Terry Moore, 78, had a chunk of his leg chomped off by a 13st puma in one of his sanctuary’s enclosures – now his 28 feline animals are being temporarily housed at Hertfordshire Zoo
Terry Moore loved his cats(Image: The Daily Mirror)
The big cats belonging to Britain’s very own Tiger King need to be rehomed after he was brutally mauled by one of his beasts. Terrence Moore had reportedly been running The Cat Survival Trust in Welwyn, Hertfordshire for decades.
The 78-year-old feline fanatic was attacked by a 13st puma in one of the enclosures in the £3million compound in November last year. The police rushed to the scene where they managed to free Moore, who had a chunk of his leg chomped off, without destroying the cat as he was airlifted to hospital for treatment.
The terrifying mauling ordeal came just a few months after Moore – who was named the UK’s Tiger King after the hit Netflix series based in the US – was hit with a £14,000 fine and banned from keeping big cats. The ban was suspended because an alternative home for the cats could not be found.
The sanctuary is estimated to be worth £3million(Image: The People)
Now the Hertfordshire Zoo and The Big Cat Sanctuary, who are caring for the cats, have launched an appeal to find new “forever homes” for the 14 of Moore’s 28 cats they could not house. They said they are in “a race against time to rescue and rehome 28 rare and endangered cats from long-standing neglect”.
Hertfordshire Zoo has been appointed by authorities to lead the rehoming mission after they were alerted to serious welfare violations at The Cat Survival Trust in Welwyn Garden City. Hertfordshire Zoo and The Big Cat Sanctuary teams are responsible for vaccinating, feeding, cleaning and caring for the cats whilst new homes are found for the vulnerable animals.
The group of large and small cats include the world’s most endangered big cat, the Amur leopard, Pumas, Eurasian Lynx and Servals as well as the UK’s only Asian Golden Cat.
Cam Whitnall, Project Lead at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said: “Our mission is to find these cats the best possible forever homes. We only have weeks before the facility is closed down for good, so we are working at speed to find them their forever homes.
The feline fanatic would let the cats inside for Christmas dinner(Image: Facebook/)
“Unfortunately, not all will be able to be rehomed due to significant health issues, but we are committed to giving these beautiful creatures the care and dignity they deserve.”
James Cork, Head Keeper at Hertfordshire Zoo, said: “While we are dedicated to caring for these animals, our primary goal is to rehome them. In the meantime, we are focused on enhancing their quality of life by improving enclosure cleanliness, optimising their diets, and ensuring better weight management.”
The intervention follows the conviction of Dr Terrence Moore, who owns The Cat Survival Trust. Moore was charged with multiple animal welfare violations, including failing to provide adequate veterinary care, using ineffective homoeopathic remedies, and maintaining unsanitary conditions.
So far, 14 of the 28 cats have been rehomed successfully, including Frank, the UK’s only Asian Golden Cat who has found solace at The Big Cat Sanctuary, the sister site of Hertfordshire Zoo. This remarkable feline is native to Southeast Asian forests and is known to be very elusive.
The UK Tiger King featured on British TV(Image: Youtube/Curious?: Natural World)
Due to the deforestation of its natural habitat, it is considered a Vulnerable (VU) species on the IUCN Red List. Frank has been rehomed alongside a Fishing Cat called Boson. The pair symbolise hope amidst heartbreaking circumstances which authorities have called “appalling and unsafe”.
Cam Whitnall, Project Lead at The Big Cat Sanctuary, said: “We are very excited to welcome Frank and Boson to our sanctuary but devastated that it is under these sad circumstances. Both cats have received full health checks, and are being closely monitored whilst they settle into new enclosures that mimic their natural habitat.”
Frank is the only Asian Golden Cat in the UK, and one of only seven in European zoos as part of the European Endangered Species Programme. As an important ambassador for his wild counterparts, he plays a crucial role in raising awareness about his species. The sanctuary will also be conducting vital research to deepen our understanding of this rare and remarkable animal.
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