Big Cat Advocate From 'Tiger King' Sells Coronavirus Face Masks

Note: A previous version to this story included the wrong link to purchase the face masks.

CITRUS PARK, FL — The founder of Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, who was prominently featured in the wildly popular Netflix docuseries, "Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness," is selling leopard-print coronavirus face masks to raise funds for her sanctuary during the coronavirus closures.

Baskin introduced the newest line of products Big Cat Rescue featuring the tagline, "Hey all you cool cats and kittens," on Saturday. The face masks are being sold here. The Big Cat Sanctuary also has an online shop with T-shirts, socks, keychains, license plate frames, ball caps, tote bags, backpacks, lunchboxes and other items for sale.

The dual-layered tie face masks, which come in a leopard print or solid black, cost $11 each.

Like most Florida nonprofit animal sanctuaries, Big Cat Rescue depends on donations from visitors. The closure of all Florida animals parks in March due to the coronavirus has prompted sanctuaries to search for creative ways to raise money.

Baskin gained national notoriety when she was featured in the Netflix series that premiered March 20. Baskin said the filmmakers told her they were doing a documentary about the exploitation and abuse of big cats at roadside zoos, a practice Baskin has long spoken out against.

Instead, the documentary focused on her feud with her longtime nemesis, roadside zoo owner Joe Exotic, known for his flamboyant lifestyle, bleach-blonde mullet hairstyle and thick gold necklaces.

The two have a long, sordid history.

Joe Exotic, whose real name is Joe Maldonado-Passage, is serving 22 years in an Oklahoma prison for his part in trying to hire a hit man to kill Baskin.

Maldonado-Passage has accused Baskin of killing her millionaire late husband, Don Lewis, and feeding his body to her tigers. Lewis went missing in 1997.

Following the airing of the docuseries and resurgence of accusations against Baskin concerning her late husband's disappearance, Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister sent out a notice seeking new information into the circumstances of Lewis' disappearance. Although Lewis has been legally declared dead, Chronister said the sheriff's office has never closed the case.

Baskin has repeatedly denied having anything to do with her late husband's disappearance. She believes Lewis, a small plane pilot, took up one of his airplanes to fly to Costa Rica to visit some property he owned and crashed into the ocean.

Susan Bass, director of public relations for Big Cat Rescue, issued a statement on Baskin's behalf, saying,"We hope the sheriff's plea for leads will result in new information about what happened to Don Lewis."

In a statement to Patch, Baskin said instead of exposing the rampant cruelty toward captive wild cats, the docuseries sought to be "as salacious and sensational as possible to draw viewers. As part of that, it has a segment devoted to suggesting, with lies and innuendos from people who are not credible, that I had a role in the disappearance of my husband, Don, in 1997. The series presents this without any regard for the truth or, in most cases, even giving me an opportunity before publication to rebut the absurd claims. They did not care about truth. The unsavory lies are better for getting viewers."

Despite Baskin's condemnation of the docuseries, it was viewed by more than 34 million people. There are reports that the documentary is spawning either a television series or feature film with the likes of Kevin Bacon or Nicholas Cage playing Joe Exotic and SNL star Kate McKinnon or Tara Reid starring as Baskin.

Actor Rob Lowe added his name to the hat on Instagram when he posed as Joe Exotic, saying he's in early talks with Ryan Murphy to do a series based on "Tiger King."

Also joining the "Tiger King" bandwagon is the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which lodged many of the legal complaints that landed Joe Exotic in prison.

PETA is now selling a "Joe Exotic Tiger Killer" Halloween costume for $143.99 in the PETAShop.

See related story: Netflix's 'Tiger King' Prompts Sheriff To Seek Tips In Cold Case