The Wild Animal Sanctuary

Combatting Captive Wildlife Crisis

By Katrina McDowell on May 22, 2023 in Giving

Each year, Yardi distributes philanthropic aid worldwide to organizations selected by its employees.

In 2022, Yardi offices supported more than 350 nonprofits worldwide. For the remainder of the year, we will bring you the stories of those organizations and insight into how they aid their communities.

Let’s meet The Wild Animal Sanctuary of Keenesburg, Colorado, founded in 1980, rescuing captive-bred carnivores from abuse and neglect. The Sanctuary provides them with large-acreage habitats and educates the public about the animal’s plights and the Captive Wildlife Crisis. The Sanctuary travels across America and into foreign countries around the world to rescue animals that are suffering.

The Wild Animal Sanctuary continues to rescue, rehabilitate and provide the best care possible to the 750+ large carnivores and other animals that call the Sanctuary home.

“We will continue to work tirelessly to educate the public about the Captive Wildlife Crisis as we host over 200,000 visitors a year at our Keenesburg facility,” said Michelle McGraw, development director of The Wild Animal Sanctuary.

Funding from Yardi has helped the Sanctuary provide state-of-the-art medical care and offers top-quality food for the animals in its care.

“Yardi has been supporting us for many years, and we cannot thank you enough for supporting such a deserving cause. We all thank you from the bottom of our hearts. The Animals’ lives are so positively affected by your continued generosity,” shared McGraw.

Dillan’s Journey

Dillan is a male Asiatic black bear rescued from a sportsmen’s club in rural Pennsylvania. Subjected to the sound of constant gunfire from the shooting ranges and with no enrichment, Dillan suffered from serve zoochosis, where he rocked rhythmically against a concrete wall for hours on end, according to one person familiar with the situation.

He also suffered from morbid obesity due to his poor diet and lack of exercise and had a mouthful of rotting teeth and gums. With pressure from many fronts for the club to either better care for Dillan or let him go to an accredited sanctuary, the club owner finally agreed to release him to the USDA, freeing him to The Wild Animal Sanctuary.

Dillan will now join one of the Sanctuary’s female Asiatic Bears.

McGraw enthused, “They will roam freely in a large acreage habitat and enjoy living a healthy life, free from harm and doing everything bears enjoy!”

Volunteer opportunities

The Sanctuary can utilize long-term volunteers since they operate a 1,214-acre facility with over 600 large carnivores in residence, but they require extensive training. The Wild Animal Sanctuary is one of the only facilities in the country that focuses on and routinely provides large acreage habitats where animals can live permanently. Interested volunteers can apply here.

Find future non-profit profiles at https://www.yardi.com/blog/category/giving.