ROANE COUNTY, Tenn. — A Roane County nonprofit that cares for big cats, like tigers, is hoping to start producing its own specialty license plate.
Tiger Haven is a sanctuary for rescued big cats deemed to be abused, abandoned or neglected. They work with federal agencies to make sure animals like tigers and lions are cared for, safe and comfortable.
Now, they are hoping enough people want to buy specialty license plates for the plates to start being manufactured. These kinds of plates have a different design from the standard Tennessee plate and typically have an annual fee that is usually used to benefit the organization they're associated with.
They said they need to have at least 1,000 pre-orders for the state to begin production of the plates. In a release from the nonprofit, they said they need 500 more people to order the plate by June 15. They also said they would pay the $35 specialty tag fee for the first year.
Tiger Haven is not a public facility, meaning people cannot go and see the animals as if they were a zoo.
They feed cats a diet of 70% beef chunks and 30% chicken leg quarters, according to their website. They also provide a mix of ingredients that provide needed nutrients for the cats. Animals are rescued from areas in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Florida, New Hampshire, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Oregon, Oklahoma, Georgia, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Illinois, Alabama and Kansas.
All of them come from captive situations, and none were taken from the wild.
Anyone interested in preordering a license plate from Tiger Haven can do so on their website, or by calling them at 865-376-4100.