Former television game host Bob Barker will help finance an indoor shelter at the Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone, Minn.
Barker, a longtime animal welfare activist and host of "The Price Is Right" for 35 years, along with his DJ&T Foundation, will provide up to $50,000 to match donations for a new indoor shelter at the sanctuary. The rescue operation houses about 100 big cats, including tigers, lions, leopards and bobcats. Most have been rescued from people who tried to keep them as pets, said sanctuary director Tammy Thies.
"We're so honored to receive such a special gift from a person who does so much for animals," Thies said. "His support is humbling and will benefit so many rescued big cats and inspire others to give."
Barker's contribution will be used to match each dollar the sanctuary receives by Aug. 31. The sanctuary also has received an $8,500 donation for electrical costs, Thies said.
The shelter, which is expected to be under construction this summer and cost about $136,000, will be built in the sanctuary's Feline Meadows area. It will provide 13 indoor rooms for big cats. Each room will have a safety door to the outside, a kennel front and a hammock for the cats to lounge in or perch on.
The indoor space will give the cats a place to escape extreme heat and cold and provide a place where they can be fed. It also will provide a recovery area for cats after veterinary procedures and give older cats a safe place to retreat and a space where they can receive specialized care.
