Heaven Welcomed Home Sabu

This is without a doubt the hardest blog posting I have ever written.  But before I say why, I'd like to thank my friend at ISE for providing me with updates on Sabu each week.  I cannot thank this person enough for taking the time to regal me with Sabu's latest antics, pictures of Sabu's handsome face, and the occasional video of our boy at play.  This person will never now how eternally grateful I was to receive information on Sabu's health progress. Weekly Sabu updates truly made me very happy.  Thank you so much my friend.

Thanks to this person, I was not completely surprised when I received notification from ISE saying Sabu 's health took a turn for the worse.

For weeks prior to the notification, I became very concerned when I learned Sabu refused to come out of his den to play or even lay in the sun.  I was concerned because a lion at his age with leg-related issues needs to move around so his leg muscles would not suffer from disuse atrophy which happens because of a lack of physical activity.  

So when I was told Sabu could no longer use his hind legs, I knew Sabu's time on earth was going to end soon.  I was told it took three people to assist Sabu up and help him walk to the playground so he could lay out in the sun or relieve himself.  I prayed for a miracle, but I knew in my heart that Sabu's time on earth was coming to and end.

The most heartbreaking news I received was when I was told Sabu was going to be put to sleep last Friday.  When the weather took a turn for the worse, with temperatures dropping into the 20s, blanketing his home with sleet and ice, the date was changed from Friday afternoon to Monday. Then on Sunday I received this heartbreaking news...

From: In-Sync Exotics
To: Kristina WAO Brunner
Sent: Sunday, December 8, 2013 10:37 AM
Subject: 

Hey I may have to let sabu go today if the vet can get out. He's not able to stay warm. I have blankets on him and we are putting another heater on him and an electric blanket, but I don't like that he is shivering. He can't load into roll cage or I'd take him to VC and he's not going to let us carry him into roll cage. If we can't get him warm I'm going to seriously have to consider it.

I received this same message via text along with this photo of Sabu:

On loan from God, Sabu returned Home to be with Him.

Then sadly, I received this text from Vicky that changed my whole world:

"OK I made the call it will be done in a couple of hours. I hate this so much."

Vicky text me again, asking if I wanted to speak with Sabu before he passed and I thanked her for the opportunity. I couldn't think straight and I was afraid I would only cry through the entire call.  Jesus suggested I write down what I wanted to say to Sabu before he passed away so I wouldn't spend my time crying over the phone like I did when I spoke with Okemo before he passed away.  

When my phone rang and Sabu was on the other line, I didn't think I could get the words out because I was crying so hard.  I was able to tell Sabu that even though our journey on earth was coming to an end, I would see him again in Heaven.  I told him that it was my honor and privileged to have known him for eight years as his former animal caretaker and later his champion.  I told him I was thrilled that the Lord placed his hand of protection over him so that he could enjoy living at a place where he was loved and adored by so many people.  I told him I was amazed how much he changed from a shy lion living at the WAO to such a happy and playful fellow who enjoyed life at ISE.  I told him that I could see in his face how much happier he was living at ISE and for that I will always be grateful for the care and attention he received from all.  I told him that he was a one-of-a-kind lion; that the Lord broke the mold on the day he was created.  I told him I would miss his crazy and goofy antics and his love for life.  I told him I was eternally grateful he came into my life while at the WAO--for without him I may not have the courage to help save him and his animal friends when called upon to do the right thing.  I told him it was time for him to join Jinxie and the other WAO animals in Heaven.  I asked him to tell them that I was thinking of them and praying for them all the time.  I told him I missed him but that I would see him again soon.  I told him that I loved him very much.  I told him his job here on earth was done and that it was time for him to join the Lord in Heaven.  I kept telling him "job well done, Sabu...job well done."  Then I told him I loved him very much and I slowly hung up the phone. 

I wanted to create a special memorial for Sabu since he was the last of the original four animals (Sabu, Jake, Bubba and Princess) I tried so hard to save so many years ago.  I didn't know what type of video to create, so I took the Lord's suggestion of creating a video that would herald Sabu's arrival to Heaven. It was the hardest video I have ever created.  It was so surreal, creating this memorial video because Sabu was still alive and fighting for his life. There were several times when I just wanted to stop working on the video, but the Lord encouraged me to continue until it was almost finished late Saturday night.   I just didn't have the heart to produce the final Sabu video until the He said he was on his way to see Him.  

I was inspired to use the same song I originally chose for the WAO's first video created back in 2005 and then reused again for the "New Beginnings" video updated in 2010.  I guess it was appropriate to use this song for the last time, this time featuring Sabu.  Now whenever I hear this song, I won't think about the failed WAO or it's failed "New Beginnings."  I will only think of Sabu.

For this video presentation, I used a couple of WAO pictures I took of Sabu back in the day--one from Leslie Road (when he had his magnificent mane) and one from Talley Road when I first saw him after several years separation (2010) along with a lot of ISE pictures and videos taken during the various stages of his life. I am absolutely amazed at how much Sabu changed over the last two years.  The last pictures and videos in the presentation were taken the last week and they show just how content Sabu was until the end.

When Vicky communicated to me that Sabu was going to pass away within a couple of hours, I frantically tried to finished the video, so that when Sabu was entering Heaven, I could hit the produce button alerting the Lord that Sabu was on his way.  

As soon as I knew Sabu's soul was no longer with us, I hit the "produce button" and sent this video out on the web, announcing to the Lord and to the world that Magnificent Sabu was on his way to Heaven.

http://animoto.com/play/u0P6UlIAz41KMIOLVaVBtA

A broken heart is the worse.  It's like having broken ribs.  Nobody can see them, but it hurts everytime you breathe.

   

It was not lost on me that the sale of the last piece of the WAO property happened this month.  Finally, the WAO Talley Road land will no longer be in the hands of the WAO--finally after seven long years it looks like the WAO nightmare will finally coming to an end.

WAO Bankruptcy Court - Sale of Talley Road - 120213

Yesterday, Vicky said she's going to send me a plaster of paris paw print mold and whiskers from Sabu--and I am very grateful.  I guess when the package arrives I'll be bawling like a baby again.

Thank you Lord for introducing me to Sabu and all the animals of WAO.  I am eternally grateful to have cared and championed for your handsome Sabu. Please bless and protect Sabu in Heaven and let him know that I will always love him--he is and always will be--my hero.

I always thought this picture of Sabu was captured at a time when he was praying!
May 15, 2005

Praying Sabu's Tooth Surgery Goes Great Tomorrow!

This message was posted on FB last week by In-Sync Exotics:

In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center

November 14

Sabu has a toothache! It's been quite a problem for him, and medication isn't really helping, so we have made the decision to take him to the vet on Wednesday morning to have it removed. It's not a decision we have made lightly, as Sabu is 23 years old and we understand the risks with surgery, but we are really not able to keep him comfortable without removing that tooth. We'll keep you all posted.

Needless to say, I will be on pins and needles tomorrow--waiting for successful news about my handsome boy's tooth surgery.

I pray God is with the boy tomorrow and that he will be healed so he can resume eating again.  I've noticed in some pictures posted on Facebook that Sabu looked rather thin.  I imagine it is because he is having trouble chewing his food. I pray the surgery will correct this problem so he can gain much needed weight before the cold winter settles in around him. God Bless you tomorrow, Sabu!!

Another WAO In The Making? I Pray Not!

Even though I no longer involve myself in the affairs of animal sanctuaries, I do follow several sanctuaries that took in WAO animals.

Since Sabu is near and dear to my heart, I've been following In-Sync Exotics on the only media tool available for fans and donors--Facebook.

To place this posting in context, (because I know there will be a lot of angry ISE fans/volunteers that will object to this posting, not because the information is false, but because they do not know how to separate their feeling from fact and emotion) I believe animals should be respected and honored especially when under the care of humans. Keeping an animal alive, when clearly the animal wishes to let go of its body for selfish personal reasons is unconscionable.  The board of directors should never allow an animal to suffer in such a horrible way just so a person can feel "better." Okay, now for the story:

I saw the following pictures of Jasmine posted two separate days on the ISE Facebook page.  I had heard that Jasmine was not doing well after the cancerous mass was removed from her body, but by looking at these pictures, it appeared that Jasmine was doing great.

In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center

Liked · October 3 

Jasmine kept ripping her water barrel away from the fence to play with it, so we just gave up and let her have it as a toy, and use a small tub for her drinking water now...

And again...

In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center

Liked · October 4 

Another great pic of Jasmine playing with her water barrel. Well, it USED to be her water barrel. Now it's her toy. 

Then today, I received this information:

• It has become extremely difficult to get Jasmine to eat.  She often doesn't acknowledge us at all, and doesn't want to leave her den.  Lakshmi is in India so we have called her home, but she can't get a flight back until 10/13.  We ran additional blood tests and urinalysis on Jasmine last week - chronic renal failure, low potassium and low thyroid.  She is getting a shot of famotadine daily and 3-4 liters of fluids daily with 20cc of penicillin in the fluids.  We are hoping that keeps her alive and comfortable until Lakshmi can make it home.  Our beautiful girl is tired.

If you've been reading my blog from the beginning, then you know how I feel about a sanctuary lying about the condition of its animals to the public.  They are lying about Jasmine's current health condition to their Facebook fans and donors, posting pictures of a healthy Jasmine, when in reality she is very thin, not eating or drinking and I've been told that she is near death.  Workers don't expect her to live until "Lakshmi" gets home. Why the ISE board of directors allows this tiger to suffer so is beyond me.  These pictures posted of Jasmine were allegedly taken in August 2013.

The ISE Facebook page concerns me greatly because it seems that of late, the administrator posts pictures of its big cats in pretty poses, when in reality the cats are suffering from a variety of ailments.  Makes me wonder what else this sanctuary is hiding from the public and why the volunteers who see the cats' conditions on a daily or weekly basis do not speak out on the ISE Facebook page.  

Actually, I know why -- the ISE volunteers are constantly told not to post pictures or comments of the sick animals because ISE wants to control the information.  And because the volunteers want to continue "playing" with the cats, they are forced to hold their tongues. Sound familiar?  It should.  Same darn thing happened at the WAO.

I just continue to pray that Sabu receives all the love and attention that he richly deserves and that ISE steers away from following the footsteps of the former WAO directors. There is no excuse for lying to the public.  None.  

Later: I received an update on Sabu...

• Sabu's blood work looks ok (BUN slightly elevated, but not bad).  He has a chronic infection due to a broken tooth.  In order to remove the tooth, he would have to be sedated, and the tooth would have to be dug out.  At his extreme age, it is not felt to be worth the risk of sedating him.  We will keep him on clindamycin, and it will sometimes bleed, so please do not panic when you see this happen.  We have him on light tramadol for pain management.

I pray Sabu has no pain and can put some weight on his body before winter.  In some of the pictures I've seen posted on Facebook, he's looking a little thin.  Not to bad yet, but it could be a problem if ISE is hit by a very cold winter which I heard on the radio that it may be a very real possibility. God bless you Sabu!!  I love you so much, my handsome boy.


Later:

Now that Lakshmi has seen Jasmine, the decision has been made to let Jasmine go so she can join Raja in Heaven on Tuesday and her memorial will be held on Wednesday.  

May God bless and protect Jasmine forever as she is a very special tigress.

Later:

Jasmine's death announcement was posted on Facebook.  This file picture was taken several months ago.  May God Bless and Protect Jasmine's Soul in Heaven For Ever and Ever...Amen.

In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center

13 hours ago · Edited

I'm afraid we have some very sad news tonight. We had to say goodbye to our beautiful Jasmine, the matriarch of In-Sync. Jasmine was 22 years old, and has been in renal failure for some time. We have been monitoring her blood work freque...ntly, in addition to running urinalysis on her, and her most recent test results were extremely bad. We have been keeping her comfortable with daily fluids and other medications, but Jasmine was very tired, and it was time to let her have peace. Jasmine has joined her beloved Raja, who left us 2 years ago this month. We know they are together again, as they were for so many years. You can read all about their story here http://www.insyncexotics.org/RajaJasmine.html
You can also see a lot of beautiful pictures of Raja and Jasmine in this album, by clicking on this picture, then scrolling through the rest of their album. Raja and Jasmine were rescued at the age of 12, and were the parents of Kenya (the first tiger that Vicky rescued), Midas, Tyjar and Samu. They were litter-mates, but were bred by their former owners. They are both so important to us, and so incredibly loved. We are glad they are together again, but are devastated that we had to say goodbye to them both.

Tacoma Said Goodbye

Another devastating blow to the volunteers and staff of In-Sync Exotics:

In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center

3 hours ago

I'm afraid I have some devastating news to share. We lost our beloved Tacoma last night. Many of you already know what he's been through this year, but for those who don't, he was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and arthritis early this year, and we flew two vets in from Canada to perform a denervation surgery on him - no one in the U.S. had done this surgery on a tiger before, and they had. The surgery seemed to go well, and Tacoma slowly got stronger. However, during his recovery, he also contracted the canine distemper virus that we are fighting. This made him even weaker, and although we have tried everything to help him, including all the distemper treatments AND his own physical therapist doing water therapy with him in his pool (we built a specialized harness and lift system to get him in and out of his pool), he continued to weaken. Last night, the decision was made to have our veterinarian come out and end Tacoma's struggle. However, as the vet was there, before he had done anything to Tacoma, Tacoma simply slipped away. His fight is over, but ours is just beginning. Each of these losses has been devastating to us, but Tacoma is extremely special to Vicky, our founder and president. She is going to need good thoughts and prayers from every one of us to make it through this. In our own terrible grief, we are going to have to help her, and to be honest, I'm not sure how. Please keep all of us in your thoughts and prayers.

I remember how much Vicky loved Tacoma and I understand that Barbara loved him very much too.  My heart and prayers go out to both ladies.  I know how much it hurts to lose a beloved animal...eventually the horrible pain goes away and all that's left is wonderful memories of time spent together.

God bless you Tacoma...may you find peace and love in Heaven with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. You are no longer sick--just wild and free with your ISE tiger family.  Be free, Tacoma.  Be free.

Collin County News

7th big cat dies at In-Sync Exotics from virus

WYLIE, Texas (AP) — A tiger described as the "soul" of a North Texas animal sanctuary has become the seventh big cat to die from an outbreak of a fatal virus.

A spokeswoman for In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Education Center in the Dallas suburb of Wylie said Tacoma died Sunday night. Lisa Williams says Tacoma, a 15-year-old who weighed in excess of 400 pounds, is the sixth tiger killed by canine distemper. A lioness also had died.

More than a dozen other big cats are still suffering from the virus. Experts believe raccoons likely started the outbreak by crawling around the large outdoor cages.

Williams says the death of Tacoma is particularly difficult because he had been with the sanctuary for more than a dozen years.

May God Bless Crimson In Heaven

I just received word that Crimson, 20-year old cougar living at In-Sync Exotics, passed away today.  

Crimson was sick for some time, battling kidney disease that was first report on the In-Sync Exotics Blog back in 2011. She was such a beautiful animal and I know everyone at In-Sync will miss her very much.

May the Lord Bless and Keep Crimson in His Loving Arms, Forever and Ever -- Amen.

Hard to Say Goodbye

Every time I hear that another tiger must be put down from Canine Distemper at In-Sync Exotics, I can't help but feel profoundly sad--my heart physical hurts.  Brings back very sad memories of when I would get word that another animal died at the WAO.  It's a sickening, hit-you-in-the-guts, kind of feeling that just does not go away any time soon.

Happier times for Lucca - 2010

Today I received word Lucca is going to be put down on Thursday.  While I've been expecting this news for some time, I cannot help but feel that the world is going to lose another beautiful animal and Heaven is going to welcome home another angel animal to His Kingdom.  Godspeed Lucca -- may you run wild and free with your tiger family in Heaven, sweet tiger.

RIP -- A beautiful tiger who passed away before her time... August 8, 2013

A Special Plea to the DJ & T Foundation on Behalf of In-Sync Exotics

In honor of Sabu and in memory of Jinx and Okemo, I wrote this letter to the DJ & T Foundation in the hopes of securing funds for a clinic for In-Sync Exotics, so something like the canine distemper virus, can be control much better and animals don't have to travel for care.

DJ T Foundation Letter

I don't know if a grant will be granted by the Foundation.  All I can do is pray for their help...

Later:  Sent an update letter to the Foundation announcing the date/time change for the FOX News story on the sanctuary's plight.  I sure hope they can help save the animals.

Much later:

I received word that ISE received a large check from the Bob Barker Foundation (DJ&T Foundation) on July 23, 2014!  I was told the donation should cover the cost of medical equipment for the new ISE on-site clinic!  Yay!

In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center added 3 new photos.

October 1

Check it out - most of our medical supplies have arrived!! We received a very generous grant, and were able to purchase over $100,000 in supplies for our planned vet clinic! The contractor for the vet clinic is working on permits, so we aren't sure when we'll break ground, but it's great to have so much of the equipment already!