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Inside the mission to rescue lions, 8,000-pound elephant from dilapidated Puerto Rico zoo after its closure
A sanctuary founder who rescued hundreds of animals from a beleaguered Puerto Rico zoo is now doing the hard work of rehabilitation.
After years of complaints about conditions at the Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo, the U.S. Department of Justice oversaw the evacuation of every single animal. Federal authorities called in Pat Craig, founder of The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Colorado, to navigate the logistical challenges of transporting, among other animals, lions, hippos and an 8,000-pound elephant. Craig was also tasked with finding new homes for the animals.
What happened at the Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo
Over the course of a decade, the U.S. Department of Agriculture cited Puerto Rico’s lone zoo two dozen times for substandard conditions and animal mistreatment. After hurricanes Irma and Maria ravaged the island, the zoo closed permanently in 2018. The situation for the hundreds of animals living there went from bad to worse.
In February 2023, the Department of Justice, which enforces federal animal welfare laws on the mainland and in Puerto Rico, took the extraordinary step of sending a battalion of agents to the zoo.
“It was just so evident that this facility was way beyond repair,” Pat Craig said.
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Puerto Rico’s Department of Natural and Environmental Resources, which was responsible for the zoo, said in a statement that the animals were provided with comprehensive care. The agency denied any allegations of neglect, blaming problems at the zoo on hurricane damage, limited resources and aging animals.
Some of the animals were very sick when Pat Craig and his wife, Monica Craig, arrived. A zebra had a wounded leg and couldn’t stand up, according to the couple. A pig had a skin condition. A mountain lion’s untreated cancer had spread all over its body.
“I felt physically and emotionally overwhelmed,” Monica Craig said.
Moving the animals amid pushback in Puerto Rico
Over the course of five months, the Craigs and their team of 20 from The Wild Animal Sanctuary, lured each animal into custom-built crates.
While some animals were easily enticed into their transport crates with the help of treats, the zoo’s lions were defensive. Pat Craig, who launched his sanctuary as he was starting college, learned long ago that lions and tigers are no house cats. He was a regular visitor to the hospital when he first started working with them.
“I’d had my left arm almost completely torn off,” he said. “I’ve had — bit through the chest and collapsed lungs.”
Now 64, Craig had decades of experience behind him when he arrived at the zoo in Puerto Rico to transfer the lions. The decision was ultimately made to sedate them ahead of the move, which is an accepted practice when rescuing uncooperative carnivores.
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Not all of the challenges came from the animals. Monica Craig had hoped to coordinate with local zoo staff, but said the team of rescuers mostly had to go it alone; the zookeepers often refused to help.
“We tried many, many days to communicate with them and trying to tell them, ‘Hey, we’re not bad people, we’re just trying to do what we’re supposed to be doing for these animals,'” she said.
Many in the local community felt the animals should stay in Puerto Rico. At times, resistance turned into sabotage. The rescue team had nearly wrangled Mundi, the 8,000-pound elephant, into her crate when, suddenly, the elephant got spooked.
“I think somebody shot her with a BB gun, if you ask me,” Pat Craig said.
Eventually, Mundi – like the other animals — was ready for transport. After a police escort to the airport, the animals were loaded onto charter flights bound for new homes that Pat Craig had arranged at sanctuaries across the U.S.
Where the animals are now
The Craigs took as many of the rescues as they could back to their 1,200-acre facility, where a vast menagerie of animals roam grassy enclosures on the High Plains of eastern Colorado. Lions, Chad and Malawi, and Mikey the bear were among the animals relocated to the sanctuary after their rescue from Puerto Rico.
When the animals first arrived, many stayed in areas designed to mimic the conditions they came from as a way of minimizing shock from the move. In those areas, the newcomers are evaluated and given a treatment plan, whether it’s medication or emergency surgery. The sanctuary devises a special diet for each animal, and goes through 100,000 pounds of food a week, mainly donated by nearby Walmart locations.
When Mikey the bear arrived, he was in a great deal of pain, sanctuary veterinarian Dr. Mikaela Vetters said. He was provided with medication and soon began to get around “almost like a young bear.”
Nursing animals like Mikey back to physical health is one thing, but many come with what amounts to severe PTSD, and treating those wounds, teaching the animals to trust the humans caring for them, is in many ways the harder part.
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The goal of all the rehab is to get the wild animals to act like wild animals.
Mundi the elephant, who lived alone for decades at the zoo in Puerto Rico, was brought to a Georgia refuge, where she’s learned from the other elephants she now lives with. Conservationist Carol Buckley provides care and feeding for Mundi, but happily admits Mundi’s real mentors are the other elephants at the refuge.
When Pat Craig visited the Georgia refuge, Mundi was calmer and healthier than she was in Puerto Rico.
“Every day when I would go see her in the zoo, I just — God, I would just hurt,” he said. “And then now to see this is just amazing, just truly amazing.”
CBS News
How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Minnesota Vikings will take on the Chicago Bears today. The Vikings are currently 8-2, an impressive run so far this season, and will be looking to add a fourth win to their current streak after last Sunday’s 23-13 win against the Tennessee Titans. The Bears, on the other hand, are entering this game on the heels of a four-game losing streak after a tough 20-19 loss against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Vikings vs. Bears game today, whether or not you have cable.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears
The Vikings vs. Bears game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Fubo offers you an easy, user-friendly way to watch NFL games on CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN, and NFL Network, plus NCAA football channels. The Pro tier includes 200+ channels and unlimited DVR, while the Elite with Sports Plus tier adds NFL RedZone and 4K resolution. New subscribers get a seven-day free trial and all plans allow streaming on up to 10 screens simultaneously.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.
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How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The Detroit Lions will face off against the Indianapolis Colts today. The Lions enter this game as top contenders with a near-perfect record of 9-1 so far this season. The Colts, who are 5-6 this season, could have a tough game on their hands against the Lions but will be looking to rack up another win after prevailing over the New York Jets in a tight game last Sunday.
Here’s how and when you can watch the Colts vs. Lions game today, whether or not you have cable.
Here’s how and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts
The Lions vs. Colts game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (11:00 a.m. PT). The game will air on Fox and stream on Fubo and the platforms featured below.
How and when to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts game without cable
You can watch this week’s NFL game on Fox via several streaming services. All you need is an internet connection and one of the top options outlined below.
Experience NFL action like never before with Fubo’s comprehensive sports streaming platform. From Sunday showdowns to primetime matchups, catch every NFL game across major networks including CBS, Fox, NBC, ABC, ESPN and NFL Network. Choose the Pro package to unlock 200+ channels and limitless DVR storage, or elevate your game-day experience with the Elite with Sports Plus package, featuring NFL RedZone’s commercial-free scoring highlights and stunning 4K quality.
Test drive the service with a no-commitment seven-day free trial, and share the excitement with family and friends — Fubo supports simultaneous streaming on up to 10 devices, so everyone can watch their favorite teams.
You can watch today’s game with a subscription to Sling’s Orange + Blue tier, which includes ESPN, ABC, NBC, and Fox. The plan offers 46 channels with local NFL games, nationally broadcast games, and 50 hours of DVR storage. For complete NFL coverage, add Paramount+ to get CBS games, or upgrade with the Sports Extra add-on for additional sports channels like Golf Channel, NBA TV and NFL RedZone.
Watching NFL games, including Fox broadcasts, is simple with Hulu + Live TV, which includes 90 channels, unlimited DVR storage, and access to NFL preseason games, live regular season games and studio shows. The service includes ESPN+ and Disney+ in the subscription.
Want to watch today’s game live on your smartphone? If so, NFL+ streaming service is the solution you’re looking for. It lets you watch NFL Network and out-of-market games on mobile devices, with an upgrade option to NFL+ Premium that includes NFL RedZone for watching up to eight games simultaneously. Note that NFL+ only works on phones and tablets, not TVs.
CBS News
How to watch the New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins NFL game today: Livestream options, more
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The New England Patriots will face off against the Miami Dolphins in a game today at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The Patriots have had an uneven season so far, coming into the game with a record of 3-8, including a 28-22 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on November 17. The Dolphins, however, haven’t fared much better this season as they enter the game with a record of 4-6, although they are coming off two wins in a row, the latest against the Las Vegas Raiders last weekend.
Keep reading to find out how and when to watch the New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins game today, even without cable.
CBS, Paramount+ and CBS Essentials are all subsidiaries of Paramount Global.
How and when to watch the New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins game today
The New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins game will be played on Sunday, November 24, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. ET (10:00 a.m. PT). The football game will be shown on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ and the platforms noted below.
How and when to watch the New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins game without cable
While CBS is available with many basic cable packages, you’ll have other viewing options, too for the Patriots-Dolphins game. Just understand that the below streaming options will require the use of an internet provider:
Paramount+: Watch CBS-aired NFL games without cable
With Paramount+ you’ll have multiple viewing options to choose from. You can catch NFL games on the Paramount+ Essential tier for just $7.99 each month or you can watch college football with a Paramount+ with Showtime subscription for $12.99 monthly. In addition to live streams of NFL games airing on CBS, you’ll get to watch additional live sporting events including NCAA college football, PGA Tour golf, soccer and more.
Get started with Paramount+ here today.
Amazon Prime Video: Add Paramount+ to your existing subscription
Already have an Amazon Prime Video account? Simply add Paramount+ to your current subscription to watch all the CBS-aired NFL games in addition to Paramount+ originals. The same prices from above apply, depending on which tier you choose. Not sure which is best for you? Don’t worry. Both options come with a free seven-day trial that can help you decide.
Watch the Patriots-Dolphins game on Amazon Prime Video.
Fubo: Watch the Patriots-Dolphins game for free
Looking for an inexpensive way to watch football? Fubo could be the best way to do so. The live TV streamer is currently offering a seven-day free trial and $30 off of your first month’s subscription. Once subscribed, you’ll gain access to all of their live sporting events immediately. And there will be a lot to choose from. Not only does Fubo come with access to NFL games airing on your local CBS channel, it also includes Fox Sunday NFC games, “Sunday Night Football” on NBC, “Monday Night Football” on ABC and ESPN and all of the games that air on the NFL Network. So don’t wait.
Get started with Fubo online now.
How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts NFL game today: Livestream options, more
How to watch the New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins NFL game today: Livestream options, more
How to watch the Minnesota Vikings vs. Chicago Bears NFL game today: Livestream options, more
How to watch the Detroit Lions vs. Indianapolis Colts NFL game today: Livestream options, more