A1 Savannahs New Ownership
A1 Savannahs has changed hands from Martin and Kathrin Stucki to Martin M. Engster and family. This was a two stage handover. At first, the Stucki’s sold a share in the business and then after a while the remainder of the business was transfered to the Engster family.
A1 Savannahs is probably the most high profile cat breeders in the world. Compared to the typical hobby breeder they are vast. The facilities cover many, many acres in all. They breed Savannah cats of all generations, F1-F5 etc. and servals. Some people like to keep servals as pets or to breed F1 Savannahs from them. The serval is a medium sized wild cat. They raised the world famous Magic (female F1 Savannah), the world’s largest domestic cat, Motzie, another famous Savannah cat (F2) and Titan (F1 male). The famous Savannah cat video: A Beautiful Relationship, shows Magic with Andreas Stucki, the Stucki’s son.
The entire complex is very impressive. It is a real business as opposed to the typical cat breeder who does it for money, yes, but not as a full-blown business.
The Stuckis are great people. Highly professional and great hosts. I stayed at their guest house for ten days on one occasion. A1 Savannahs have a detached house on the premises for guests, usually buyers, who travel from many other countries to see the cats. They supplied F1 Savannahs to the King of Morocco as I recall.
A1 Savannahs is not only a cat breeding facility but the Stuckis also called it a farm because there are lots of other animals. That is the general background.
For me, and this is a personal issue, the new owner, Martin M. Engster is not my sort of person – not at all. Although I have no idea what he is like as a person, I do know, from quick research, that he sells guns and organizes hunting trips, including international hunts.
He runs a business called “Centerline Firearms”. This sort of mentality and activity is the kind I detest, sadly. A know a lot of people like to shoot animals for fun and they like their guns. This is anathema to me. Truthfully, too, I don’t think a person who likes to shoot animals for fun (sport hunting) should be involved in breeding cats. Sorry to state that. It it not meant as a criticism of the Stuckis. It is just that I feel strongly about these things.
There are many people who feel strongly about cat breeding never mind sport hunting. But Martin M. Engster combines the two. Arguably there is no place for cat breeding while there are millions of homeless cats wandering around starving and living miserable lives.
I am sure Martin M. Engster is businesslike. How sensitive is he towards the cats? A person who likes to kill animals cannot, in my opinion, be sensitive towards them. This is not good.
There it is. A sad day for me really. Just another little negative.
Just bought my first F3 Savannah from A1. Can not wait to pick her up. You ass!
You appear to be calling me an ‘ass’. That is unfair an insulting because all I am doing is expressing my opinion. Free speech. You can express yours too but don’t insult when you do it, please.
Oh, and I know plenty of hybrid cat owners, Serval owners and hybrid cat breeders, and they condone hunting of any cats. To compare hybrid owners and breeders to hunters is insulting. Most breeders truly mourn if a kitten dies, or when they get adopted because they become attached to them. There are many involved with rescuing Bengals and Savannahs! It is a insult to say breeders would kill their cats! There is no coralation between canned hunting and hybrid cat breeding. Animals are bred and not taken from the wild. Geez you all are so uneducated. If you are going to write on a subject at least attempt to be objective. My guess is you are AR fanatic and think all breeding is wrong. Here is an idea, instead of bashing hybrid cat breeders actually talk to some. Do you not like over population? Put pressure on some of the AR groups such as PETA to stop killing people pets and actually open up spay and neuter clinics. Oh, I am sorry. They are more interested in skinny models pretending to screw themselves with veggies and taking videos for commercials. Imagine the good if they actually used the money for usefully!
Oh, I am not a breeder, but own two Bengals and a Savannah. I bought them from the breeders you are bashing. My family also has four rescue kitties so do not tell me we are not doing our part in helping homeless cats! I just get tired of reading AR propaganda in which you villinize all breeders as evil. As I see it, you are.
Your groups introduced a ban last year to make owning and breeding hybrid cats in California and Florida illegal. This did not grandfather early generation hybrid cats in. Which meant that they needed to be surrendered to a Sanctuary or be euthanized by animal control. Mass euthasia is alright in your AR book. Thank goodness it failed. Also, the lies about these cats, they are not wild. They make wonderful pets. Just because a few AR fanatics disagree with breeding, so you bully, threaten, bribe unfair and disgusting laws to punish small breeders! You take away owners rights, and use retail rescues and unethical animal control agents which are nothing more than AR fanatics to rob breeders of their animals! Then when the judge say they are innocent and you destroyed their livelihood, charge outrageous sums for their care, and of course the breeder cannot afford to get their animals… Puppies are sold off by a retail rescues for a outrageous price. I am sure the director of the shelter, and the animal control officer gets a nice commission. How ethical is that?!
While you are bashing owners and breeders and calling us animal abusers, look at what your own AR groups are doing. PETA killed someone’s beloved dog. Three rescues just got closed because of unsanitary conditions of the dogs and cats. HSUS has gotten racketeering charges, had to settle a law suit with the circus for lies and slander, Wildcat Sanctuary the founder was caught stealing from donations. Some disgusting AR arsonists burned down a recording studio and burned a encloser at a zoo for alligators, killing 7 of them. I am tired of you guys acting like you love animals. When your actions prove otherwise. How can you all say you love animals and lie about hybrid cats? Also support bans that would mass kill innocent house cats?!
Who is doing that? Not me. I am just saying that a breeder should be a hunter because their mentality is not correct.
Which comment are you referring to? My article did not state these things. I agree that some cat lovers are too dogmatic and too extreme in their views. There needs to be a balanced argument. I have a post on that subject:
https://pictures-of-cats.org/are-cat-lovers-too-serious-sometimes.html
I think it is wrong that he hunts and yet is involved with breeding Savannahs. I do not believe he uses his animals in canned hunting though, that is a truly heinous accusation. For one thing, F1s and Serval’s have been bred for generations I’m captivity, and worth a great deal of money. Why would he throw away money like that?
It is detestable he hunts cats close to the ones he sells. He is despicable for that. However, to say breeders are responsible for the homeless cats is unfair and uneducated! People need to start taking responsibility for not spaying and neutering their cats and dogs! It is not breeders dropping off surplus puppies and kittens because Fido jumped the fence to get to Fluffy. Or Precious snuck outside during her first heat cycle. That is squarely on irresponsible ownership. Stop villianizing breeders, and look in the mirror of who need to take responsibility for over population!
Hi Stephanie. Thanks for commenting. I don’t who said he uses his cats in canned hunting. That as you say is obviously wrong and a crazy suggestion. Breeders are not responsible for homeless cats but there existence makes the cat homelessness problem worse for obvious reasons.
It must have been a comment which stated that. I don’t villanize breeders. I just say it the way it is. When over 2 million healthy adoptable cats are killed at shelters annually it seems wrong that breeders are creating more cats, don’t you think?
What I found VERY concerning during my own recent research into “Trophy hunting” & “Canned Hunts” is, I found this statement in an article written about Trophy hunting –
…after reading that statement – my thoughts are seeing how these two businesses of owning a respectable cattery & then trophy hunting business (which offers such rare cats like endangered cheetahs to be provided to shoot and kill) really do mix like vinegar and water – one must really question the intention here in purchasing such a large scale operation cattery that raises both savannahs & african servals?
Hi Catlover. Yes, the exotic cat business, private zoos, lion steaks, tiger wine, small wild cat pets, canned lion hunts, breeders of lions and tigers, breeders of hybrid lions/tigers (ligers) etc. are often linked. It is the “exotic cat” business and I personal hate it. It is nothing less than abuse and exploitation of our beautiful wild cats and this abuse promotes the extinction of these cats in the wild and in captivity (inbreeding causing sterility and health problems).
I agree.
Thanks for sharing.
I am always a voice for animals but I haven’t commented again because Savannah Owner, you and Michael have said it all. There is no more to be said, you are right about this murderer, there is no way he cares about animals. I just hope and pray the cats in his care are looked upon as creatures with the right to live and sold only to people who will care for them properly, because the wild animals he kills obviously mean nothing to him at all apart from being trophies and to be made money from.
And the word is “copyright”. If you’re going to have an opinion, at least be educated about it.
It was not me who misspelled copyright.
Go ahead and try to deflect the attention from the original subject. You can try to defend him cover up this travesty but this is all over the internet and it is spreading like wildfire on FB. I made a typo because I was in a hurry. Seems to me I am much more educated than you are and humane too. I guess you must enjoy to trophy hunt as well. So here is my wish for you and your friend I hope you go on safari together and a pack of Cape Buffalo stampedes and tramples you to death! What a fitting end. If you do not like what you see on this page then leave go look at pictures of the poor dead animals on your friends website, it seems you would enjoy day dreaming about your next trophy kill much more than hanging out here with people who are compassionate and concerned about animals. Maybe you only see 9 people here but trust me there are many, many people on FB sharing this info. Your pitiful excuses and defense of this man are just a blip on the screen, meaningless and useless so I am finished corresponding with you.
Savannah Owner, I just want to say well done. I admire you.
Thank-you Michael and the admiration is mutual. I found this info first on FB and in researching I found that everything I read was true I saw it all on his own website and then I came across your website. I hope that more and more people pick up all of this info and and continue to spread the word about this sad situation. Many people are mortified about this and if we can get the word out maybe we can prevent people from supporting him and his business and he will sell out. I do not see him keeping the business if he cannot sell his kittens. Thank-you for being an advocate of these beautiful beloved cats and the other animals that they slaughter. Someone has to be a voice for the animals.
Thank you for your support. What is so typical is that these people defend the indefensible for the sake of the almighty dollar. It is obvious that a person who kills for fun cannot be suited to cat breeding. In fact there is no longer a place in the world for killing animals for fun. All sport hunting should be banned. It disgusts me. Sadly, business works with politics to keep these things going.
You just proved my point. You made an assumption that an animal hunter cannot also be an animal lover. That, my friend, is an OPINION. You said you were going to fly out and visit the cattery…and that when it was sold you have yet to, as of this date, visit the cattery. Had you visited the cattery, I would have no problem whatsoever with whatever opinion you could have formed while researching your purchase. But you didn’t. You formed your judgement because you apparently have an issue with people who hunt for sport. Thats fine, and you obviously have the right to take issue with that particular hobby, but to assert that one who hunts wild animals for sport cannot possibly love a domesticated animal raised for companionship is just asinine.
Well then I guess almost everyone on this page is asinine because most of us seem to feel the same. I did not go visit the cattery yet because I am not ready yet to buy a kitten. I wanted to go when I was ready to buy a kitten so I could bring the kitten home with me. I did not decide not to go due to change of ownership. The only assumption I made was to assume that the new owners must also love animals. I am very glad this came to light. There is nothing that anyone could say to me to make me believe that a person who trophy hunts and guides safaris for others to kill for fun is a true animal lover. I could NEVER kill an animal for a trophy. If you believe a man who kills wild animals for trophies and makes a living by charging outrageous prices to help others kill animals to hang on their walls can be a loving and caring hybrid cattery owner. It is you who are asinine. A breeder should love and care about the breed and preservation of the breed and anyone who felt this way would not do what he does or post a picture of himself proudly showing a wild African cat that he murdered for fun. If you choose to believe that he is so wonderful, that is your right but many on this board feel very different. There is nothing you can say to change my mind or to justify his actions in the eyes of true animal lovers everywhere.
You’re right. The nine people on this page have a grudge against sport hunters, that has become abundantly clear. I’m sorry you’re too judgmental of others to make a determination for yourself based on actual communication rather than posted pictures. As for breed preservation: what do any of his trophies have to do with the degradation of the savannah breed? Is there some link between the water buffalo and the Serval that I am unaware of? Even the Caracal is not a part of the breed, but merely genetically related…and with as much of a percentage as humans are to apes.
Please, stop trying to hide your prejudices against others as concern for the cats. If you were concerned for the animals, as you say you are, you would be doing more than judging the current owners on the internet.
Also, You are right, I do not deny it, I do not believe that a trophy hunter and guide can be a true animal lover. Everyone here knows that all posts here are the opinions of the authors but the pictures and conflict of interest displayed by the Engsters are fact. So here are the facts:
Fact 1- Martin Engster has killed a beautiful wild Caracal and had the pic posted on his trophy hunting guide website sporting a big proud smile!
Fact 2- Martin Engster charges people to go on safari around the globe and he puts outrageous prices on the heads of beautiful wild and exotic animals including wild cats such as leopards, cheetahs and caracals (no price listed for caracals but since he killed on and has a pic of it, I guess they are fair game as well)
Here are just a few of the defenseless animals he offers to assist trophy kill From his website:
Following animals on request:
Cheetah $ 3000.- (CITIES regulations are strict)
Water Buck $ 2200.-
Leopard $ por
Giraffe $ 2800.-
Eland $ 2000.-
Impala Common $ 1000.-
(See the complete list in a post above)
Fact 3- He and his family now owns a cattery with exotic African cats and hybrids.
If you feel he can be a loving and caring owner to the same species that he hunts and kills for pleasure, that is your right and that is YOUR opinion. Even if I had visited the cattery and did not know about any of this, what I saw there may or may not represent the true person. It is not difficult for a person to pretend to be someone that they are not for a few hours especially if they are going to make a financial gain.
If there is no conflict of interest and if there is nothing wrong with what he does then why did he remove all of the pics that show him holding the caracal he murdered from his business site and why did he make his pics private on FB. Simple because he has been exposed! He knows that people know what he is all about and he is getting a lot of flack from cat lovers everywhere and it is well deserved. He needs to put the cattery up for sale and let someone who honestly cares and loves the breed take it over.
Firstl, I did not make that assumption. I said a hunter can’t be sensitive to cats, which is more common sense to be honest. And if it is an opinion, I am entitled to make one on my own website. Lastly I am not your friend, clearly not.
I think you should stop trying to defend the indefensible. I mean hunting nowadays is madness considering how most wild cat species are becoming gradually extinct in the wild due to human activity. How can you defend this person?
That comment was in reply to another posting, Michael, I do apologize for the confusion.
Secondly, please don’t be so confused as to think that I actually meant to call you a friend…I was using sarcasm to emphasize a point. I would never be friends with someone so quick to judge others based on one aspect of their life in the absence of any other research.
I do think, however, you should stop trying to force your opinions on your readers as facts. Hunting nowadays is big business all over the world, and the fact that you don’t like that doesn’t make it any less true.
So, for all of you claiming that a murderer cannot also be a loving, devoted cat owner/cattery owner, you’re vegan right? No leather, meats, or animal products at all for you, because that’s murder, and if you murder one thing, you must be a cold blooded killer across the board, right?
Hunting may not be your thing, and you may rightly have an issue against it, but I dare say that if we were to dive into each and every one of your social media pages and take a look at all your pictures we might find one or two that we could judge you and your entire life on? Oh, you drink alcohol, you must be an alcoholic and shouldn’t be allowed near children or defenseless animals, because people who drink alcohol are all inherently bad people, right? It’s the same type of argument.
You don’t like that he hunts, guides hunts, and raises the breed standard for Savannahs? Cool, why don’t you call him up; cough up the same amount of money he did, and give the animals a “better” master? Oh, that’s right, because then you wouldn’t be safe at home anonymous behind a keyboard.
For any of you lambasting him for pictures he has online, I dare you to post your social media profiles for enhanced scrutiny.
Please, are you serious? I do not like any sort of hunting but I can understand if someone needs to hunt so they can feed their family. Seeing pics of a man
and his family on Safari and knowing that he promotes trophy hunting and actually accepts money to take others out to murder animals is a far cry from someone who hunts animals that will feed their family. They are not just hunting to kill for the fun of it. Good for him if he raises the breed standard but what if he has a few that are not breed standard and he cannot sell them. What if one of the serval’s or even a savannah decides to scratch or bite him or a member of his family or his staff? A person who murders innocent animals and takes money to help others do for shows no regard or love for nature or
the life of the animal. It is not a huge stretch of the imagination that if one of these animals angers him or he no longer wants it around and he cannot make any money from the animal that the animal will be in great of being killed by his hand or by his order. Your arguments are just silly and outrageous. We have all seen several pics of the carnage that he and his hunts have caused. I do not drink but seeing pics of people having a drink does not make me think that they are alcoholics. Drinking alcohol and the slaughtering of animals are nowhere in the same category. If you have noticed, there are more than one or two people who are upset about this and this is not judgement, this is reality, he is a murderer. Just because he had the money to buy the cattery does not make him a good person. He bought the cattery with BLOOD MONEY! Money he made organizing killing missions. How would you feel if your dog was out playing in your own backyard and someone came and shot him and lead missions of people to do the same. This same person proudly displayed pics of their kills on a website wearing big smiles, so proud of their hunting skills and then one day you noticed that the same person bought a huge dog breeding kennel???? The same man who killed an innocent dog who was minding his business in his own yard? TO me and many others, what he does is no different! If he had hunting pics up, where he killed a turkey or a deer or other animals that he planned to feed to his family, I do not think anyone would have an issue with him. I am a business owner and because I have been very successful in my business.I built and developed my business from the ground up and due to my success, I have been a victim of other business owners who are jealous and who cannot compete on a level playing field so they chose to manufacture lies and post them on line to try to hurt me and my business. None of them have managed to hurt me. My business is doing better than ever but the lies they told really bothered me because I care about my reputationand I have worked so hard to get where I am. Because I know how competing businesses can be, I would NEVER spout off about something that I did not research first and the research I did into Martin M. Engster the new owner of A1 Savannahs left me feeling traumatized and heartsick. Looking at the pics of all those beautiful dead animals, killed by his hand and or the hands of those who paid him to organize their hunt just made me sick. They were all so disturbing and the worst and most disturbing is the pic of him holding the dead wild caracal. This family is being supported from blood sport including killing wild cats for fun and now they plan to make money off of selling hybrid cats. It looks bad for the cats, very bad. How would any reasonable person believe that he is compassionate and cares about the emotions and physical needs of these beautiful animals if he is out making money killing other animals for trophys? To the person above who wanted to give an example and compared a person having a casual drink or the person who eats meat or has leather goods, here is one for you……
Should a person who has killed a child and proudly posted pics of the dead child and helped other child killers do the same be allowed to open a daycare? Talk about the fox watching the hen house. True animal lovers all feel the same. In my opinion and apparently, many others we do not feel that this family purchased the cattery because of love of the cats or passion for the breed or to correct all that some of you claim were issues with the previous owners. It appears that this is nothing more than a business venture to him. I do not deny that we should all be able to earn money or that breeders should not make money for all of their hard work. Some breeders truely care about their breed and pour their heart and soul into their animals and they research and spend hours socializing and caring for the needs of their animals. They spend enormous amounts of money on their animals and many even donate time to rescue programs and education and laws to protect the animals. Their animals are a part of their families and they carefully screen potential homes, they do not just sell to the first person who has the money. They want to be sure that their babies will be in the right home. Breeder like this deserve to make money for all of their hard work and care. They do not always make money off of every litter due to the large amount that they spend an the best food and vet care and other essentials as well as things that they buy just to enhance the life of their animals, toys, treats soft beds and so forth. I bought my first Savannah about 6 months ago and I am in love with this breed. I plan to add another one to my home in the next year or so. I know all of these things because I did a great deal of research into breeding and care of these animals before I chose to drop a huge amount of money. I wanted to make sure I was not buying from a person who raised these kittens just to turn a buck. I wanted to make sure they truely loved and cared for the breed and that the animals were being treated with love and respect. I will only buy my next kitten from a breeder such as I have described above. I will not line the pockets of the new A1 Savannah owners to help them fund more hunts to kill more beautiful wild animals across the globe and I hope others see all of the bad press and do the same.
Again, you’re making an assumption based on your opinion of hunting. Have you examined the screening process for homing the kittens yourself, or are you just making an assumption because of your prejudice? Have you a actually researched the company and attempted to discover what happens to kittens who are “not marketable” or are you again making an assumption based on your prejudice?
I hate to tell you, but anyone who is breeding Savannahs in the USA has to attribute the lineage of their cats to A1S at some level…because all bloodlines in the USA started with them. Check the records with TICA. I also regret to inform you that the original owners began breeding he magnificent creatures to make a profit, as only breeding an animal that claims such a lofty price tag can. So if your desire is to not patronize businesses that care about profits and are only there for the betterment and appreciation of the animals, I suggest you look outside the Savannah breed, because there very existence in this part of the world can be reduced to one inalienable fact: the desire to make money.
Their*
Apparently, you did not comprehend what I said. I have no problem with a breeder making a profit if they are breeding for the right reason, betterment of the breed, preservation and so on. As I said. I am a business owner and a business needs to make a profit to flourish and to grow. I am just saying that the care and love that a breeder feels for the breed must be there too. You are saying that we are making assumptions, there are no assumptions it is all there for all to see. Why do you think so many animal lovers are so upset.
Also, the history of A1 Savannahs and the lineage has no reflection on the current owner, they did not build the business. Whatever A1 contributed to the breed is not relevent. Martin M. Engster cannot take credit for any of that. They bought the business a few months back. How do I know??? I had signed up for alerts with the previous owners because I was considering flying out to meet them and possibly add one of their kittens to my family in the next year. I was so excited to see the cattery and meet the cats and the owners. When the cattery was sold, I was a little surprised but I was sure that they must be loving caring animal people. I now feel that could not be further from the truth. This has nothing to do with my opinion of hunting. It is my opinion of hunting just for a trophy. Killing animals for the thrill of it. A true animal lover could/would never do this. The fact that he does it is terrible enough but the fact that he makes money from others to help them do the same takes it to a whole new level of horrible! His website has prices listed for each type of animal his client wishes to murder. Like a grocery list, it is just so sad.
If a person needs to feed their family and they need to hunt to accomplish this, I can understand that. I could never do it myself but I do not judge or condemn those who do and I would not judge this man for that either. I also stated that in my above post. Below is a page from their website. I have copied and pasted it here because there was no copy write listed on the page. Oh, look… they even have trackers so the paying “hunters” do not have to do anything except follow along and shoot when they are told where the animals are. Wow what great “hunters” they must be.
Hunting Namibia – Africa
Centerline African Safari Outfitters – Namibia
Namibia Trophy Hunt – Warthog
Namibia Trophy Hunt – Oryx
Namibia Trophy Hunt – Baboon
Namibia Trophy Hunt – Kudu
Namibia Trophy Hunt – Zebra
Namibia Trophy Hunt – Blue Wildebeest
Namibia Trophy Hunt – Black Wildebeest
Namibia Trophy Hunt – Hartebeest
Namibia Trophy Hunt – Springbok
Welcome to Namibia and Plains-Game Hunting at its Finest.
Centerline is proud to offer customized hunts in various regions of Namibia covering more than 300-thousand acres of different terrain with Kudu, Oryx, Wildebeest, Hartebeest, Zebra, Blesbuck, Springbuck, Warthog and many other game animals in abundance.
We hunt the plains, rolling hills, the mountains and a vast region between the Namib and the Kalahari Desert.
Accommodations range from very remote farms without electricity like Nababis at the edge of the Kalahari to fine game lodges with spacious rooms, private baths and even swimming pools.
With a limited amount of hunters per season we concentrate on first class hunts to give our clients the chance for quality trophies.
For the non-hunter photo safaris can be arranged.
Please contact us to discuss the details of your hunt.
Hunting season: Feb. 1st through Nov. 30th for plains game Aug. 1st through Oct. 31st for birds.
Rates ($USD):
Hunting day plains game
one on one $350.00
two on one $300.00
four on one $250.00
observer $150.00
Hunting day birds
$350.00 (includes 10 birds/hunter)
Included: accommodations with full board, transfers from and to airport, transfers in and out of hunting areas, ph, skinner, trackers, hunting license, field preparation of trophies
Not included: flight, drinks, tips
Trophy Fees ($USD):
Kudu $ 1200.-
Oryx $ 600.-
Hartebeest $ 600.-
Mountain Zebra $ 950.-
Blue Wildebeest $ 1000.-
Black Wildebeest $1300.-
Blesbuck $ 550.-
Springbuck $ 400.-
Steenbuck $ 400.-
Warthog $ 500.-
Baboon $ 200.-
Jackal $ 100.-
Following animals on request:
Cheetah $ 3000.- (CITIES regulations are strict)
Water Buck $ 2200.-
Leopard $ por
Giraffe $ 2800.-
Eland $ 2000.-
Impala Common $ 1000.-
Huntable game birds:
Guineas, Francolin, Sandgrouse, Rockpidgeon, Cape laughing dove, Senegaldove, Cape Teal, Redbilled Teal, Egyptian Goose
Centerline Firearms can customize your trip within our abilities and the rules and regulations of the Game Department of Namibia.
Trips have to be booked about three months ahead of time. A down payment of 20% of the daily rates (does not include game fees) is required and non-refundable.
We look forward to making your next hunting trip an unforgettable one.
CENTERLINE FIREARMS SHOWROOM
2110 N Ash
Ponca City, OK 74601
(580) 762 5451
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REMINGTON MODEL 700 VTR BOLT ACTION .308 W/LEUPOLD SCOPE
WINCHESTER Mod. 94 LEVER ACTION 30-30 GOLDEN SPIKE COMMEMORATIVE RIFLE
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BROWNING CITORI OVER & UNDER 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN
MAUSER 66 BOLT ACTION 7mm Rem. MAGNUM RIFLE
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WINCHESTER Mod. 94 LEVER ACTION 30-30 GOLDEN SPIKE COMMEMORATIVE RIFLE
COLT ALAMO COMMEMORATIVE .22LR REVOLVER
BROWNING CITORI OVER & UNDER 12 GAUGE SHOTGUN
MAUSER 66 BOLT ACTION 7mm Rem. MAGNUM RIFLE
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yea it just saddens me as if no one stands up for these animals.
Anyone who takes another living being’s life for fun should be allowed nowhere near any species of animal because they obviously don’t value animal life at all.
What else can this person have bought the place for other than to make money from! He is NOT an animal lover.
I confess to being confused as to why the Stuckis sold to this person. They must have known him well and he offered a good price. In the end it comes down to pure business and the cat is a commodity.
Very sad that money came first with them, it must be a blow to you.
as a devoted cat lover and animal lover it distrurbs me hearing about this. What is our animal world coming too.
Kylee, it just reflects modern commercial life and the general relationship between people and animals. There is not enough respect for animals in general.
I literally have tears in my eyes looking at this. I saw the first pics and info about this cold blooded bastard on FB. I could not believe it!!! I did my own research to verify and it is all true. If you go to google photo and paste this pic in there, it will take you to the centerline website and it shows the pic was there but it has since been removed. I am in fear for all of the beautiful cats and kittens at A1. This is so disturbing to find out.
I could literally throw-up after seeing all of the carnage of many beautiful and innocent animals on the centerline website. They have hunts in Africa, Germany, Argentina, Spain and in the US for deer. As I sit here I must wonder what will become of these special cats at A1, will they take the ones they can no longer breed and or sell and put them in a large enclosed piece of property and offer “mini safari’s” I do not think it is to outrageous to say this because he already takes money from other murderers, to organize murder missions on beautiful animals of all kinds throughout the world. I can see it now small cat game hunting in the US. I would like to see him in the same situation that he puts these poor animals in. He is a devil!
Hi, thanks for sharing. The idea about mini-safaris may not be that outlandish as you say. A1 Savannahs has a very large area behind the complex. It looks like it is about a square mile, which I suppose might be developed. I am guessing wildly. But there is no doubt in our minds that this is the wrong person to look after these cats. He cannot love cats or even like them if he likes to shoot animals for fun.
Michael, have you done any research whatsoever as to his standards? Or are you (likely) making your determination based on a couple of pics online and your personal opinions? Did you know he has a staff of several people, two of which are full time, and do nothing but care for the animals? Did you know that Mr. Stucki left many of the animals in poor health, and actually the cattery has improved significantly since Sgt. Engster has taken over?
I’m guessing not.
I am not saying that he is not a good manager etc.. All I am saying that his liking for hunting is not a good qualification for a cat breeder and secondly I dislike hunters very strongly. In my article that is all I said. I have made no comment on his skills as a breeder because as you say I can’t. I don’t know him and I made that clear. You have no reason to criticize me.
In my opinion the only person fit to breed cats (if one accepts that cats should be bred) is someone who is sensitive towards a cat’s well-being. If a person likes to shoot cats and other animals then they can’t be sensitive towards a cat’s well-being. That has to be undeniable.
Your argument makes a correlation that has no basis in actual fact other than an opinion that you hold to be true. You don’t like hunting, I got that; but you are now sitting at home, attempting to damage his chosen profession by posting inflammatory pictures that YOU claim show he can’t love animals at all; all from the safety and anonymoty of your own computer. Obviousky he didn’t have attachment to the animals he hunted, but to imply that he holds all animals in the same regard is an uneducated conclusion.
You made it clear that you approved of the Stuckis, because they helped you build this site, and you claim to have helped them build A1S, did you ever ask Mr. Stucki if he had been hunting for a feline creature before? The answer may surprise you, but I’ll let you ask him that, if you can locate him.
Cats should be bred, which you obviously agree with because you have patronized the same establishment you know are criticizing; and the only undeniable portion of your argument is that it is nothing but the opinion of a handful of people based on an even smaller number of pictures.
Again, I appreciate your dislike of hunting, but you cannot hold your assertion as truth based on your prejudice.
because they helped you build this site..
Not true. In using the video material it helped the site for a while but that is different. The Stucki’s very little website building knowledge. It is all my work.
No, I don’t agree with breeding cats. I visited despite that underlying disagreement. Please don’t make assumptions.
It is not my intention to damage him. I am just reporting a fact and giving my opinion quite delicately I think. I could have been harsher. The problem is not mine.
As a die-hard cat owner, I am totally appalled and disgusted that the above pictured animal was able to acquire a cattery; as he is one of THE most exposed hunters in the business…
Judging by the picture, one can correctly surmise his sole purpose of acquiring the cattery is for hunting purposes and NOT for just breeding and selling.
34 years in the Marine Corps taught me to successfully read a person by his posed photos, and at 63 years of age, I can still do so within a really good percentage of success…
This ‘person’ should be avoided at all costs and ANYONE doing business with him should be equally treated so…
My sentiments match yours. Thanks for sharing, Charles.
I can’t understand any supposed to be cat lovers selling out to a person like that, but as usual money is more important to some people than anything else!
Charles,
As a fellow USMC member I would think you would offer Sgt. Engster the respect of defending himself against such a blatantly false accusation. I have personally visited the cattery recently, and can guarantee that while Martin Engster does clearly enjoy the sport of hunting, he is a man of many hats and his cattery has nothing to do with his hunting business. Martin is honest, kind, and has never attempted to disguise or otherwise hide his other business ventures from the public eye. You should be ashamed of yourself, sir, for judging a man from a few pictures rather than the content of his character.
Furthermore, if you or anyone else have a problem with who purchased the cattery from the Stucki family, maybe you should express your displeasure to them, rather than venting on the internet and slandering a person whom you have never met. If you don’t like hunting for sport, fantastic, but that doesn’t mean that someone who does cannot also love domesticated animals for sale as pets. To suggest that Sgt. Engster purchased the cattery for any other reason other than to continue the Savannah breed is an ill researched and ignorant conclusion.
I understand your point but Sgt. Engster has to be the wrong person for the job of looking after a lot of cats. It is a very demanding and responsible job that can only be done to the highest standards, over a long period of time, if you like cats, in my opinion. Otherwise the cats become commodities, items in a production line. That will tend to lead to poor cat caretaking.
He’s a rotten to the core murderer!
It is horrendous. Wrong sort of person for today. We don’t need people who get their kicks from killing wildlife.
Is this the new owner of A1? Very disturbing photo
Joanne, it certainly looks like him. If so it is very disturbing as you state. It looks like he is in Africa and that he has hunted a caracal. Whoever he is, he is a total sh*t as far as I am concerned
Here is a testimonial he gives regarding hunting for trophies…
A1 has earned it’s long time reputation and is well known in the Savannah breeding world as a cattery who’s bloodlines are to be AVOIDED. Poor business practices, lost pedigrees, and shady sales have preceded them so it does not surprise me that a cattery of this “caliber” has been sold to the highest bidder without any concern for the welfare of it’s cats.
Thanks for sharing KSheppard.
Kelly, I don’t know where you get off telling people to avoid A1 bloodlines…every single savannah has bloodlines back to A1 Savannahs, so in essence you are telling everyone NOT to buy savannah cats.
Be sure when you are selling breeding kittens and cats NOT to sell to anyone who has a cat or kitten from A1 Savannahs…your assertions are ridiculous and without fact and I do not appreciate you publicly disparaging everyone who has a kitten or cat from A1 Savannahs.
Thanks for sharing Paige.
It is obvious that Savannah Cat Girl knows me personally as she has used my first name which was not in the post?
I have some cats that have A1 genetics as well but I would never buy cat from a cat mill and especially one that has such a shady reputation. Some of their cats are gorgeous indeed. Many breeders avoid them due to their reputation of being untrustworthy. The early A1 cats were some widely used in breeding programs unfortunately it has changed hands so many times. What I wrote above is entirely hearsay from the many many emails and calls over the 10 years I have been breeding cats. Each one from someone asking me what they should do. I can tell them nothing as there is no “cat police” – other breeders won’t stand up for the little guys. All we can do is tell them that they are singing to the choir but keep singing! No one can fix the past but I hope someday someone will make A1 into the cattery that it could be. I do hope for better from the new owner.
I have a bad feeling about this, hunting for pleasure and being a cat lover don’t go together! I hate people who pose with dead animals as if it’s clever
I’m very disappointed that the Stuckis sold out to a hunter because I thought they were maybe one of the few breeders doing it for the love of cats and not for money.
This is just like Anita Roddick selling The Body Shop which never used animals to test their products, to L’Oreal, one of the worst firms for doing it.
I don’t like any cat breeders, especially the ones who breed deformed domestic cats or half wild/half domestic cats, to show for their own glory or to sell to make money.
I just hope the cats at that place don’t suffer dire consequences from this sale.
I know that this must have been very difficult for you. It tears me up, so I can’t even imagine what it must feel like for you. I had only talked to Martin and [now Dr?] Kathrin Stucki by phone, besides following every bit of info on their site, as it was my dream to one day visit. c’est la vie. I hope that the Stucki’s are doing well, as always. It certainly is sad. A1 will never be the same. I hope they, their former staff and all of the cats flourish. God bless them.
Yes, I find it sad. I didn’t know you had wanted to visit A1 Savannahs. We could have met up there.
All I can do is voice my opinion, my feelings but I always respect the views of others so this is not a criticism just an observation.
The trouble is I have a deep loathing of sport hunting which is a barrier to me ever having a decent relationship someone who likes the bloody sport.
http://www.a1savannahseurope.com/index.php?id=4
Thanks for the link but what about commenting on the fact a dyed-in-the-wool hunter breeds cats. Do you think it is a good or bad thing? Are the two compatible?
No they are not. It is mentally and physically impossible. This man looks at those cats as a product now. He really is an ugly f**k too. Anyhow – this is about the worsty news one could get from a cattery that supposedly commanded respect. Disgusting – and the word ‘sellout’ springs to mind when I think of your friends the Stuckups.
Sorry – I’m sure they are nice people but they really have gone and done something very opposing to what we hope they represented. Perhaps they hunt too and you just didn’t know. Did they love their cats? Makes me wonder.
How could they possibly sell out to a bloody hunter. Surely, albeit that they may be very nice people, they have something to answer for now. You could ask them (nicely obviously – you just want to know what they think about the whole hunting thing).
They do. You’re right. Just on a commercial level I don’t think it is good business to present oneself, as Martin M. Engster does on Facebook, as a sport hunter while breeding cats.
That may not concern lots of people but it might concern some, particularly women and women are the ones who quite possibly run the show when it comes to adopting a Savannah cat.
I would have kept quiet about my gun shop and international hunt business.
International hunts include shooting lions and so on (canned lion hunts for example in S.Africa). How can a cat breeder of servals and wildcat hybrids support international hunts?
Not possible – it’s not possible to resolve. The two don’t go together unless you consider the cats as products to sell or potentially hunt. I wonder if he will take the ‘less adoptable’ cats and let them lose for a canned hunt. No reason why he wouldn’t. That photo of him over an animal 10 times his size and power looking like he has somehow ‘conquered’ it when all he did was shoot it from a safe distance – is intolerable.
I feel like sending him a ‘welcome to your new job selling cats’ letter to give him some bad vibes. These people deserve to have to ignore the comments of people like us. That way they are openly admitting their ignorance. It makes their life less easy. Unless of course they chose to engage in the argument. The argumant in this case being that a person who can kill animals from a safe distance at the pull of a trigger – for fun – is emotionally incapable of caring for cats in a cattery. The cattery shouldn’t exist anyway so the whole thing is just not good.
Yes, it is like mixing oil and water. The trouble is that breeding cats is about producing products but….at least some breeders are particularly in tune with the fact that the product they produce is a living, feeling creature. At least that makes it a little more acceptable.
I hate seeing idiots with rifles standing over a propped up dead animal as if to proudly declare how fantastic I am. It is not fantastic. It is pathetic.
I have a feeling that Martin M. Engster will see this post. He’ll see it eventually and we may get a comment. Probably a rude one. He emailed me and I have told him I can’t work with him.
I also own 2 F5 savannahs from 2008 and am heartbroken to know that this cattery was all about the money and not about the longevity of the breed. The Stuckies have purchased a ranch in Jacksob Hole Wy and probably funded part of the real estate venture by selling the cattery. Since she was a real estate agent before buying the Oklahoma location, the empasise seems to be just that-real estate venture. I will never recommend the cattery to anyone I meet who is interested in the Savannah breed.
Thanks Mark. Well, I respect your views. Personally I always found the Stuckis very nice, polite and hospitable. I can’t say bad things about them. I just don’t like over-commercializing cat breeding. It is just me. Not everyone is like me and I respect that.
It’s hard to feel nice towards real estate agents. I don’t know why.
Michael, Mark has a point about the Stuckis being motivated by money in the sense that surely if they really cared about the breed they would have made sure to sell to a better buyer. Having said that maybe this guy is good with cats – but I doubt that is possible beyond a practical level. He may know how to keep them breeding but he does not care for them as a true caretaker of domestic animals should.
So maybe the Stuckis did just totally sell out and deserve to be called like it is, nice though they may be.
Another thing about ‘nice people’ – in this day and age where people are scared to confront and passive agression is the new agression it seems like everybody and their uncle is ‘nice’ – so to some extent people being nice for a short time is meaningless.
Not to be too pushy – I’m sure Michael has other reasons for personally liking them beyond nicities.
You are spot on right, Marc. The Stuckis were very nice to me on a personal level. They helped me build PoC by providing video material and I helped them build A1 Savannahs.
They knew I had difficulty in reconciling that with cat breeding and Kathrin had problems reconciling breeding with her own standards (I believe). She wanted to make the cat enclosures larger for instance.
But….at the end of the day, the bottom line (to quote 2 common sayings) cat breeding is a business and Martin is an excellent businessman. He is as sharp as a whip. He just sold for the best price and to a person he could trust, I guess.
I think the Stuckis knew the buyer. Perhaps they were friends. The Stuckis are Europeans with America citizenship. I think Martin M. Engster is the same.
I don’t know for sure.
Thank you, Michael, for your honesty and the research. I had a bad, bad feeling. Now I know why. I am so worried about the former staff and, of course, the cats.
Why did they sell their business???
I was not told the reason but probably because they simply wanted a change. They went Australia for a while and now I believe they live on a farm in a different state in the US.