Born
October 7, 2007
Rescued
October 7, 2022
Died
January 10, 2025
Cantata’s Story
Cantata was rescued from a closing roadside zoo in Maryland. Following years of animal welfare violations, a legal settlement with this roadside zoo (Tri-State Zoological Park) was reached and 65 animals found safe, appropriate forever homes at reputable zoos and sanctuaries around the country. This five-day rescue, led by PETA, opens the door for us to continue our mission of rescuing wild cats and other carnivores in need while working with larger, nationwide organizations that have greater reach. From the moment she arrived at the sanctuary, Cantata was a confident animal. She trotted around quarantine checking out her new surroundings, like she had been there her whole life. She loved attention and always has words for the keepers if they didn’t stop and give her treats. As she got older, she spent most of her time sleeping in her den box. She made the keepers get creative in finding new ways to get her to take meds, but she remained a big fan of rotisserie chicken.
Cantata’s Passing
January 31, 2025
Hello Carolina Tiger Rescue Family,
Sadly, we have had a rough start to 2025. We have recently suffered the loss of Cantata New Guinea Singing Dog.
When Cantata arrived at the sanctuary, we found a very sad pup with terrible skin, a rough coat condition, and the look of a dog with a thyroid condition. As her blood work results came in, we were shocked to see that there were no issues with her thyroid and that she was in decent shape given her history. After a few weeks of good food, proper care, and safe place to call home, Cantata shed her coat and looked like a new pup. She settled into her new home and began to show us her spunky side.
Cantata would often insist on getting treats by calling to the keepers if they were moving too slow for her tastes. It was not uncommon to see her trotting around her enclosure, keeping a close eye on what was happening in the sanctuary. We knew when she arrived that we wouldn’t have much time with her. Coming in at 15 years old, she was already on the outside of the species’ known life expectancy. Much to our delight, we had two years to dote on her and give her the retirement home she deserved. Little does she know what impact she would have on the staff and volunteers, because though most of our residents are cats, many of us would consider ourselves “dog people” if asked. We are grateful that we could give her the chance to live the good life for the last years of her life.
With Cantata, quality of life became a regular discussion with the animal care team. When caring for animals, particularly those nearing the end of their lives, these discussions become more and more important. We talk about whether their health concerns are something that can be treated and fixed or if they are chronic and can only be managed. Have we done all that we can do medically for them? We talk about whether there are changes to their appetite, or mobility, or general pain control. We want to take into account any changes in their normal behaviors. Are they spending more time in their den box than normal? Are they enjoying their enrichment? While we never want to say goodbye to our animals, we are ultimately responsible for ensuring their quality of life. It will always hurt to make these decisions, but I am comforted that we can help make this transition peaceful for those in our care.
Looking back over our 50 years of work, the cycle of life becomes more and more apparent, even in the life of a sanctuary. As we look forward to spring, we are gearing up for enclosure improvements and builds. We are looking forward to working with our alliance in order to ensure animals in need of rescue find their forever homes. But the stories and memories of our past residents continue to fuel our mission to provide the home all animals deserve.
With a heavy heart,
Kathryn Bertok, Assistant Director