Colorado Sanctuary to Remain Open

This is what we expected to happen, and it's good news, because anyone who knows the sanctuary field knows that there is no chance of finding homes for 150 large carnivores. The Wild Animal Sanctuary received enough last minute support to remain in operation for about a year, and is working to implement some key fundraising programs to secure the facility's future. Actress Jessica Biel has pledged her support as well, and there is every indication that the sanctuary's finances will be more stable in the years to come.

How close the Wild Animal Sanctuary came to disaster brings to light a situation common to many wild animal facilities - that they operate too close to the bottom line, and are always one event away from closure. Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans, but in the aftermath, many of the donations that normally went to small, nonprofit organizations throughout the country were diverted to Katrina-related causes, effectively damaging thousands of organizations with no connection to that natural disaster. As our own sanctuary moves from idea to reality, we have to keep the lessons that Katrina taught us in mind. We have to have a budget for emergencies, and we have to be prepared for natural and man-made disasters that may affect us directly or indirectly. We are considering a policy of not taking in any animal that cannot be evacuated from the facility on short notice, and we are currently creating guidelines for a disaster preparedness plan. In addition, we hope to have the capability of responding to disasters elsewhere, whether they be hurricanes or facility closures.

Posted on October 14, 2006 | Link