Everlasting Memories...and Love

We are truly blessed to have an opportunity to spend quality time with the animals placed in our care.  Since we don't always have a camera or cell phone handy to capture all the wonderful moments when our animals do something amazing or endearing, it is sometimes hard to convey to our fans just how unique and special our animals are to us. 

Every month, we reflect upon the animals that taught us unselfish love, providing us with memories that we will recall to brighten our days for the rest of our lives; the ones that lived, loved, and died at In-Sync Exotics.

This month, we honor:

Ranger
June 12, 1993 - April 6, 2006

Eric
April 26, 2000 - April 21, 2007

Midas
March 10, 1999 - April 25, 2011

Allow us to re-introduce you to our three very special big cats that made a huge impact on our lives:

Ranger:  In 1994, Texas Parks and Wildlife asked Vicky, founder, CEO & President of In-Sync Exotics, if she would accept Ranger, a cougar in desperate need of a new home.  1-year old Ranger used to live in an enclosed 6' x 10' barn with no windows and no means of fresh air.  The floors were covered in feces and there was no fresh drinking water available.  At the time of rescue, the Game Warden found Ranger living in the rafters. 

Ranger was underweight and had liver and kidney problems. His poor health was related to having an improper diet of regular canned cat food. With a proper diet Vicky was able to nurse him back to health.

Ranger was a very playful cougars who loved to play with his toys, especially his basketballs. He made a very distinctive sound, like that of a small dog bark, which everyone found delightful!   

Ranger shared an enclosure with Tahoe, his loving companion, for 12 years. The two cougars were inseparable and doted on each other like an old, married couple. Tragically, we lost Ranger on April 6, 2006 to pneumonia. We miss him dearly, but he will forever be in our hearts.  Ranger is survived by his offspring, Sahara.

 

Mohan (left) and Eric (right)
Best Buddies

Eric:  On August 17, 2000, Eric, his sister Emma, plus six cage mates were rescued from an inhumane Texas breeding mill.  Little Eric (about 4 months old)  was unusually scared and confused when he first arrived at In-Sync Exotics that he took his ringworm treatments without protest. He didn't know what to think about the treatments and all his special baths. Eric shared an enclosure with Emma, whom he had a very close relationship. He was a very good brother, letting her do almost anything she wanted to him. He was very caring and gentle, yet strong and bold and was considered the leader and protector of all the "babies" he lived with.

Tragically, on April 21, 2007, just five days shy of his 7th birthday, Eric was put to rest after a year long battle with cancer.

On his last day, Eric honored us by getting in his swimming pool that was built in his honor for the first and last time.  Eric truly loved the water.

Although he will be forever missed, his memory will live on through the legacies he left behind, including "Eric's Pool" that was made possible by a very special guardian angel and several other generous supporters and is now enjoyed by his friends; the subsequent pools that were made possible by the same guardian angel; the new training program that was implemented to train Eric to do basic commands so that we could administer medication safely and without stress and is now being successfully used on all of our cats; and the knowledge gained from the pathology reports that are educating the very same medical professionals that were baffled when Eric was sick. 

Eric is survived by his sister and cage mates Emma, Mohan, Nadia, Saber, and Lucca.  We know Eric is looking down and chuffing at us all...

Midas:  Midas, along with his parents Raja and Jasmine, was rescued from a drive-thru park that was closed down due to inhumane conditions. Upon his arrival, we noticed Midas had scars all over his body from earlier bouts of ringworm, mange and impetigo. Midas was a golden tabby Bengal tiger and his rare coloring, like that of the white Bengal tiger, was the result of a genetic mutation.

Midas was an absolute joy--he was always happy to see us.  Whenever he received a new toy or was enriched with a new scent he would give us the biggest smile you have ever seen. His favorite toy was his large barrel which he dragged all over his cage and even into his den. Midas had many cute antics that always delighted the volunteers and visitors. For instance, sometimes he would play "embarrassed" by putting his paws over his face, rolling around and moaning. He had a white spot on his left shoulder where hair was once missing, but it only adds to his unique personality.

Midas, resting after his busy week.
He went to A&M and came home,
and is just worn out!

Sadly, Midas died from an aggressive form of skin cancer that spread to his blood giving him a form of leukemia.  Midas is survived by his mother, Jasmine, his sister, Samu, and his brother Tyjar.  Midas was a very special tiger and we miss him very much.

We pray that Ranger, Eric, and Midas know just how much they mattered to us.  They will always be in our hearts as a daily reminder of what is most important in life---love.

A Bridge Called Love

It takes us back to brighter years,

to happier sunlit days

and to precious moments

that will be with us always.

And these fond recollections

are treasured in the heart

to bring us always close to those

from whom we had to part.

There is a bridge of memories

from earth to Heaven above...

It keeps our dear ones near us

It's the bridge that we call love.

 ~ Author Unknown

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