Wisconsin Life

(rhythmic music) Jill Carnegie and Jim Tomasi are described as "cat people." Yes, the domestic feline, and the exotic. -

Jim

We have lions, tigers, cougars, leopards, smaller cats like lynx and bobcat. And, that's not all. -

Jill

We have a wolf hybrid, a camel, llamas, donkeys, cows, horses. We have a big Scotch Highlander with huge horns. We have a big tortoise. You never know what you're going to find here. "Here" is the Valley of the Kings Sanctuary and Retreat in rural Walworth County. Well Valley of the Kings is a home for unwanted, abused, retired, injured exotics. And they come from all over the country and live out their days here. For more than 43 years, the unwanted, unclaimed and unattended have found their way to this 10-acre sanctuary in southern Wisconsin. A retirement home for animals who've had a difficult life. And each one is so different with their personalities. They're just like your house cats, just on a bigger scale, but they think and act exactly the same way. They love their swimming pools. They're always happy to see you. Well, when I was little, I was always dragging home animals and driving my mother up the wall because she's not an animal lover by any stretch. And I had married early in life, 17 years old, basically just to get out of the house. And my husband, who I had married, had a horse, hah, which is the wrong reason to get married. And it just led to a calling because I love the elderly, I love the misfits. That's where my heart is. (tiger breathing heavily) Each of these exotic cats comes with a heartbreaking story. -

Jill

They come from governmental seizures, people's ex-pets, retired circus animals. Surprisingly enough, a lot of our cats come from drug dealers who purchased these cats to guard their drug stashes. And then they're seized by the police, and then we usually get them. -

Jill

Charlie! Despite their troubled past... Come here Charlie. These animals are welcomed with open arms. Oh, I know. It's so rough. Charlie, he was declawed and all his teeth were removed by a movie producer in California because he used to have that cat pose with movie stars. Who's pretty? Come here, come here, Ivy. Ivy is from some people that lost their permits in Arkansas. We went down and got her. And she was living outdoor in an igloo and this was the dead of winter. It's okay. He's not going to hurt you. To keep warm in Wisconsin, both Charlie and Ivy now have shelters that connect to the home of Jill and Jim. Hi Lena. Hi Lena. For the first years of her life, this big cat was housed in a small crate. Yeah, baby doll. As a result, this Bengal tiger, named "Lena", walks with a limp. Oh, cool. Festie, come here. Festus! Festus has a crooked face from birth. He is mentally challenged. Did you have a big dinner? You're a lazy boy, you. A lot of them have issues when they first come here. But after a few months, they seem to calm down and realize that they don't have to fight for their food. We feed about 1,500 pounds of fresh meat every single day. We have vendors that have contracts with the DNR to pick up roadkill deer. You can give 'em a 165-pound deer and they'll play with it like a mouse. The thought is a full cat is a safer cat. Yes, they tend to be overweight, but we also have the longest longevity record in the United States for big cats. We had a tiger that lived to be 36. Where a zoo cat, 18, 19, that's usually the end of the road. Having an animal sanctuary in your backyard can have its risks. Amazingly enough, our neighbors really supported us. Our neighbors have always watched out for us. They see that the animals are all in safe enclosures. And in 43 years, we've never had an escape. Good girl, this is a really good bear. She's so kind. She doesn't have a mean bone in her body. (tiger growing) I've never ever had that fear of them. You always have the utmost respect. You always have to be able to read them. And most importantly, you have to have common sense. If you don't have common sense, those are the people that get in trouble with them. We would go in with them every day and love on them. And since I had my ankle fused, I no longer have that option because I gimp when I walk. And you can't show that you have a weakness with the big cats. Good girl. Our mission is to take care of these animals as long as we possibly can. We give them the best veterinary care, the best diet and a lot of personal attention. We can't possibly save them all. I've come to that sad realization years ago. The hardest part, I would say, is you always run on a prayer. You either have funds to do what you need or you're scraping the cupboard. The sanctuary receives no government funding. -

Jill

It's feast or famine. And for us, it's been that all through the years. As a private, non-profit charity, Valley of the Kings is solely supported by memberships and donations. There is that old saying that you may not get what you want, but you'll get what you need. If I get discouraged and I feel really down, and I don't think I can go on. You know you have moments like that, and what are you going to do? It's just, things fall into place for us, and they always have. C'mon Earl. This farm is my entire life. Until the day I die I'll be doing this. This isn't something that we could ever walk away from. Your heart and your soul. You've got blood, sweat, and tears here. And that's all we live and breathe, 24/7. Even when we watch TV, it's always "Animal Planet!" (laughs) Are you a good girl? Who's a good girl? (acoustic music)