BIG CAT RESCUE FEEDING BIG CATS
________________________________________________________________________________ Volunteer Name: ________________________________________ Date: __________________ The Big Cat Feeding Class is based on the previous Feeding Class. Everything detailed in the Feeding Class still pertains to and is incorporated in this class as well. Big cats referred to in this class include: all lions, tigers, leopards and cougars. Big Cat Feeders are strongly encouraged to feed a minimum of two nights per week. Routes • The Volunteer Coordinator will assign routes, route leaders, feeders, feeder trainees, and interns to assist with feeding routes. • All big cat feeder trainees must observe the feeding of big cats on each route three times. • After this, the big cat feeder trainee must feed the big cats with instruction from a trainer three times on each route before becoming certified to feed big cats on a route unsupervised. • Certification is at both the trainer’s and the Operations Manager’s discretion and potential big cat feeders may require more than the three observations or instructional sessions. The trainer and the Operations Manager will discuss and decide upon the appropriate additional training. • Once certification is completed on all routes, the feeder has spent a sufficient amount of time feeding the big cats, has developed confidence and learned each individual big cat's feeding behavior, the feeder may be called upon to act as a certified big cat feeder to sign off other big cat feeder trainees. Preparing to Feed • Assure that all big cat lockout doors have been closed prior to the start of feeding. • When opening and closing lock out doors, assure that the rope is pulled in the direction that is consistent with the positioning of the pulley. If the pulley is facing one direction and the rope is pulled at an extreme angle to the left or right of the pulley, the framing of the door can be shifted and may cause the door to no longer work. • If a lockout door is not functioning properly, an alternative would be to shut the separating door between the two halves of the enclosure. If this is done, and the cat is locked out in a different area, it is imperative that the Operations Manager/Coordinator inform the Route Leader of the location of that cat before feeding. • Any malfunctioning door, including frayed ropes or broken pulleys should be reported on the Maintenance Observation log. It could save a cat's tail or their life! • If the cat cannot be locked away from the feeding lockout, radio to the Coordinator to request assistance. • Assure that all medications have been distributed prior to the start of feeding. • Assure that all food quantities necessary to feed an assigned route are correct before leaving the food prep area. • Assure that all special diets for an assigned route are accounted for and understood before leaving the food prep area. Any special instructions are to be confirmed with the Volunteer Coordinator on duty. • Assure that each feeder has a bucket to transport food for their assigned cats and a knife to open the tubes of diet. • Always be aware that any cat may be aggressive at any time, even those who are usually complacent about feeding. Feeding Process for Locked Out Big Cats This class was last revised 8/3/2012
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BIG CAT RESCUE FEEDING BIG CATS
• Before approaching the immediate vicinity of an animal’s enclosure, have all food items for the animal unwrapped, portioned, and ready to deliver. Preparation of food is not to be done in close proximity to the lockout. • Verify that the animal is indeed locked out before approaching the enclosure. Always assume that a lockout door is up until you have personally verified that it has been lowered and the animal is securely locked out. • Never step or climb over the barricades. Always use the appropriate entrance gate to enter into the barricaded area. Be sure to completely snap shut any gates when using them. Take a Partner or a Newbie with you to open and shut barricade gates. It's great fun for them, keeps the snaps clean and speeds up your process. • Food is to be placed on the feeding block as quickly as possible since the animal may become agitated and pull at the lockout door if the process is delayed. This is why it’s very important to verify the food is accurate before approaching the enclosure. There is to be no distraction once you approach a lockout area. • Before raising the lockout door, place the empty feeding bucket at a safe distance completely away from the lockout. Once the animal enters the lockout, you must be able to safely retrieve the bucket and leave the area, while maintaining a safe distance from the animal. • Before raising the lockout door, assure that the animal, and none of their extremities, are close • Lift the door quickly and completely, as high as possible over the cutout opening to the lockout area. An anxious animal can be severely injured by trying to charge through a partially opened door. • Do not overlift the door as this will cause it to dislodge from its mounting on the cage. (Overlifting the door would be to pull the door up so high that the frame of the door bangs into the top of the door track) • Clip the lockout cable/rope to the cage at the appropriately marked area. • Feeders must never attempt to retrieve any food that has fallen out of a lockout area once the animals have entered. • Feeders must never go back to enclosures housing multiple cats to add any additional food. Additional Feeding Process for Locked Out Lions • When feeding lions, it is vital not to make eye contact and to remain silent. Do not address the animal. • When male lions share an enclosure with a cage mate, it is critical that the male lion have access to all food first. Trying to circumvent this hardwired behavior in male lions could result in tragic injury to a cage mate. • Feeders must never go back to the lions to add any additional food, as this will start the feeding behavior sequence again. • If the male lions become severely agitated and threaten their cage mates, the best response is to leave the area quickly once food is delivered. The feeder’s presence will add additional irritation to the behavior. Feeding Process for Big Cats not Locked Out • Never underestimate the speed of an animal. Though they may be on the other side of their cage, they can be in their lockout quicker than a feeder might ever expect. • Assure food for an animal is unwrapped, portioned and ready to deliver before approaching the animal waiting in his/her lockout. • The feeder will never place a hand or arm into a lockout for any reason. All food is to be delivered safely by tossing, pitching, or dropping it through the cage wire from a safe distance onto the food block or into the food bowl. • If food rolls out or slides out of the lockout, the feeder will never retrieve it with their hand. A long stick may be used to pull the food safely away from the lockout area so that it can be redelivered This class was last revised 8/3/2012
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BIG CAT RESCUE FEEDING BIG CATS
onto the food block. • If, for some reason the food cannot be retrieved, give the animal another portion and try to retrieve it at a later time when the animal is not in the vicinity and it can be done safely. • A feeder must be totally familiar with the food aggressive nature of cats sharing an enclosure and the order of feeding them to ensure their safety. Observations • Be sure to make note of any abnormalities in the animal’s gait as they approach the lockout. This is a time when any limping can be easily observed. During the day, many animals are only observed sleeping or lying down. At feeding time, any limping or issues affecting their gait can be detected and reported. • Step back to a safe distance from the lockout and look the animal over completely, noting any injuries, any difficulties eating, or a lack of interest in food. • Observations are critical during the feeding process. It is the one time during the day that the animal can be completely observed. Take the time to accurately assess the animal. All observations should be reported to the Route Leader as well as noted in the appropriate Observation Log at the end of feeding. Double Checking Feeding Route • The route leader will be responsible for double checking their feeding route to assure that all cats have been fed and that all cats have free access to their food; i.e. all lockout doors have been opened and all separating cage doors allowing access have been opened. • During this time, attention will also be paid to the presence of vermin that may be scaring the animals away from their food. This will be noted in the Maintenance Observation Log at the end of feeding so that corrective action can be taken. I have read the above guidelines and have completed the Big Cat Feeding Class. Student __________________________
Teacher ____________________________
Print __________________________ ____________________________ Date __________________________ ___________________________
This class was last revised 8/3/2012
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BIG CAT RESCUE FEEDING BIG CATS
BIG CAT FEEDING CERTIFICATION Keep this sheet in the binder in Food Prep and be sure to get signed off each time you observe and are observed feeding. Fill in the date that you observed or were observed and ask your trainer to sign on the provided line. Trainers may refuse to sign if they do not feel the observation session was successful. Certification must be completed within three months of the first sign off. 1. Front Route was observed _________ Certified Feeder signature ________________________ 2. Front Route was observed _________ Certified Feeder signature_________________________ 3. Front Route was observed _________ Certified Feeder signature ________________________ 4. Front Route was fed w/ Certified Feeder ________ C.F. sig.______________________ 5. Front Route was fed w/ Certified Feeder ________ C.F. sig.______________________ 6. Front Route was fed w/ Certified Feeder ________ C.F. sig.______________________ 1. Center Route was observed _________Certified Feeder signature _______________________ 2. Center Route was observed _________Certified Feeder signature _______________________ 3. Center Route was observed _________Certified Feeder signature _______________________ 4. Center Route was fed w/ Certified Feeder ________ C.F. sig. _____________________ 5. Center Route was fed w/ Certified Feeder ________ C.F. sig. _____________________ 6. Center Route was fed w/ Certified Feeder ________ C.F. sig. _____________________ 1. Back Route was observed _________Certified Feeder signature _________________________ 2. Back Route was observed _________Certified Feeder signature _________________________ 3. Back Route was observed _________Certified Feeder signature _________________________ 4. Back Route was fed w/ Certified Feeder ________ C.F. sig. _______________________ 5. Back Route was fed w/ Certified Feeder ________ C.F. sig. _______________________ 6. Back Route was fed w/ Certified Feeder ________ C.F. sig. _______________________ 1. Outback Route was observed _________Certified Feeder signature _________________________ 2. Outback Route was observed _________Certified Feeder signature _________________________ 3. Outback Route was observed _________Certified Feeder signature _________________________ 4. Outback Route was fed w/ Certified Feeder ________ C.F. sig. _______________________ 5. Outback Route was fed w/ Certified Feeder ________ C.F. sig. _______________________ 6. Outback Route was fed w/ Certified Feeder ________ C.F. sig. _______________________
I have observed each route and have been observed feeding each route listed above. Student __________________________ Teacher ____________________________ Print __________________________ ____________________________ Date __________________________ ____________________________
This class was last revised 8/3/2012
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