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Abandoned animals, and those who care about animals, lost a great friend last weekend: Joe Bergeron dropped dead.
For close to 20 years, Joe and Pat Bergeron's Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Picton, Ont., has been rescuing animals no one else wanted. Throughout that time, neither has had a day off, or holiday.
Three years ago, Joe was incapacitated with an aneurism on his aorta, near his heart. He ignored medical advice and kept working.
"How can I stop?" he once said. "Someone has got to feed and tend to the big cats -- these animals have only Pat and me, and we can't stop."
Joe survived that, then dislocated his shoulder, which prevented him from heavy lifting, like toting road kills of deer that came in for the lions, tigers, panthers, cougars, jaguars, etc. -- maybe 20 big cats.

He'd gradually been wearing down, with his wife, Pat, and daughter, Crystal, taking up the load since the summer.
Last Sunday, he came into the house from feeding the animals. "Lousy weather out there," commented Pat. "Yeah," said Joe -- then gave a gasp and collapsed on the floor.
"I thought at first it was a seizure -- a grand mal seizure that he'd suffered from maybe 10 years ago," said Pat. "But it wasn't. His hands were clenched so tight. I tried to give him CPR, and phoned for an ambulance.
"The person on the phone kept me working on him until the ambulance arrived. But it was too late. He'd gone."

To people who care about animals, Joe Bergeron was a hero. Any animal in distress had a champion in Joe.

"A hero, yes, and a very brave man," says Tim Throw, president of the Toronto Humane Society. "Nothing was asked of Joe that he didn't respond. Every animal we sent for him to take care of, he did. And all survived: prairie dogs, Chinese geese that can't live outdoors, ducks, chickens, exotic pigs. All flourished."

A couple of years ago, Joe rescued a golden eagle that was near death from eating contaminated fish.
He nursed it back to health and released it."
"I think Joe was close to breaking down," recalls Pat. "It wasn't the daily, constant struggle to make ends meet and care for the animals that got to him, but the mental anguish of individuals who want to destroy our sanctuary, who want the animals put down."
Over the years, the Bergerons have had to fight a city council that wanted them closed -- but eventually won them over. This year, council recognized the Bergerons as a valid tourist attraction and an asset to Prince Edward County.
Still, some neighbours filed lawsuits. Over the past couple of years, someone poisoned two healthy tigers, and began cutting fences to free some non-dangerous animals.

Still, some neighbours filed lawsuits. Over the past couple of years, someone poisoned two healthy tigers, and began cutting fences to free some non-dangerous animals.
The OPP have investigated, and try to protect the Bergerons from such vandalism.
"But it took a toll of Joe," says Pat. She recalls when Joe used to be the county dog catcher, he began saving animals otherwise destined for the chop.

"He was a true humanitarian," says Throw. "Both he and Pat put their bodies on the line for animals. He was a great and brave man whose life was dedicated to helping animals."
"Until Joe died, I hadn't realized how many friends we have," says Pat.
"It's hard, but Crystal and I have been doing the heavy work since summer when Joe couldn't do so much, so we'll carry on. It's what Joe would want."

LIONS 'MISS HIM'

Pat notes that she is "no young chicken" and may have to re-think the sanctuary if next summer is difficult.
"We're cutting back on goats and donkeys, but the big cats are a real concern. Funny, but it's the lions that miss Joe the most. They really loved him, and miss him already."

Meanwhile, there are some 250 living creatures that depend on the Bergerons, and whose future may be again in doubt.

On a personal level, I've never known anyone more dedicated and realistic than Joe Bergeron, whose whole being was devoted to others. Sun readers contributed some $35,000 five years ago to help save the sanctuary.