Video: Exotic Animals Receive Special Christmas Treat

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CALEDONIA, Miss. (WCBI)- For Danka, Max, and the other lions and tigers at Cedarhill Animal Sanctuary, Christmas came a bit early.

“We played a little bit of Santa Claus and we gave out Christmas presents of deer meat for the big cats. Just a little stimulation thing for them to be able to have something to rip open and tear apart, whereas in the wild they would actually get to hunt,” said Exotic Caretaker Michelle Potter.

Potter and the staff give and sometimes throw the boxes in their cages, giving these exotic cats a dose of their natural habitat.

“It’s important to keep them stimulated in other ways besides looking at us as prey. I mean these big cats would normally roam 5 to 10 miles a day,” said Potter.

Cedar Hill has housed hundreds of animals in need of tender, love and care since opening in 1990.

“We have 9 tigers, 6 lions, 2 cougars, 3 bobcats, approximately 200 domestic cats, 16 dogs, horses pigs, and exotic birds and we are a home for life for them,” said Potter.

” Most of these animals are neglected, abused, nobody cares for them, nobody wants them and so having a place where they can be completely calm and normal and not have to worry about ‘When am I going to eat, how am I going to stay warm,’ those things are all important for all of them.,” said Khristina Booth, Public Liaison for Cedar Hill Animal Sanctuary.

It’s through generous donations that they make this facility possible.

“We want to bring awareness out there that we are here. We’re trying to increase our public awareness about these animals because we’re very behind on donations, we need donations so bad,” said Booth.

Cedarhill is not open for tours, but they would love donations.

If you would like to donate and help make the lives of these animals a little bit easier, go to their website: http://www.cedarhillanimalsanctuary.org/. Their address is 144 Sanctuary Loop, Caledonia, MS 39740.

They are always looking for money, treats, toys, and cleaning supplies for their animals. You can also join their facebook page.