Founder and CEO, Big Cat Rescue

Carole Baskin is the founder and CEO of Big Cat Rescue and manages 107 volunteers and 9 staff. She’s garnered international attention to the plight of captive big cats on CNN, Animal Planet, Discovery, U.S. News & World Report, People Magazine, The Today Show, and more with an excess of 1,000 media mentions. She supported the 2003 passage of the Captive Wild Animal Safety Act, the 2009 requirement that those in Florida who possess Class I animals must post a $10,000 bond and reclassification of a cougar to Class I, making it illegal to own as a pet in FL.