Visitors to an animal sanctuary will be able to see a Bobcat rescued from one of the UK’s most notorious exotic animal zoos from today.
Blob the Bobcat was set to be put down at the Cat Survival Trust until Big Cat Sanctuary, based in Smarden, near Ashford, intervened and gave him a permanent home.
The wildcat was just one of the exotic cats rescued from the shut-down centre in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, after its owner, Terrance Hall, was convicted of serious animal welfare offences.
After it closed all 23 unplaced cats were set to be euthanised.
While 22 found new homes across the UK, Blob remained the last cat without a confirmed future.
With The Big Cat Sanctuary already at capacity after taking in three other cats no facility had the space or licensing to take him.
Cam Whitnall, managing director of The Big Cat Sanctuary, said: “It was the final day, and Blob’s life literally hung in the balance.
“I reached out to Lindsay at Wildside Exotic Rescue, who had already taken several pumas from the Cat Survival Trust. She agreed to take Blob temporarily.
“That day, I made a promise: I’d find Blob a permanent home in the UK.”
Seven months later, after operational changes and “determined” planning, the centre was able to fulfil the promise.
Blob joined fellow rescued cats from the Cat Survival Trust, including Frank, the UK’s only Asian Golden Cat, Boson, a Fishing Cat, and Rhys, a Eurasian Lynx.
Visitors can meet him for the first time during The Big Cat Sanctuary’s annual open days.
These start from today (July 24) and run until Sunday, July 27.
Then a second round of open days is taking from from taking from Thursday, July 31 to Sunday, August 3.
