Welcome to The Wildcat Sanctuary

The Wildcat Sanctuary (TWS) is a 501(c)3 non-profit, no-kill rescue facility, located in Sandstone, Minnesota. TWS provides for the humane rescue and sheltering of unwanted, mistreated, and neglected privately owned wildcats that pose a risk to public safety. We do not buy, breed, trade or sell animals. TWS is committed to public education about the captive wildlife crisis; offering veterinarian training opportunities; and supporting legislative solutions to the public safety issues created by private ownership of wild animals.

At TWS, animals are never bought, sold, bred, traded, or mistreated in anyway. Each resident is given every opportunity to behave naturally in a wonderfully humane environment for life. The Sanctuary is accredited by The Association of Sanctuaries and the American Sanctuary Association which means it meets strict care and safety standards, and is the only accredited big cat sanctuary in the Upper Midwest. The vision and need for The Wildcat Sanctuary has garnered endorsements from the Minnesota Zoo and the University of Minnesota’s Veterinary Care Program.

TWS has earned a national reputation for excellence in rescuing and housing captive wildcats while providing a unique service to animal control officers, local sheriff departments, humane societies as well as the Department of Natural Resources and the US Fish & Wildlife Service.

Our goals:

• Provide a safe solution for the public and a humane alternative for the animals.
• Provide free-roaming and natural habitats to the animals in our care.
• Minimize the number of dangerous wild animals kept as pets through education, legislation and rescue.
• Provide a sanctuary in Minnesota that can provide more services to the state and surrounding areas through increased capacity, education center and training opportunities for future larger animal veterinarians.

Why we are not open to the public

Asking people to support an organization that is not open to the public is difficult, but the work we do requires this for many reasons. Most important is our strong-rooted belief that animals should not be used for commercial, entertainment or amusement purposes. We are not a zoo for people; we are a sanctuary for animals; a place of refuge where injured, abused or displaced animals are provided a lifetime of care. Our residents come to know and eventually accept the staff and volunteers that care for them, but trust comes with time and can be very stressful to them.

TWS also understands that donors want to see where their money is being spent. Therefore, we do have a few donor programs that include sanctuary tours/events such as our sponsor-a-wild-one program.

Why sanctuaries are needed

Hundreds to thousands of exotic cats are sold to roadside zoos and to individuals as pets. A surprising number of people are buying these wild animals as cubs, without understanding the difficulties involved in caring for and containing them properly as they mature into adults. The results can be tragic for the owner, the public and the animal. The exotic pet trade causes more suffering for big cats than poaching, and loss of habitat combined.

The captive wildcat crisis is no secret. It is in the news almost weekly. In Illinois, a man was mauled to death by two tigers he kept in his backyard. A “pet” leopard attacked a woman in Louisiana. In North Carolina, a 10-year-old boy was killed by his aunt’s tiger, which pulled the boy under a fence and into its cage. Near Little Falls, Minnesota, 10-year-old Russell Lala, fought for his life after being attacked by a lion and tiger. The boy’s spinal cord was severed and the injury left him paralyzed from the neck down. He sustained a brain injury and several facial fractures and is dependent upon a respirator.

The Humane Society of the United States estimates there are as many as 10,000 large wildcats in private ownership across this country. Ron Tilson, Conservation Director for the Minnesota Zoo, states unequivocally that there are more tigers in backyards across the U.S. than in all of the zoos put together.

In a CNN report Humane Society President Wayne Pacelle said, “The exotic animal trade is second only to the drug trade in raw dollars. It's literally billions of dollars exchanged in the exotic animal trade.” On Internet sites you can point, click and buy lions and tigers. The motive is profit. Unfortunately, in the end it is the cats who pay the highest price. They often live in cramped, filthy conditions. Many are fed improperly and receive no veterinary care. And most pose a very real threat to public safety.

As much needed legislation is passed and greater control is brought to the largely unregulated practice of importing, breeding, buying, and selling wild animals as pets, there are likely to be confiscated or abandoned exotic animals in increasing numbers. Critical to this will be the provision of accredited and secure facilities like The Wildcat Sanctuary to provide appropriate life-long care for all these animals.

Your support is needed

At TWS, we put the animals’ best interests in the forefront, remembering they are the reason why we are here. All of the cats have spacious enclosures with room to run and play. There are provided enrichment such as perches for climbing and toys for stimulation. The cats are fed fresh meat on a daily basis. They are vaccinated annually and provided with on-site veterinary care. But their care is expensive. Each enclosure costs $7,000 - $25,000 to build. A temperature controlled den is $520. TWS’ winter monthly electricity bill is over $1,000. And a tiger eats 15 pounds a meat a day – which adds up.

The need is so great. We can’t do it alone! We count on the generous support of people like you. Donate now to help more wildcats. Our hope is that some day, when we accomplish our goal, the Sanctuary will no longer be needed.

Onsite Opportunities