Week in Review and Our Salute to Veterans!

This week, we got close and personal with a few wild ones at our sanctuary giving our readers a unique prospective of how we see the animals on a diaily basis.   

We also announced our Christmas with the Cats night tours (see tour schedule)!  Starting November 25th, you are invited to watch the exotic cats play under the twinkling Christmas lights that will illuminate your path as you tour our sanctuary with hot cocoa or cider to help keep you toasty warm. Show your support by bringing your In-Sync Exotics traveling mug so we can fill it to the rim with your warm beverage of choice!

Voting has begun for Chase Community Giving on Facebook!  100 eligible charities with the most votes will share $3.025 million dollars in grants, with awards as follows: 1 charity will receive $250,000, 4 charities will receive $100,000, and 95 charities will receive $25,000.  We need your help to stay in the top 100—so please vote today!  It’s free, it’s fast, and it’s a great way to support the animals! Here’s our direct link to our Giving Facebook page.

Aramis and Aurora are back together again—well sort of!  The pair has been visiting each other every day this week without incident.  For the most part, they seem to be ignoring each other.  Hopefully we can integrate all four Poetry lions together very soon.  We will keep you posted on their progress!

Want another way to support the animals of In-Sync Exotics?  How about shopping for some great stuff in our gift shop?  We have mugs, tee-shirts, magnets, and very soon ball caps and hoodies! We've ordered a limited supply of hoodies to see how well they’re received by the public. So as soon as they are available, you’ll want to purchase one right away so you can stay nice and toasty warm plus support the animals at the same time!

Calling all Albertson’s shoppers!  We have some great news! 

You can help make a difference for us simply by shopping at your favorite Albertsons store with each and every grocery purchase at Albertsons. Just present the card before you pay for your purchases.  Our organization will earn cash rewards based on our supporters' sales. We can earn 1% of the sale each time our dedicated Community Partners barcode is scanned with a grocery purchase. If our organization earns sales from our loyal supporters tallying more than $50,000 per quarter, those sales greater than $50,000 will earn 5%!  Temporary cards can be obtained from us via email, so contact us today for your temporary card!

We should receive the regular cards in the mail very soon! As soon as they come in, we will announce their arrival on the blog. So, if you have a favorite Albertson’s store in your neighborhood, please start using your temporary card today!

And last, but not least, we want to thank the soldiers who defend our great Nation, past and present, for their honorable service.  Veterans’ Day is more than just a day off for many of us.  It’s a day to pay honor and respects to those who’ve served our country.

So today, please take the time to shake the hand of a young man or woman who served in the Middle East, the grandfather who fought battles in the jungles of Vietnam and Korea, or the elderly man wearing his WWII badges with honor.  To these brave men and women, we at In-Sync Exotics, we want  give our veterans two paws up with a loud roar of thanks!

Amazing bonds are often formed by soldiers fighting in the Middle East with companion animals that they find in the war zone.

Often the animals are found starving and in poor health, but they respond well to regular meals and human attention. Having to leave their beloved, healthy dogs and cats behind to certain death in a hostile environment is heartbreaking.

The SPCA International has launched Operation Baghdad Pups to rescue and transport company mascots and companion animals that American soldiers have befriended while serving in the armed forces.

A Soldiers Best Friend - His Working Dog!



Afghanistan, in the midst of war, many animals are lost and separated from their family. Many are found later by troops from the US, UK and Canada. Soldiers rescue these animals and get help from rescue groups that help them send these animals out of the country and to a forever loving home that they deserve.

Three US marine soldiers, Brian Chambers, Chris Berry and Aaron Shaw, started a mission to help bring home the kittens they have befriended while serving in Afghanistan . With generous donations from cat lovers and help from Noward Dogs animal rescue, Kiki and Keykey, two lovely ginger kitties, have successfully made it home in the US

 

Working Dogs are Veterans Too!

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In-Sync Exotics Goodies Available!

Looking for ways to support In-Sync Exotics?  Did you know we have T-shirts, traveling mugs, magnets, and other goodies for sale?  All proceeds benefits the animals so your purchases would be a great way to show your support for our wild ones!

And coming very soon (hopefully next week), we will have ball caps and a very limited supply of hoodies, just in time for the holidays!

Here are a few items you can purchase from our gift store:

We have a variety of t-shirts available!

Mugs also come in blue!

Won't these guys look good in your kitchen?

We have a shipment of t-shirts coming in next week!



Great for holding your coffee or hot cocoa while
taking a "Christmas With The Cats" tour!



In Memory of Eric--we miss him

In memory of Dinari--we miss him too

If you are in the local area, please check out our gift shop--you may just find a gift for that special animal-lover in your life! 

Great Gifts!

If you do not live in the local area, but would like to purchase a special gift from In-Sync Exotics, please email us and we will give you the cost of shipping the item(s) to you!

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Aramis and Aurora Are Back Together Again -- Sort Of!

Prior to their arrival from Poetry, Texas to In-Sync Exotics, Aramis and Aurora were housed, at one time, in the same enclosure for breeding purposes.  They lived together for 3 years until they bred. Sadly, Aurora ended up have a tubal pregnancy that almost cost her her life. She was spayed at that time and then taken away from Aramis. For the last 3 1/2 years she lived by herself next to the other Poetry lionesses until we introduced her to the girls right before we brought them all home to In-Sync Exotics.

So, on Monday, November 7, 2011, we decided it was time to reunite the two lions once again!

Even though Aramis and Aurora were housed together at one time many years ago, we agreed that the lions should only be together for about 30 minutes, just long enough to see how well they would interacted with one another.  So for the next half hour we were on pins and needles, praying that this reintroduction would go well.

While Aramis appeared happy to see Aurora, Aurora seemed more interested establishing “personal space" boundaries than meeting and greeting the boy.  After a few roars back and forth between the two Poetry lions, the cats eventually settled down and ignored each other. 

So ended Date #1.  Stay tuned for future “date” updates between Aramis and Aurora!

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Voting Has Begun!!

Have you heard?  Chase launched an innovative giving program for small and local charities. Through Chase Community Giving, participants are able to vote to determine which small and local non-profits will receive donations of more than $3 million from Chase’s philanthropy funds this fall!

The fall 2011 round of the Chase Community Giving program is designed to benefit smaller and local charities by being limited to 501c3 charities with operating budgets under $1 million (like us!). The Top 100 eligible charities with the most votes will receive between $25,000 and $250,000. More than $3 million dollars will be distributed to top vote getters. Chase is putting resources where communities throughout the United States need them most, and it is up to us to garner enough votes so that In-Sync Exotics can be one of the winning organizations.

You can help us make a significant difference in the lives of our exotic wild ones by voting for us today!  

Thank you so much for supporting In-Sync Exotics and don't forget to pass this message on to your friends and family members!

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Christmas With the Cats!

Starting November 25th, you're invited to spend "Christmas With the Cats" at In-Sync Exotics! Watch the exotic cats receive their bones under the twinkling Christmas lights that will illuminate your path as you tour our facility with hot cocoa and cider to help keep you toasty warm.

The crisp weather excites the cats so you will be sure to see lots of big (and small) wild cat antics!  

Would your group like a private "Christmas With the Cats" night tour?  Then you'll want to reserve your very own VIP Group Tour (10 people maximum) today!

For tour details, check out our flier below: 

Here are just a few wild cats you will see on your special "Christmas With the Cats" night tour:

As the Sun Starts to Set, Nefertiti's Playful Side Comes Out!

The White Boys Look Gorgeous at Night!



Cheetahs Love the Night Life!

You Never Know Who Will Be Watching You on a Night Tour!



So bring your friends and family to In-Sync Exotics for "Christmas With the Cats"-- you'll love how we celebrate Christmas with the wild ones!

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Getting Nose to Nose With Our Wild Cats!

Have you ever wondered what it was like to see a tiger, cougar, or lion up close and personal?  For obvious safety reasons, guests are not allowed to get too close to the sanctuary animals, but today's posting will give you an idea of what it feels like to get "nose-to-nose" with some of In-Sync's exotics!

It is always a challenge to get amazing "natural" shots of the cats, as the photographer sometimes appears to be an interesting distraction to the wild ones.  Some cats are shy of the camera, while others love being the center of attention.

At first, Okemo was a little shy of the camera. He appeared unsure of its flashing light.  

However, after spending some time with him, Okemo opened up and the photographer was able to take these amazing shots of him.

 

Like Okemo, Harley was a little unsure of the camera's function.  Each time the flash went off, Harley would walk back to Vicky for reassurance.   

Eventually, the photographer was able to get this adorable shot of Harley. You will be pleased to know that Harley is doing exceptionally well and is acting like his normal self again!

 

Apollo has the most amazing eyes.  Isn't his facial fur pattern incredible looking?

 

Not all the big cats were interested in the photographer and camera.  Take Kahn for instance; he barely acknowledge the camera's presence!



Looks like we may be delayed in this week's "Roar  Off" competition as Kahn decided to take a mini-vacation.  As soon as we get his vocal sounds on video, we will hold the 3rd loudest "Roar Off" competition!

So, we were off to see the Cheetah Boys!  Cheetahs are very shy cats, not trusting the photographer with a flashing camera.  The boys kept walking around their enclosure, coming a little bit closer to the camera each time, as their fear gave way to curiosity!

A little closer!

Cheetahs move very fast, so it was amazing to get this close-up shot!

 

The weather is getting cooler at In-Sync Exotics, so each single cat received hay in his or her den.  Jynxie decided to rearrange her hay in her den for her liking to our dismay!

Cougars are beautiful animals to watch, especially as the sun begins to set for the day. 

Surprise!  The camera has a flash!

Cougars enjoying a quiet moment before dinner.

A curious cougar nose.  Nope, no food here.

Is it time for dinner yet?

Beautiful cougar whiskers.

I think this cougar is bored with all the picture taking!

Me-ow!

Tomorrow will feature more close-up antics of the cats from In-Sync Exotics! 

We hope you enjoyed a close-up view of just a few of the animals you can see at our sanctuary.  We hope you can join us soon to see all of these wonderful cats in person!

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