Insight from a Microbiologist

Raul Cuero, PhD. is a man with many incredible perspectives on how people should see the world around them. With his background, he has the ability to understand and appreciate different aspects of life that young generations are starting to take advantage of. Dr. Cuero's ideals on how to overcome criticism are applicable to every person with goals: take the criticism and use it as a force to compel you to continue further. This type of mindset will be genuinely useful to my career, because I expect as I continue to be a voice for animals, I will make many enemies. I plan to take Dr. Cuero's advice with me as I live day by day. Being creative allows people to understand themselves and pursue new objectives. I learn to appreciate the people around me for the qualities that make them truly unique. Each person has the ability to conquer their dreams, and fight for their opinions. Through creativity, people can share their thoughts and respectively understand one another without limitations.

Who I am

Hello, my name is Sarah Ballentine and I am a Biology major with a concentration in Pre-Veterinary Science at UT. I am also on the path to minor in both Math and Chemistry. When I first started out at UT I felt a void growing because I had so much free time that I wanted to dedicate towards volunteering. Fortunately for me, my family moved from Maryland to Orlando when I started school at UT in the Fall of 2013, providing me with a car. Now as a Sophomore, I am a current volunteer with almost 2,000 hours of service dedicated to the world's largest accredited sanctuary for big cats, Big Cat Rescue. This facility has become my new home in Tampa and the people involved with the organization are my second family. I enjoy being outside with nature, working towards educating the public on the exotic cat illegal trade and the hardships the current animals of Big Cat have endured before they came into our care. After graduating UT in 2017 (hopefully) I plan to go to veterinary school and work to become an exotic veterinarian specialized in surgery. After that, I am hoping to travel and work with locals in the many countries where animal conflict occurs. By the end of my life I plan to have started and maintained a working animal sanctuary dedicated to rescue, rehabilitation, and release of exotic animals, large and small. I strive to find harmony between the many species of lifeforms on this planet and the superior homo sapien, because each living thing has earned the right to also live and flourish on this planet.

Inspiration for Motivation

Sassyfrass is my inspiration and passion. He was born into a society that chooses to exploit beautiful specimens like himself for its own personal agenda. Before finding his forever home at Big Cat Rescue, the world's largest accredited sanctuary for big cats, his life was quite difficult. His first owner beat him with a shovel in an attempt to make him a "nicer" cat. He was sold to a couple who loved exotic cats and had hopes to breed these animals for a life in a cage. This couple not only owned him, but also owned another cougar named Freddie, and a male lion they hand raised since he was a cub. One day the wife came home and she found her dog mauled to death in the yard and she saw that the lion cage door was open. At that moment she was uncertain of where her husband was, but more importantly, where the lion was. Law enforcement was called and after spotting the lion, he was shot down and killed. They soon found her husband lying in a pool of his own blood, dead, in the lion's cage. The wound on the man's leg seemed to be from a scratch that just went too deep. The man was probably not killed on purpose, even, the lion could have been playing with his owner. But these animals are strong and are not accustomed to being gentle towards companions, especially fragile humans. After several years the wife committed suicide, leaving Sassyfrass and Freddie with no care. They both became extremely malnourished and lost a lot of weight. When Big Cat rescuers were finally able to rescue Freddy and Sassyfrass, both cougars were in bad shape. Their living quarters consisted of dog igloos too small for a cougar, and rubber flooring. Temperatures were low and neither cougar had proper protection against the environmental elements. After the rescue both cougars transformed into healthy cats, but unfortunately Freddie only lasted six months at Big Cat Rescue before he passed away. Sassyfrass is still at Big Cat today and he is doing fantastic! My name is Sarah, I am a keeper at Big Cat, and I am lucky enough to call him one of my best friends, and greatest companions. We are a no contact facility, so our friendship is based on respect and care for each other. Sassyfrass is a very talkative, happy cougar who truly defines the word forgiveness. He has endured hardships from human contact most of his life, until he was rescued in 2010, and yet he still gets excited to see anyone willing to talk with him. Sassy has found his forever home and will continue to live a pleasurable life for as long as he wants. Hopefully he inspires everyone as much as he has motivated me.