From the Plumpton Park Zoo:
Late yesterday evening, Plumpton Park Zoo had to say good-bye to one of our most beloved animals, “Sis,” our Siberian Tiger. At 17 years of age, Oasis (or Sis as she was known by most) was an elderly tiger. Sis was a favorite at the zoo from the time she arrived 15 years ago.
In the last year, Sis had been engaged in a prolonged fight with lung cancer. Even with the ravages of advanced age and illness upon her, we were continually inspired by Sis’s amazing and sweet temperament. During her battle, we spared no expense in time or medical treatment to make her comfortable. Yesterday, after consultation with Zoo Veterinarians and staff it became clear, that despite those efforts, we could no longer keep her in comfort. The very difficult decision of euthanasia was made to prevent suffering. At 8pm, she passed quietly, surrounded by her loved ones. The entire Zoo staff gathered to be with her in her last moments.
The Plumpton Park Zoo lost a great ambassador for her species, as well as a dear friend. She will be missed by all of us.
Sis lived a long and happy life for a tiger, only 5 days away from her 18th birthday when age and illness claimed her. Medical tests had shown that she was suffering from advanced lung cancer, as well as a spinal condition due to her age and several other minor medical problems.
Our Veterinary Team believed that the care we provided had helped her live another comfortable 6 to 8 months beyond what she would have had without our care. We have taken great solace and comfort in that fact.
A memorial will be erected inside the Zoo to celebrate her life.
To: Plumpton Park Zoo Personell — My heart goes out to all of you. Thank you for taking such good care of Sis. Please find comfort in knowing that you did the right thing by not letting her suffer (especially since Sis was not going to get better). It takes strong & loving people to know when it is time to say “good-bye” to an animal. Thank you for putting your own feelings aside & doing what was best for Sis (as you have always done throughout her life). God Bless You All for providing loving care for all of the animals.
Dear Friends at Plumpton Park Zoo,
I am/was Sis’s mom. I am soooo very sorry to hear of her passing. She was very dear to my heart. I am finding it extremely difficult to type this note right now with tears streaming down my face. It seems like just the other day that I received a phone call from the vancouver zoo to take she her and her brother immediately when they were only a few days old as their mother was killing her babies.
I’ll never forgot the sleepless nights bottling feeding the 2 of them! She was speacial from the get go! We had a bond that no human could possibly put into words. In 1998 my ex husband and I along with our 2 daughters at that time flew our tiger daughter to Maryland. At that tie she was a little over 4 years old. It was a tough decision to re-home her but it was clear that it was the right one. I have thought about her often and have wanted to come back and visit more often than I did. Being 3000 miles away with four human daughters now and no longer being married has had more than its challenges and the reasons why I haven’t visited since 2006.
I only just learned of her passing as a friend was researching Sis on the internet and came upon this sight.
I want to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the open caring hearts that cared for her. I am truly grateful to all of you for adding to her being a happy girl who loved watching school children get off the bus in the afternoons and playing in her private cement pond! 😉
My love goes out to all caring souls! May you feel the amazing Shine that you all are!
Namaste,
KT Hart