Diana McCourt's

Siberian Tiger Training Scheme

Even though McCourt lost her USDA license to operate the tiger-tamer camp in 2000, and permanently in 2006, she still continued to charge people to come into her back yard in Gambier, OH and pet the adult lions and tigers. The cats would often be chained down so that people could touch them or have their photos made with the cats. To make the cats more pliable McCourt had their teeth and claws removed. Despite the abusive violations to their bodies and mobility, the USDA investigation included eight allegations of attacks on visitors in an 8 month period.

In May of 2007 Diana McCourt emailed Carole Baskin asking if she could move her operation to Tampa and bring her cats to Big Cat Rescue. Our response was that her cats were welcome here but her brand of animal abuse was not. By August McCourt had been evicted and Knox County was awarded custody of the four tigers and two lions. HSUS contacted Big Cat Rescue and asked if we could take the cats, but six more big cats increases our annual budget by $45,000.00.

When Sarabi, our lioness died, her half acre enclosure was opened up so that Nikita our only other lioness could have the run of both half acre enclosures. This large enclosure has an open roof and is only suitable for lions because they don’t climb, or very old, declawed tigers, who would be unable to climb. Taking on two lions, age 9 and 13, who have a 20 year life expectancy means a cost of $15,000.00 annually and $150,000.00 in the long run. Lions often end up in canned hunts, especially males who are coveted as wall trophies, so we felt certain our donors would help us rescue these two cats.

Calling with the good news, that at least the lions would be spared, we were told by the landlord, who has been caring for the cats since evicting Diana McCourt, that the male tiger, Nikita, would be heartbroken that his best friend in the world, Joseph the lion, would be leaving. As the conversation unfolded it appears that for the last 13 years, two tigers and two lions have shared a cage. (Joseph only coming along in the past 9 yrs) Instead of being elated for the lions, we now felt sick that they would be separated from the only pride (albeit tigers) they had ever known. And thinking about how they would feel, of course, led to thinking about how the tigers left behind would feel.

We appealed to our supporters, asking if they would be willing to help us rescue all four cats who have lived together and the response was an overwhelming, "YES!"

On Oct. 19th Big Cat Rescue's President Jamie Veronica, VP Cathy Neumann, Operations Manager Scott Lope and Veterinarian Dr. Liz Wynn, DVM flew to Columbus, OH to rendezvous with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) staff and a driver and vet tech from the Animal Sanctuary of the United States (ASUS) at the Columbus Zoo at 6 am on the morning of the 20th. From there the entourage drove an hour to the Gambier, OH facility and met with the property owner and the Knox County Animal Control Officer, Rich Reed who had been granted possession of the six cats.

Within just a few hours all of the cats were safely loaded and on the way to Florida where they arrived at 6 am the morning of the 21st. While the weary drivers slept, the Big Cat Rescue team unloaded Nikita, Simba, Sasha and Joseph into their new enclosure, which is a little more than half an acre of lakeside living with high grass, cave like dens and hills from which they can survey their new kingdom.

We let you know that the rescue would cost us $34,000.00* and 294 of you responded. As of 11/16/07 $29,435.00has been raised to save these four cats. The International Fund for Animal Welfare ( IFAW ) agreed to help rescue the last two cats and IFAWpaid to transport all six cats to their final destinations. That saved us $4,000.00! We are now only $565.00 short of what this rescue will cost us. Thank you everyone who has helped so far! If you haven't helped yet, keep in mind that your donations are tax deductible and thatthese catsrely entirely on your generosity.

See an interactive online map of exotic cat owners . See people being stupid with big cats, endangering themselves and others HERE . See the awful conditions that many captive cats endure HERE .

Will you help provide for Joseph, Sasha, Nikita and Simba?

See slideshow of photos taken 9/26/07 in Ohio: Siberian Tiger Foundation

6 big cats taken from Ohio owner

Donna J. Miller's Animals in the News

Monday, November 12, 2007 Donna MillerPlain Dealer Reporter

Six fewer big cats are languishing in cages in Ohio. Two lions and four tigers were whisked away Oct. 19 from Knox County to plush sanctuaries in San Antonio and Tampa.

Too bad the cats were irreparably harmed before they left. Their former owner, Diana McCourt, had their claws and most of their teeth pulled out so she could make money letting people pet and pose with the cats for pictures. The majestic predators can no longer clamber up a tree or shred a carcass, but they will get better care for the rest of their lives. You can see video and more photographs at bigcatrescue.org.

Ohio has plenty of laws that limit keeping native wildlife but virtually none that protect exotic animals and the people they can maim and kill. House Bill 45 would require exotic-animal owners to have sturdy enclosures, fences, warning signs, frequent inspections and liability insurance. The bill stalled soon after it was introduced by Rep. L. George Distel, a Democrat from Conneaut. He wrote the legislation after a 36-year-old Ashtabula County woman was mauled by a 500-pound black bear that escaped from its pen in May 2006.

Since 1993, there have been 44 reported exotic-animal escapes, prompting most cities to outlaw keeping such creatures. Still, about 120 big cats live in Ohio, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture records of owners who exhibit, breed or sell them. Owners who keep exotic animals as "pets" do not need to register and submit to health and safety inspections. That's the way it will stay without passage of HB 45. At least 25 states prohibit keeping big cats as pets.

"Ohio should join them," said Beth Preiss of the Humane Society of the United States. "Wild animals belong in the wild."

Fighting dogs:

The Humane Society of the United States is offering $5,000 rewards for information that collars dogfighters. The national group with deep pockets also has a political arm lobbying hard to increase penalties for animal fighting, which sometimes also involves drugs and weapons trafficking, prostitution and money laundering. The society says that nationwide, more than 250,000 dogs are forced into organized or street-level fights each year to entertain about 140,000 people. Report dog fighting to local police and at humanesociety.org (click on "Campaigns").

Actress Emily Deschanel of the Fox television drama "Bones" and U.S. Rep. Betty Sutton, a Copley Township Democrat, are working with the Humane Society Legislative Fund to garner support for the Dog Fighting Prohibition Act, Bill 3219. The legislation toughens federal dogfighting penalties and makes it illegal to possess fighting dogs or attend the fights. To help raise money for pro-animal lobbyists and politicians, go to partyanimals.fund.org.

Ohio already outlaws fighting, watching and possessing, while it is not a crime to be a spectator in Georgia and Hawaii. Dogfighting is a felony everywhere but Idaho and Wyoming. New Jersey has the toughest laws in the country - fighting, possessing and watching are third-degree felonies punishable by three to five years in prison and a $15,000 fine. Ohio's penalties, up to 18 months in prison and $5,000 fines, are ranked the sixth-toughest.

Huge vet bill:

Throw a party! Friends and local businesses are helping Tom Hug, 49, of Vermilion and Dudley, an 18-month-old golden retriever who racked up a $13,000 medical bill after he bolted into the street and was struck Sept. 23 by a car and a motorcycle. He is recovering with four plates in his pelvis. The benefit party begins at 6 p.m. Friday at German's Villa, 3330 Liberty Ave., Vermilion. Tickets are $20. Donations can be made to the Dinner for Dudley account at any KeyBank branch. The Humane Society of Erie County will get part of the proceeds. Hug said that if he had to co-plan the event again, he would select a different menu. Posters read, "Dinner for Dudley & his Furry Friends. A STEAK FRY."

Saving furry friends:

Local animal-rights activists and wannabes are meeting over coffee at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdayat Phoenix Coffee on Lee Road in Cleveland Heights. They will be planning a Fur Free Friday demonstration, trading vegan Thanksgiving recipes and making cruelty-free holiday gift lists. Go to animalrights.meetup.com.

Send animal news to djmiller@plaind.com; fax 216-999-6374; 216-999-4852; 1801 Superior Ave., Cleveland, 44114.

http://www.cleveland.com/l iving/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/living-0/1194859 898146820.xml&coll=2

Siberian Tiger Foundation is not accredited by The Association of Sanctuaries. Check for yourself to see if they meet the sanctuary standards for an accredited animal refuge.

Knox County assumes care for Diana McCourt’s six lions and tigers

Sunday, August 12, 2007 3:43 AM

By Gail Martineau

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Knox County residents are footing the bill for two lions and four tigers left in legal limbo after their owner was evicted from a Gambier farm in May.

The county took responsibility for the animals' care this month, county Humane Officer Roger Reed said.

Reed said he didn't know how long the cats would be wards of the county. Last week, he spent $100 to feed the animals, but county commissioners have allocated up to $1,000 a month in expenses.

The animals were taken from owner Diana McCourt after she was evicted from her Deal Road home and place of business this year. McCourt is appealing the eviction, she said.

Without her cats, McCourt said, she has lost her only source of income, running the Siberian Tiger Conservation Association. The association teaches college students how to handle wild cats. McCourt had allowed the public to view the animals for a fee until federal agriculture officials ordered an end to the practice in 2002 and she surrendered her exhibitor's license.

"The cats are stranded and they won't let me feed them or take care of them," she said.

Since the eviction, the animals have remained at the Gambier farm, which is owned by Donnalynn and Christian Laver of Columbus. The Lavers had been caring for the animals until county officials determined they had no legal obligation to do so. Since May, the Lavers said, they have spent $3,000 on the animals' care.

The Lavers and county officials are working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to find a suitable home for the animals.

"Everyone is working together to get the best possible placement for the animals," Mrs. Laver said. "That may entail moving them together or moving them separately. We have no idea what the situation is going to hold."

In the meantime, Reed said, the county is prepared to pay for food -- 3 to 5 pounds of chicken and ground beef per day for each animal -- and medical expenses.

Knox County Commissioner Allen Stockberger said he has not heard any complaints from local residents about the cost.

"It's not something that the county deals with on a regular basis," he said. "We will be caring for them until we can find a new home or new owners."

Dispatch correspondent Jane Hawes contributed to this story.

gmartineau@dispatch.com

htt p://www.columbusdispatch.com/dispatch/content/loca l_news/stories/2007/08/12/lionlady.ART_ART_08-12-0 7_B3_M87JHUV.html

Carole’s Note: I sent the following to the appropriate authorities:

Big Cat Rescue has a half acre enclosure that would be appropriate to house two lions. Diana had asked to move her cats here before the eviction, but she wanted to keep control of them and we are a permanent placement facility and do not condone her brand of animal use. We let her know that the cats were welcome here, but that she is not. If she surrenders ownership, or the state or USDA seizes the lions, with her being unable to retrieve them later, we would be willing to pick them up.

From the Siberian Tiger Conservation Association website:

Nikita: 800 pound male Siberian Tiger, born August 20, 1995. Nikita is our "gentle giant". He is majestic in his movement and loving with the three cubs Sher-Khan, Ekaterina, and Sierra.
Sher-Khan: Male Siberian Tiger cub born April 19, 2000. Sher-Khan is the half-brother of Nikita, and is following ion his big brother's footsteps. He is very sweet and lovable. Now Dead.
Ekaterina: Female Siberian Tiger cub born April 24, 2000. Ekaterina wants to be our "circus kitty". She has a talent for tricks and likes to perform.
Sierra: Female White Bengal Tiger cub born May 3, 2000. Sierra is our "littlest angel" with a halo and powder blue eyes. She likes to travel and loves having her picture taken.
Simba: Female Siberian Tiger born June 8, 1994. Simba is sweet and gentle and is especially loving with physically challenged individuals.
Sasha: African lioness born May 12, 1994. Sasha is the "matriarch". As the "mother" of the pride, she watches over everybody, even the tigers.
Joseph: African lion born August 19, 1998. Joseph prefers vanilla-bean ice cream over steak; each year he receives a year's supply as a gift from the Breyer's company. Joseph loves his lioness, Sasha, and is very protective of her.

USDA shuts down Diana McCourt's Siberian Tiger Foundation scheme. Download the report HERE

2006

20/20: Lions and Tigers in Your Neighbor's Backyard?

Description: Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! The most ferocious animals in the wild might be living in your neighbor's backyard and, as Jay Schadler reports, they could be the star attractions in potentially deadly businesses. Some backyard entrepreneurs are setting up their own facilities where members of the public, sometimes paying hundreds of dollars, can have close encounters with dangerous animals. But just how safe are these businesses that sometimes call themselves animal "sanctuaries," wildlife parks or even conservation associations?

According to Michelle Thew of the Animal Protection Institute, there are more tigers - up to 10,000 - in private hands in the United States than there are in the wild in India. Once-endangered animals are being bred by the thousands, and in some cases lions and tigers and other wild animals end up in places that experts say could make them potentially lethal to the public. For 11 months, ABC News has been investigating such backyard businesses that charge $200 to brush a tiger's extremely lethal teeth or $495 to let a 600-pound grizzly bear pluck a marshmallow from your lips. 20/20 also goes undercover to the Siberian Tiger Conservation Association, owned by Diana Mc Court fka Diana Cziraky, who is operating without an exhibitor's license. What will happen when we confront the owner?

Order a copy of the show for 29.95 HERE

2004

L ions, Tigers & One Visitor Remembers Petting Them

Next, Sher Khan began licking my hand with a coarse-sandpaper tongue.

A few moments later, Tara stepped in and made smoochy sounds before kissing Sher Khan on the face. The animal responded with an affectionate shrug and dropped his paw upon Tara’s head. My wife jumped away, eyes wide. And I swear the tiger smiled at her.

To begin at the beginning: Over that weekend, Tara and I had appeared at the Universal Light Expo in Columbus, Ohio -- one of the biggest New Age expos in the world. We each presented a free one-hour workshop in the main auditorium, followed by a two-hour joint workshop for a fee.

As I was leaving the auditorium, a pretty blonde introduced herself as Diana McCourt, and handed me a color flyer on the Siberian Tiger Conservation Association.
“Come out and see my tigers,” she said. “I’m only an hour away.”

I ran into Diana later and a third time at our sales booth run by Gentle Wind Metaphysical Store. She purchased several of our books and CDs. “Are you serious about the invite?” I asked.
“I’ll take your picture with the tigers,” she replied.

Tara and I were conducting a two-evening seminar at Gentle Wind on Monday and Tuesday, leaving our days free. Tuesday morning I called Diana. She gave me driving instructions. We arrived at her home in Gambier, Ohio about noon. I pulled the rental car to the back of the property, where we saw lions and tigers in two huge enclosures.

Diana welcomed us into her home where she was chopping huge bowls of freshly thawed meat in to large chunks. Tara and I would accompany her while she fed the animals. I silently liked this idea, because if the cats were full, they might be less likely to eat us when we entered their domain.

Diana had raised the big cats from tiny babies “that fit in the palm of my hand,” she said. “They grew up sleeping with me.” She explained that her conservation association is a non-profit educational and certified training facility. She trains people to work with the animals. Students feed and groom the cats and even brush their teeth (with chicken-flavored toothpaste). They walk them and train them with voice commands and hand signals. (740-668-9205 or www.sibertiger.com )

Angela Brooks, a college-age woman who had trained with Diana, and Angela’s mother Elaine Melody Thomas arrived. We were introduced, and I realized that Diana wanted a backup trainer with her before taking two strangers into the enclosures. We were told not to turn our backs on the cats. “If they grab your foot or leg, don’t try to pull away. They know the word ‘no,’” Diana explained. “You can bop them on the head with your knuckles.”

At this point, Nikita, an 800 pound male Siberian tiger meandered by. “Oh, yeah. I’m going to punch him out,” I thought, almost laughing out loud.

We also petted Ekaterina, a female Siberian, and then on to Sher Khan -- the hand licker and head bopper who lounged on top of the shed.
As we exited the enclosure, I told Diana, “I’d love to find out what you did in past lives to establish your passion for big cats.” I explained that I’d be conducting a group past-life regression at Gentle Wind that evening and invited her to attend.

In the second enclosure, in addition to huge Nikita, the area housed Simba, a female Siberian, Joseph a male African lion, and Sasha, his mate. Sasha ruled the roost, and she was less than welcoming. Elaine was assigned the task of distracting Sasha while we were in the enclosure. So from outside the fence, Elaine sang to the lioness. At one point, the cat growled and charged the fence, coming to her full height as she bounced off the chain link. I assumed Sasha either did not like the song or wanted to intimidate Elaine.

We went on to pet and interact with the two tigers and the male lion. What most surprised me about being with the big cats, I experienced absolutely no fear. Tara claimed that was naive. Yet at home, every time I encounter a rattlesnake, my adrenaline goes through the roof. - Dick Sutphen