Life Line Pet Nutrition’s Fish Oil is Helping Rescued Big Cats and Bears Stay Comfortable
The History
Turpentine Creek Wildlife Rescue is a nonprofit, big cat animal sanctuary located in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Founded in 1978, when owners Don and Hilda Jackson rescued an 8-month-old lion cub named Bum. Their next rescue wouldn’t happen again until 1982. Fast forward to December of 1991, the refuge grew overnight when the Jackson’s rescued and moved 42 big cats to a ranch in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, becoming their new and permanent home.
Today, the values of this animal sanctuary remain the same as they did more than 40 years ago. The rescue works to rehabilitate and care for survivors of the exotic animal trade specifically with big cats and bears. As a true sanctuary, they provide animals with a safe, lifelong home. The rescue’s vision statement goes as far as to hope and strive for their work to be unnecessary in the future. You can read more about their history here.
The work of this animal sanctuary is never-ending. It’s now home to 97 big cats and bears, many who have come to the rescue with varying health issues such as difficulty with mobility caused by malnutrition, neglect, and/or abuse.
The care of these animals is managed by more than 20 employees, including an Animal Curator, Emily McCormack, onsite veterinarian, Dr. Kellyn Sweeley, and animal care staff. Team members work together to assess their newest residents, including an exam from Dr. Sweeley, to best determine a plan of care. Because their dietary needs are unique, their meals include supplements like Life Line Pet’s Wild Alaskan Fish Oil.
How These Animals Benefit From Fish Oil
Life Line’s Wild Alaskan Fish Oil comes from wild-caught Alaskan pollock. The sanctuary has found this supplement to provide an excellent source of DHA, EPA, and Astaxanthin. The benefits of fish oil in animals include heart, brain, and joint health. Nearly 60-percent of the animals at Turpentine Creek are on Life Line supplements and their outcomes clearly demonstrate some of the benefits of fish oils.
Turpentine Creek switched to using Lifeline fish oil as a supplement for over a year, and onsite veterinarian Dr. Kellyn Sweeley always incorporates fish oil into the diets of animals older than 12, and others that require the benefits of fish oil.
White Tiger Triplets
This includes 5-year-old white tiger triplets, Blackfire, Peyton, and Rocklyn who take Life Line’s Fish Oil for musculoskeletal abnormalities. They were rescued out of cub petting when they were just 5-months old. When tigers are used for cub petting, they are taken from their mother at a few days old leaving them deprived of proper nutrition. For these cubs, lack of proper nutrition and being handled by the public for profit resulted in metabolic bone disease which affects their bone strength. Upon arrival, the cubs had broken bones and could not walk or even stand. Thanks to diligence, proper rehab, and a healthy diet, they now can be seen running and playing together in their habitat.
Malnutrition is not the only reason Turpentine’s animals need supplements like Life Line Pet Nutrition’s fish oil. The rescue also treats many animals who have been declawed. It’s well-known that declawing an animal isn’t humane, but let’s talk about why. Declawing is a surgical amputation of the third phalange (first knuckle up) and claws. This results in not just physical pain, but also phantom pain in the amputated claw. Because cats walk on the front of their feet, the amputation forces them to put unnatural pressure on the back of their paw, often causing injury and joint pain.
Mauri, the Lioness
This was the case with 5-year-old lioness, Mauri, who was declawed on her front paws. She was rescued in September of 2020 and was immediately given fish oil and other supplements in her daily diet to help with her joint pain and inflammation.
Michael, the Black Bear
Turpentine Creek is also home to Michael, a 15-year-old black bear. He was declawed on all 4 of his paws and now uses fish oil to aide in his ability to walk properly. When he was first rescued, Michael would army crawl because he couldn’t put pressure on his front paws. He started on the fish oil and other supplements and after a few weeks, staff noticed an improvement.
Conclusion
Life Line Pet Nutrition is proud to partner with Turpentine Creek in their commitment to rehabilitating abused and neglected animals by supplying our fish oil at a discounted rate. As a nonprofit 501(c)3, Turpentine Creek is in need of support and donations to keep their mission alive. Please visit their donations page here to learn more.
To shop our full line of fish oils for your pets, please visit lifelinepet.com/products
