Dennis Holt aka Justin Gibbs Called Today to Ask About Simba Leopard

509.332.2443 was the Pullman, WA phone he called from.

He said he was bitten here as a kid and now his kids ask about the scars. He wanted to show them a photo of Simba and wondered if I’d help. I pointed him to Simba’s web page BigCatRescue.org/Simba-2 and he said it would be very helpful. I told him he should use the opportunity to teach his kids that they should never pet wild cats.

He laughed and said it was ironic that I’d say that given this was a petting zoo. I didn’t bother arguing with him, but figured if he really wasn’t out to make trouble, he’d figure out his dad had lied to him. I remember what happened, even though he was only two or so at the time.

It was back in the 90s and Sandy Wittkopp saw that some man, carrying a baby, had apparently forced open our front gate and was heading toward Siberian Lynx. We both ran out to intercede and by the time we got there the father had climbed over the barricade and was hanging his kid on the side of the cage so he could “see the pretty kitties.”

I’ll have to pull the old file, but I’m thinking the kid was scratched by Katmandu the Siberian Lynx, not Simba the leopard. It wasn’t that big of a scratch, so I’m surprised that he’s got any scar at all 20+ years later. His parents were in the throes of a divorce at the time and I was able to get his father to drop the case by offering to testify against him as a reckless parent in their custody case. I’m sure that’s NOT the story Dennis’ dad told him though.

Later Note: Looking back on this in 2022 and knowing the deception used by Eric Goode and Rebecca Chaiklin during the filming of Tiger King, I wonder if this was just a set up by them to try and get some sort of “dirt” on me and the sanctuary to try and make us look no different than the animal abusers they glorified.

Hi, I’m Carole Baskin and I’ve been writing my story since I was able to write, but when the media goes to share it, they only choose the parts that fit their idea of what will generate views. These are my views and opinions. If I'm going to share my story, it should be the whole story. The titles are the dates things happened. If you have any interest in who I really am please start at the beginning of this playlist: http://savethecats.org/

I know there will be people who take things out of context and try to use them to validate their own misconception, but you have access to the whole story. My hope is that others will recognize themselves in my words and have the strength to do what is right for themselves and our shared planet.

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Music (if any) from Epidemic Sound (http://www.epidemicsound.com) This video is for entertainment purposes only and is my opinion. Closing graphic with permission from https://youtu.be/F_AtgWMfwrk

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