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I find this mentality to be incredibly irresponsible and deluded. Apparently, despite all of his research and experience, Taft has turned a blind eye to the glaringly obvious fact that life in a cage, albeit an enclosure with natural habitat, cannot compare to the miles of territory these big cats would normally roam, the social interactions they normally experience, and the experiences of life in the wild, that while we as humans may view as hardships, big cats are none-the-less genetically hardwired to experience.
While Taft’s fascination for big cats is understandable, and his ability to use his past mistakes and experiences to establish something positive like a decent rescue (according to the USDA) is admirable, his inability to admit keeping a big cat as a pet is just plain wrong and reflects a selfish desire with little regard for the welfare of the very animals he claims to love.
