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ALBION – After greeting a 400-pound Bengal tiger with a cheerful, “Hey, Luna,” all Dr. Jay Kumaran got in return was a growl.
But Luna’s response was understandable given the 45-minute struggle it took to get her into a cage so Kumaran, a veterinarian, could examine her.
After more than three years of volunteering at Black Pine Animal Park, an exotic animal rescue facility, Kumaran, 69, will soon move out of state, leaving the park in need of a replacement.
Lori Gagen, the park’s executive director, said she will send letters to area veterinarians seeking a replacement for Kumaran. Although Kumaran donated his time and offered discounted medical supplies, Gagen said the park would negotiate with any interested caregiver.
“We just want to make it sustainable and affordable,” Gagen said.
His volunteer work at Black Pine began after Kumaran received a letter asking for veterinary assistance. Since that time, Kumaran said he has donated about half to one day of service a month to the park.
Kumaran, born and raised in India, said his father was a veterinarian who cared for large cats and elephants.
After Kumaran established his own practice, he also treated exotic animals in addition to small animals.
Because a physical examination of large animals like black bears and tigers isn’t always possible, Kumaran said he often uses observation to diagnose potential physical problems with the park’s animals.
In June, after a black bear arrived at the park that had been used to train hunting dogs, Kumaran observed the bear and determined that its front paw had an injury that hadn’t properly healed and that the animal may be blind in one eye.
But Luna needed more than observation Sunday because Kumaran had to draw blood and check her teeth, which were damaged because she was fed frozen turkeys by a previous owner.
After Luna was driven into a squeeze cage, she was given a shot containing a sedative by Kumaran’s wife, Patrice Kumaran, 52.
About 10 minutes later, volunteers and staff opened the cage and rolled the slumbering Luna from her cage onto a comforter so Jay Kumaran could begin his exam.
“We still want to be quiet, OK?” his wife instructed the excited staff, volunteers and observers who gathered around the cat.
“She should be out hopefully for an hour at least but let’s move fast,” Gagen said before Kumaran drew blood from one of Luna’s back legs.
After Kumaran listened to Luna’s heart and lungs, the cat began to breathe faster, indicating the sedative may be wearing off.
“I think we need to move pretty fast now,” Gagen said as action around the cat stepped up a notch.
Within minutes, Luna, wrapped in the comforter, was carried to a pickup truck, placed on its bed and driven the short distance to her new enclosure.
The enclosure, which had housed India – a tiger and longtime resident of the park that recently died – will offer Luna more space to roam and play.
Although Kumaran is comfortable working with large exotic animals, he said all veterinarians can do the work, even those more accustomed to cats and dogs.
“They can extrapolate from that,” Kumaran said.
