Who is Carole Baskin?
Carole Baskin formerly known as Carole Murdock is a well-known American animal rights activist and CEO of Big Cat Rescue, a non-profit animal sanctuary based near Tampa, Florida. She has attracted the attention of local, national, and international media outlets because of her plight of captive big cats.
She drew public attention when she was featured in the 2020 Netflix true crime documentary series Tiger King. The series follows her escalating feud with Oklaho,a-based private zo owner Joe Exotic. However, she received abuse online following the release of the series due to the third episode of the series speculating that she was involved in the disappearance of Don Lewis, her second husband. In a post on Big Cat Rescue’s website, she refuted these claims. Her catchphrase, “Hey all you cool cats and kittens!” also became a meme as a result of Tiger King.
Moreover, she is well-known for her appearance on Dancing with the Stars, featuring her dancing to a cover of the song “Eye of the Tiger”. Also, she and her husband appeared in the 2021 Louis Theroux documentary Shooting Joe Exotic.
How Old Is Carole Baskin?
She is 61 years old as of January 2023, having been born on June 6, 1961, in Bexar County, Texas, U.S. Carole Baskin shares her birthdate with celebrities such as; Ryan Higa, Rachel Brockman, J’aaliyah So Cool, Hyuna, and many more.
Carole Baskin Family
Who are Carole Baskin’s Parents?
She was born to Vernon Charles Stairs (Father) and Mary Barbara Jean Norris Stairs (Mother).
Does Carole Baskin have Siblings?
She does not have any kids, as she was born as an only child.
Carole Baskin Education
Information regarding where she received her high school/college education is not mentioned on the internet. But the news on the internet shows that she dropped out of high school.
Carole Baskin Marital Status
She is married to the love of her life Howard Baskin, they married in November 2004. But in October 2020, she came out as bisexual. However, besides being married, she was previously married twice. First, she was married to Michael Murdock, they married on April 7, 1979, but divorced in 1990. Second, she was married to Don Lewis (born on April 30, 1938), they married in 1991, but divorced in 2002.
Carole Baskin Kids
She has one kid with her ex-husband Michael Murdock. A daughter by the name of Jamie Veronica Murdock (born on July 16, 1980).
Carole Baskin Career
An Animals Career
She worked at a Tampa, Florida department store at the age of 17. In order to make money, she began breeding show cats and used llamas for a lawn trimming business. After marrying her husband, Don Lewis in January 1991, she joined his real estate business. The couple then founded Wildlife on Easy Street, an animal sanctuary near Tampa for big cats in 1992. Originally, she and her husband bred tiger cubs and show cats. However, they stopped after realizing the harm it was doing to the animals. She thus remains the current chief executive officer of the sanctuary which she renamed Big Cat Rescue in 1997 sometime after Lewis’s disappearance. Moreover, she has used social media such as Facebook and YouTube and her “The Cat Chat” podcast to promote activism against private zoos.
A Career at Dancing with the Stars
She was cast in season 29 of Dancing with the Stars in 2020. She then danced the paso doble with partner Pasha Pashkov on the series’ September 14 season premiere, to Survivor’s Eye of the Tiger” and they received a score of 11 out of a possible 30. This was the lowest cumulative score of the evening.
Politics Career
In addition to her animal and dancing with the star’s career, she has also indulged in politics. Thus, she and her company Big Cat Rescue have lobbied Congress to ban the private trade and ownership of exotic cats. Her life’s work and that of her family included the passage of the Big Cat Public Safety Act when it was signed into law by President Joe Biden on December 20, 2022. From 2005 to 2016, she gave exclusively to Democratic candidates, but since 2017, a significant majority of her contributions have gone to Republicans. Recent donations to Democrats included 2020 presidential candidate Cory Booker and Baskin’s home Congresswoman Kathy Castor.
Carole Baskin Height and Measurements
Adding up to her well-curved and beautiful body, she stands at a height of 5ft 4 inches (1.62m) and a weight of 75kg (165 lbs).
Carole Baskin’s Salary and Net Worth
In 2019, she paid herself $65,617 and an estimated net worth of between $1 and $10 million.