Since that first baby, we have decided to care for and dedicate our best care taking efforts to: Boris who came to us as a nine month old male husky, to be a companion to Natasha, and who sadly we lost at the age of 16 in July, 1999; Kina, a reported 97% Canadian timber wolf who came to live with us in our home in the city in 1991 and left us in the Summer of 2004; Konee, a reported 96% Canadian timber wolf who came to live with us in 1992, the year we migrated to the country and left us on his 14th birthday; Cayman, a cougar who came to us at twelve days of age as our first exotic cat and left us in 2003; Gabriel a male lion followed close behind as a bottle and finger sucking baby who slept with us the first year of his life; Sophia a tigress who arrived at the age of eight weeks; Daisy an older cougar was a rescue from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, who we sadly lost to cancer in 2001; then out of the blue, Freddie a male cougar, and Keisha a lioness arrived at the same time; Callie our Akita, came to live with us in January, 1998 and Sinbad, a male tiger followed close behind. He graced our door and took a space that was tragically vacated by Hannibal, a beloved tiger who died very unexpectedly.
In August 1998 we received a telephone call that brought Shealee, a tigress, to live with us, and in November 1999, cougars Apache and Lakota were rescued from an ex-breeder near Houston, Texas that moved off and left them in a back yard. In January of 1999, Mia, f/k/a Queen, was donated to PrideRock following an attack on the owner of the breeding pair King and Queen.
Unbeknownst to anyone, Mia brought along her own surprises: Jake, Allie and Ruby, lion cubs born to Mia on April 22, 1999. Kojak, our wonderful Great Pyrenees, was donated to PrideRock at eight weeks of age, and is another loved member of our family. Due to lack of enclosure space and our inability to keep Lakota and Apache separated, Casey, Catrina, Kelsey, and Chelsea were born on June 6, 1999 and now call PrideRock their home.
Tigers Mia, Golden, Kelly and Damien came to us from California in June, 2000. Jamu and Kashmer, two precious tiger cubs, were rescued from a South Texas breeder in 2001, which also brought Cougar girl Cherokee to PrideRock. As you might guess these animals keep us very busy, especially since Kina blessed us with an unplanned litter of eight in 1996. Of the litter of eight, we were able to find suitable homes for three and gladly kept the rest. Of those five pups, we currently have four.
One of the pups, a white male that we named K-2 after his dad Konee, died in January 1998 from bone cancer, a rarity in an animal so young. Cheyenne, a female pup that we took in from an unprepared owner surprised us with five pups in March 1998 and we observed the miracle of motherhood by a wolf dog with no tongue!!!
Kina never accepted her into the pack and would attack her if given the chance; therefore they have always been kept separated. One evening she went to the pen where Kina was confined and tried to lick her and Kina pulled her tongue out. We were told that she wouldn't survive, but not wanting to give up on her and realizing that she was able to eat and drink with our assistance for a few months, she became our miracle. She has always been a loving inspiration to us all.
Loving Akita like we do, we rescued Niko, a male Akita, a few years back and then lost him tragically to a condition known as "bloat". Kobe, our now three year old male Akita, took his space, but never his place. After losing Konee this year, we took in what we understood to be a male wolf-dog, Apollo, but he turned out to be more dog than wolf and wasn't accepted into the pen with Lena, a female wolf dog, as we expected. He is a beautiful, sweet, gentle boy that found a place in our hearts immediately. His home is by Kojak, our Great Pyrenees.These are the animals that make up PrideRock.
Along with the hard work, pain and heart ache their losses bring, they are a source of indescribable and immeasurable love and joy, which makes our dedication of time, energy and money a most enjoyable and rewarding labor of love.
We encourage you to browse through our site and learn more about Big Cats in America, PrideRock, and meet all the wonderful animals that call PrideRock home.