Latest news with #CamWhitnall


BBC News
14 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
New home for Blob the bobcat after Welwyn welfare rescue
A bobcat threatened with euthanasia after its former owner was convicted of animal welfare charges has found a new, permanent the bobcat was the last of 23 big cats to be rehomed after the closure of the Cat Survival Trust in Welwyn, Hertfordshire, in May last teams at Hertfordshire Zoo and its sister site, the Big Cat Sanctuary in Ashford, Kent, rescued 28 animals after welfare concerns, but five had to be put down because of their poor health. Cam Whitnall, project lead at both sites, said: "Blob was the last one remaining, and we had to find him a home. Seven months on and we are able to welcome him to The Big Cat Sanctuary." He added: "The conditions that he was living in was just not adequate for a bobcat - it was really sad."We are really pleased to have him here, he is in great hands." Terrence Moore, 78, director of the Cat Survival Trust, was convicted of four charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal at St Albans Crown Court in May four animals were a male European wildcat called Hamish that had come from a zoo in Paris, a female Bengal cat named Jasmine, a jungle cat called Lily and a Caracal was also banned from keeping animals for five years and found guilty of seven charges of using an animal species for commercial gain without a other cats had been rehomed at the Kent sanctuary, including Frank, the UK's only Asian Golden Cat - Boson, a Fishing Cat - and Rhys, a Eurasian will be able to meet Blob for the first time during the sanctuary's annual open days from 24 to 27 July and 31 July to 3 August. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.

ITV News
19 hours ago
- ITV News
Last of rare cats rescued from shut down sanctuary permanently rehomed to Kent
The last of the rare and endangered cats rescued from a sanctuary which shut down when the boss was convicted of animal welfare offences, has now been permanently rehomed. Blob the Bobcat was facing the possibility of euthanasia if a permanent home was not found after his rescue from the now closed Cat Survival Trust in Hertfordshire, early this year. The group of big and small cats including the critically endangered Amur leopard, species of Eurasian Lynx, servals and pumas were taken in by Hertfordshire Zoo and The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent. While 22 of the 23 rescues soon found homes across the UK, Blob was the last cat without a confirmed future. "It was the final day, and Blob's life literally hung in the balance," recalled Cam Whitnall, managing director of The Big Cat Sanctuary. He added: "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." The rescue operation came after the owner of Cat Survival Trust, Terrence Moore was disqualified from keeping animals for five years and ordered to pay costs of £14,380 on May 30 2024, according to Hertfordshire Constabulary. Moore, 78, of Codicote Road, Welwyn, in Hertfordshire, was found guilty of four counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals by failing to seek proper and necessary veterinary care, and seven counts of using an endangered animal species for commercial gain without a licence following a trial at St Albans Crown Court in April and May last year. The ex-Sanctuary boss was acquitted of eight counts of causing unnecessary suffering, and four counts of commercial gain. Seven months on, Blob has now been found a permanent home at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Ashford, Kent. From July 24, visitors will be able to meet Blob at the sanctuary for the first time during their open days.


Powys County Times
a day ago
- Powys County Times
Last of rare cats rescued from shut down sanctuary permanently rehomed
The last of the rare and endangered cats rescued from a sanctuary which shut down after the boss was convicted of animal welfare offences has now been permanently rehomed. Blob the Bobcat was facing the possibility of euthanasia if a permanent home was not found after his rescue from the now closed Cat Survival Trust in Hertfordshire early this year. The group of big and small cats including the critically endangered Amur leopard, species of Eurasian Lynx, servals and pumas were rescued by Hertfordshire Zoo and The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent. While 22 of the 23 rescues soon found homes across the UK, Blob was the last cat without a confirmed future. 'It was the final day, and Blob's life literally hung in the balance,' recalled Cam Whitnall, managing director of The Big Cat Sanctuary. He added: '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.' The rescue operation came after the owner of Cat Survival Trust, Terrence Moore was disqualified from keeping animals for five years and ordered to pay costs of £14,380 on May 30 2024, according to Hertfordshire Constabulary. Moore, 78, of Codicote Road, Welwyn, in Hertfordshire, was found guilty of four counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals by failing to seek proper and necessary veterinary care, and seven counts of using an endangered animal species for commercial gain without a licence following a trial at St Albans Crown Court in April and May last year. The ex-Sanctuary boss was acquitted of eight counts of causing unnecessary suffering, and four counts of commercial gain. Seven months on, Blob has now been found a permanent home at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Ashford, Kent.


South Wales Guardian
a day ago
- South Wales Guardian
Last of rare cats rescued from shut down sanctuary permanently rehomed
Blob the Bobcat was facing the possibility of euthanasia if a permanent home was not found after his rescue from the now closed Cat Survival Trust in Hertfordshire early this year. The group of big and small cats including the critically endangered Amur leopard, species of Eurasian Lynx, servals and pumas were rescued by Hertfordshire Zoo and The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent. While 22 of the 23 rescues soon found homes across the UK, Blob was the last cat without a confirmed future. 'It was the final day, and Blob's life literally hung in the balance,' recalled Cam Whitnall, managing director of The Big Cat Sanctuary. He added: '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.' The rescue operation came after the owner of Cat Survival Trust, Terrence Moore was disqualified from keeping animals for five years and ordered to pay costs of £14,380 on May 30 2024, according to Hertfordshire Constabulary. Moore, 78, of Codicote Road, Welwyn, in Hertfordshire, was found guilty of four counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals by failing to seek proper and necessary veterinary care, and seven counts of using an endangered animal species for commercial gain without a licence following a trial at St Albans Crown Court in April and May last year. The ex-Sanctuary boss was acquitted of eight counts of causing unnecessary suffering, and four counts of commercial gain. Seven months on, Blob has now been found a permanent home at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Ashford, Kent. From July 24, visitors will be able to meet Blob at the sanctuary for the first time during their open days.


North Wales Chronicle
a day ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Last of rare cats rescued from shut down sanctuary permanently rehomed
Blob the Bobcat was facing the possibility of euthanasia if a permanent home was not found after his rescue from the now closed Cat Survival Trust in Hertfordshire early this year. The group of big and small cats including the critically endangered Amur leopard, species of Eurasian Lynx, servals and pumas were rescued by Hertfordshire Zoo and The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent. While 22 of the 23 rescues soon found homes across the UK, Blob was the last cat without a confirmed future. 'It was the final day, and Blob's life literally hung in the balance,' recalled Cam Whitnall, managing director of The Big Cat Sanctuary. He added: '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.' The rescue operation came after the owner of Cat Survival Trust, Terrence Moore was disqualified from keeping animals for five years and ordered to pay costs of £14,380 on May 30 2024, according to Hertfordshire Constabulary. Moore, 78, of Codicote Road, Welwyn, in Hertfordshire, was found guilty of four counts of causing unnecessary suffering to animals by failing to seek proper and necessary veterinary care, and seven counts of using an endangered animal species for commercial gain without a licence following a trial at St Albans Crown Court in April and May last year. The ex-Sanctuary boss was acquitted of eight counts of causing unnecessary suffering, and four counts of commercial gain. Seven months on, Blob has now been found a permanent home at The Big Cat Sanctuary in Ashford, Kent. From July 24, visitors will be able to meet Blob at the sanctuary for the first time during their open days.