Vegetarian Star

Tippi Hedren has been honored with the first ever “Whomanitarian Award” at Universal Studios for her work to protect big cats and take care of them at the Shambala Preserve. Hedren was presented with the award from several dozens of children, Whoville characters from “Whorton Hears A Who” and the infamous Grinch.

Hedren has helped bring two bills to the federal limelight in an attempt to protect big cats. “The Captive Wildlife Safety Act,” signed by Bush in 2003, stops the interstate trafficking of big cats sold as pets. There’s also the “A Federal Bill to Ban the Breeding of the Exotic Feline for Personal Possession,” which is designed to end the breeding of these animals in captivity. Hedren said the only thing standing in the way of her second bill is companies who use big cats for entertainment

“It is vitally important to get the new bill I co-authored in 2007, “A Federal Bill to Ban the Breeding of the Exotic Feline for Personal Possession,” passed to stop the insanity of these magnificent but inherently dangerous felines being bred in captivity to live in cages or worse,”  Hedren told Broadway World. “The bill is in jeopardy because of big business, a special interest group: the Circus! They want those animals because they have a huge potential for massive commercial exploitation to obtain vast profits!”

The Shambala Preserve, a big cat sanctuary ran by Hedren, is home to animals that were rescued from either abused or abandoned situations, such as naive people taking them in as pets.

The facility, located in California, requires $75,000 a month to maintain.

Photo: PR Photos

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