By Rena Dictor LeBlanc

You are kidnapped as a baby and placed in a cage, never again to know the warmth and love of your family.

You will never know freedom

You will live as a prisoner the rest of your life even though you are innocent of any wrongdoing.

That's the vicious cycle of wildlife in captivity according Tammy Quist, Director of the Wildcat Sanctuary in Sandstone, Minnesota.

According to Tammy and Alicia Ice, "The idea of owning, breeding and selling wild animals has been around for quite some time. The vicious cycle that animals in captivity have to go through can be horrendous and sometimes unbearable.

"The animal may be forced to breed, perform tricks or live in filthy conditions. Often the animals are abused emotionally or physically and little is provided in the form of health or veterinary care.

"Many civilians try to make pets of wild animals without the understanding of how costly it is to house and feed the animals. Some owners turn to breeding their animal(s) in order to turn a profit.

"When the animal is too old to breed or do tricks the animal may be killed."

What can you do to stop the vicious cycle of caging wildlife? According to Tammy, you can:

Lobby politicians for legislation banning wild animals as pets.

Report violations to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

APHIS.Web@aphis.usda.gov

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) 1400 Independence Ave., S.W. Washington, DC20250

Do not patronize roadside zoos and circuses.

Educate your family and friends on the captive animal crises.

For more information go to www.wildcatsanctuary.org

To see the wildcats in the sanctuary go to http://youtube.com/user/WildcatSanctuary

Take action now to help pass the Captive Primate Safety Act!

The House of Representatives has already passed the Captive Primate Safety Act, and now it is up to the Senate to get this bill through and on to the president for his signature. Chimpanzees and other primates belong in the wild, not in our backyards, yet this danger persists due to the legal trade in the animals for use as pets. The Captive Primate Safety Act will prohibit interstate commerce in primates as pets.

TAKE ACTION