'Saving caged big cats was a race against time'

20 April 2025

Alex Pope

BBC News, Hertfordshire

Cam Whitnall worked with a 20-strong team to rescue 28 big cats from a Hertfordshire sanctuary

The Big Cat Sanctuary Cam Whitnall wearing a black hoodie with The Big Cat Sanctuary written on it, in front of a wooden lodge, smiling at the camera. He has short curly hair and a beard. — Cam Whitnall worked with a 20-strong team to rescue 28 big cats from a Hertfordshire sanctuary

When the director of a Hertfordshire trust was convicted of animal cruelty charges, a determined team faced a race against time to rescue the big cats left behind in its cages.

The 28 big cats held at the Cat Survival Trust in Welwyn were at risk of being put down when it closed, among them Eurasian lynxes, bobcats and rare Amur leopards.

The rescuers, led by Cam Whitnall, of the Big Cat Sanctuary in Smarden, Kent, and James Cork, from its sister site Hertfordshire Zoo, sprang into action - evacuating emaciated animals, nursing them back to health and seeing them safely rehomed.

"We stepped on board to try and evacuate all the cats because the fear was that they were all going to be euthanised if we couldn't get them off site in time," he said.

Terrence Moore, who ran the Cat Survival Trust, was banned from keeping animals for five years, and found guilty of four charges of causing unnecessary suffering to an animal.

"It was like a hoarder's paradise," said Mr Whitnall, who is star of CBBC's One Zoo Three.

Mr Whitnall and his team can be seen working on the last day to remove the animals from the Cat Survival Trust

Big Cat Sanctuary Cam, wearing waterproof coat and tros, holding a cage, with an animal in, with two other people behind him. There is a shed with a large open door. — Mr Whitnall and his team can be seen working on the last day to remove the animals from the Cat Survival Trust

Mr Whitnall said he was alerted to conditions at the Cat Survival Trust by Matt Ford from Specialist Wildlife Services - and then worked with head keeper, Mr Cork, and his mother Lynn Whitnall to address the situation.

"We had an incredibly short space of time to act," he said

The 20-strong team worked every day for three months to feed and treat the cats and make the area safe.

Rare Amur leopard, Comet, was in such poor condition he had to be put to sleep

The Big Cat Sanctuary & Hertfordshire Zoo An Amur Leopard, behind a cage, with long grass around it, with its mouth open, baring teeth. — Rare Amur leopard, Comet, was in such poor condition he had to be put to sleep

Conditions at the trust were dangerous, he said, with discoloured drinking water.

"No animal deserved to be in those conditions, it was heart-breaking," he said.

"One of the lynxes was literally skin and bone and several were underweight - so our teams got on site and we sorted out their diet."

They worked with vets to coordinate health checks, carry out blood tests and put a plan into action to ensure the cats were strong enough to be moved on.

Comet, a rare Amur leopard, had to be euthanised, along with a jaguar called Jags, and Eurasian lynxes called Mrs Pudding and Sally - and a serval, Evie.

Three bobcats were saved from the Hertfordshire site

The Big Cat Sanctuary & Hertfordshire Zoo A Bobcat, behind a fence, in an area with straw in, looking at the camera. — Three bobcats were saved from the Hertfordshire site

Collaborating with zoos, sanctuaries and private owners across the country, the team successfully found the remaining 23 big cats new homes.

"It was an urgent call to action to say, look, we need your help, here's a list of cats, can anyone and take any of them on":[]}