. The volunteer kept moving, trying to direct the spray into the tub - but more often than not, she found the way blocked by a giant feline. Then one of the tigers crept to a higher perch . . . and SPLOOSH! 500 pounds of muscle sent water flying every direction. The volunteer leaped out of the way. The onlookers laughed - and the volunteer shouted up to us: "You've got to have good reflexes to volunteer here!" Not that it helped. She was still soaked.

I sat down to watch a video of "Eddy" the black-panther while T. took A. outside to see the lions - or more accurately, while T. proceeded to chase A. up and down the ramps and make sure A. didn't accidentally drop his hat in one of the tiger pens. As the video started, three or four other people sat down in the chairs around me. It wasn't long before I heard the "patter-patter-patter" of little feet - and A. rounded the corner and ran in front of the television. He immediately stopped, his little form bisecting the screen, and smiled like a goober.
"Oh my God, is he CUTE," the lady next to me said.
"Thanks. That one belongs to me," I replied. "And let me get him out of your way."

All in all, it was a very successful Labor Day Weekend. Good friends, good family, good fun. Though A. was slightly confused as to why there were no zebras . . .