It’s easy for well-meaning tourists to hear the word ‘sanctuary’ and assume that they’re supporting a legitimate operation that prioritizes animal welfare. Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. There are no regulations as to what types of facilities can call themselves sanctuaries. Which means it’s up to the tourist to sort out a true sanctuary from a fake one. How can you spot a sanctuary which prioritizes good animal welfare? Here are some handy guidelines to help identify a true animal sanctuary.
A true sanctuary acquires animals from valid sources.
The sanctuary should be able to readily explain how all their animals are sourced. In general, animals in sanctuaries come from unfortunate situations such as injured animals that can no longer live in the wild or unwanted entertainment or working animals (zoos, circuses, racing, etc).
A true sanctuary provides a permanent home for animals and does not buy, sell, or trade in animals or animal parts.
Sanctuaries provide a safe, comfortable home for animals to live out their natural lives. The do not buy, sell, or trade in animals or animal parts. There should be limited turnover of animals at a true sanctuary.
A true sanctuary maintains animals in a natural setting.
The sanctuary should meet all of the five freedoms (freedom from hunger and thirst, freedom from discomfort, freedom from pain/injury/disease, freedom to express natural behaviors, and freedom from fear and distress—see my previous blog post on the Five Freedoms) in the most natural way possible for the animals living there. Animals should have spacious, sanitary, and enriched places to live. They should be provided with appropriate food and water. Veterinary care should be available for both preventative health issues as well as illness/emergencies.
A true sanctuary does not participate in breeding.
The general mission of sanctuaries is to provide care for unwanted animals. Breeding runs counter to this mission by creating more animals that need assistance. While, in the right circumstances, captive breeding may help in conservation efforts, the animals in sanctuaries are often not appropriate candidates for such programs. In addition, captive breeding programs should be run by conservation experts to ensure that the animals produced will be best suited to help preserve the species.
A true sanctuary does not allow interaction with the animals.
Interaction is stressful for the animals and does not contribute to their well-being. Animals at a true sanctuary should be viewed from a distance in the most unobtrusive way possible. Tours should be guided and visitors monitored during their time at the sanctuary. Animals at a true sanctuary are not required to perform in shows or participate in interaction activities.
The one exception to this is sanctuaries for domesticated species such as horses, dogs, farm animals, etc. Many of these species are not bothered by human contact and actually seek it out. However, contact should be regulated to ensure it does not place undue stress on the animal. The animal should always have a choice whether to initiate contact or not…and have a place to readily escape from contact if they desire.
A true sanctuary should be a member of a governing organization.
Membership in governing organizations is voluntary, but shows a strong commitment to animal welfare and the overall mission of animal sanctuaries. Two common organizations are the American Sanctuary Association and the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. You can find lists of accredited sanctuaries on their websites.
