Ah, exotic animal private ownership. We’ve all been there. You want to impress your friends by buying a tiger so you can re-enact your favorite scenes from “The Hangover.” But when you finally get the animal home, you realize that raw steak dinners every day are pretty expensive, and the old tiger in the bathroom gag isn’t as funny when it happens to you. Pretty soon, the magnitude of owning a 600-pound feline is weighing down every aspect of your life and you just want to be done with it.
That’s where Tigers for Tomorrow comes in. A non-profit organization, TFT was originally founded to provide a refuge for captive-bred exotics that become unwanted or mistreated at its wildlife preserve at Untamed Mountain, but what they are offering is the chance to get up close and personal with a tiger today.
Located on 140 acres in Dekalb County, Ala., the site is home to more than 130 animals, including 17 tigers, 14 mountain lions, four African lions and two black leopards. Functioning as a last-stop preserve, all of the animals at Untamed Mountain will reside there for the rest of their lives after being born in the captivity of private ownership.
The mishandling of the big cats is an issue they’re still fighting—yet one they can relate to—but they caution anyone to examine their motives. Besides, with more than 100 exotic cats on display in natural settings, there’s no need to buy your own.
—Cole Rose