Kids Can Hang With Big Cats This Summer

As the final days of the school year come to a close, parents still scrambling for something their kids can do this summer might want to let them take a walk on the wild side.

Citrus Park’s Big Cat Rescue offers summer camps for kids ages 8 to 15. Camps are broken up in two age categories – one for 8 to 11-year-olds and another for kids ages 12 to 15. The programs run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays starting with a first session on June 17. The last session of the summer runs Aug 5-9. 

The camps are perfect for kids who love big cats or animals in general and just want to learn more about them, said Willow Hecht, Big Cat Rescue’s education director.

“We want to teach the kids compassion and respect for animals, so that they come away understanding that big cats don't belong in circuses or people's garages, that they are not here for people to use and abuse,” she said.

To that end, the camps are led by counselors who are also Florida certified teachers, Hecht said. Guest speakers even come in from other animal facilities to help teach the kids more.

While participants can plan on learning a lot during the week-long camp sessions, Hecht promises lots of fun, too. The camps feature games, chances to photograph the animals from only feet away, crafts and more.

At the end of the camp, kids also get to “make a giant cardboard animal, paint it, fill it with meat and rub it with catnip, and watch their favorite big cat tear it up,” Hecht said.

So, why should parents consider Big Cat Rescue this summer?

“Big Cat Rescue is such a unique place,” Hecht said. “We are the largest big cat sanctuary in the world, with 100-plus cats of 14 different species. There is no other place like it for learning about cats and seeing them up close. We also provide small camp groups, of only 10 campers, so that they get a lot of attention and interaction with their counselors and the Big Cat Rescue staff and volunteers.”

Want to find out more? Just visit Big Cat Rescue, 12802 Easy St., online.

What are your kids doing this summer? Tell us by commenting below!

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