The post Beyond the Cage: Inside the 142-Acre Fortress Fighting the Exotic Pet Trade appeared first on A-Z Animals.

Quick Take

• Lions Tigers & Bears is an exotic animal sanctuary founded by Bobbi Brink, located in San Diego County.

• Lions Tigers & Bears is home to over 60 rescued exotic animals.

• The public has the power to help end the exotic animal trade and exploitation.

Across the United States, exotic animals are being exploited. Some organizations call themselves sanctuaries, but actually profit from animals that should never have been captured and are bred in captivity.

Legitimate sanctuaries genuinely care about the welfare of animals. One in particular is a 142-acre fortress that is fighting the exotic pet trade through rescue and education. Lions Tigers & Bears is truly the gold standard when it comes to sanctuaries nationwide.

Thanks to Tiger King, wild animal sanctuaries made headlines across the United States and faced scrutiny. The treatment of the big cats under Joe Exotic’s (aka Joseph Maldonado-Passage) care was abominable. Not only were the animals being bred for financial gain, but five tigers were killed, and multiple other animals were abused. This cast a dark shadow on sanctuaries, leaving many to wonder if this was the life big cats faced after being rescued from backyard breeders.

Tiger King showcased a roadside zoo. Although it appeared to be about protecting animals, Joe Exotic’s true intention was financial gain. Reputable sanctuaries hold themselves to incredibly high standards to ensure each and every animal receives the best care and thrives.

Lions Tigers & Bears sets the bar high for exotic animal sanctuaries. The sanctuary is located near the Cleveland National Forest in San Diego County, California. The 142-acre facility offers everything from rolling hills to lush meadows, creating a natural habitat for the more than 60 rescued animals in their care.

Lions Tigers & Bears has a simple mission: to provide a safe haven for abused and abandoned exotic animals and to inspire education to end the exotic animal trade. This has been done since the sanctuary was founded in 2002 by Bobbi Brink. (Watch video from Brink here.) Over the years, the sanctuary has provided homes for dozens of full-time residents and has rescued hundreds more exotic animals, placing them in accredited sanctuaries. There truly is no other sanctuary like Lions Tigers & Bears in the country.

What It Means to Be a “No Contact, No Breed” Facility

Lions Tigers & Bears is a “no contact, no breed” facility. This is important to point out as there are facilities throughout the U.S. that claim to be sanctuaries, when, in fact, they are actively breeding exotic animals. These animals are used for photo opportunities when they are young, and once they are no longer useful, their fate is uncertain.

According to Allen Colaneri, the Communications and Marketing Coordinator for Lions Tigers & Bears, visitors will never come in direct contact with the animals, and there will never be any breeding at the facility. The animals should be seen for what they are: wild animals, not pets.

“At Lions Tigers & Bears, ‘no contact’ means the public never touches, holds, or interacts physically with the animals,” Colaneri explains to A-Z Animals. “These are wild animals, not pets, not performers, and they deserve dignity, space, and respect. Direct contact often leads to exploitation, especially when cubs are involved.”

Colaneri goes on to say that there will never be any circumstances where Lions Tigers & Bears will breed animals. This has to do with the “massive crisis of overpopulation in the exotic animal trade.”

“Breeding only fuels that pipeline,” Colaneri says. “We are here to rescue animals in need, not create more. Our mission is rescue, not reproduction. Sanctuary, not spectacle.”

How Many Animals Live at Lions Tigers & Bears?

While there are exotic animals across the country that need to be rescued, the facility takes pride in the fact that each animal has a large enclosure in which it can live out its life. Unfortunately, according to Colaneri, most of these animals come from deplorable conditions before reaching the sanctuary. Seeing the transformation the animals undergo as a result of the love and respect they receive makes the job rewarding.

“We currently care for more than 60 rescued animals, including lions, tigers, bears, leopards, a jaguar, and other rescued exotic and domestic animals,” Colaneri says. “Every single one of them has a story… most coming from neglect, private ownership, roadside zoos, or situations involving law enforcement seizures. They are here because they had nowhere else to go.”

To ensure the animals receive the best care, they are fed “species-appropriate diets tailored to each animal’s needs.” This includes everything from “high-quality raw meats” to “specialized produce and fish for certain species.” In total, the animals consume upwards of 800 to 1,000 pounds of food daily.

“Feeding rescued wildlife is one of our largest ongoing expenses, and it never stops,” Colaneri explains. “Holidays, weekends, storms… they need to eat.”

These are wild animals, not pets, not performers, and they deserve dignity, space, and respect.

Allen Colaneri, the Communications and Marketing Coordinator for Lions Tigers & Bears

Why There Are No “Normal” Days at Lions Tigers & Bears

Because the animals follow routines for feeding, enrichment, and activities, it may seem like each day at Lions Tigers & Bears is the same as the last. But, as Colaneri points out, there are no “normal” days at the rescue.

“Our animal care team starts early,” Colaneri tells A-Z Animals. “Diets are prepared based on each animal’s specific nutritional plan. Habitats are cleaned. Pools are refreshed. Enrichment is set up to stimulate natural behaviors, whether that’s scent trails, puzzle feeders, or novel objects.”

In addition to this, all of the animals are monitored for their health daily, specifically those who are seniors and have “special medical needs.” This occurs between daily guided visits, behind-the-scenes experiences, and school programs that educate children about the exotic animals in the sanctuary’s care.

“Rescue never stops,” Colaneri explains. “We’re also coordinating with law enforcement agencies, responding to calls, or preparing for transports. There is really no such thing as a ‘normal’ day in animal rescue, but there is structure.”

As a sanctuary that sets the bar for excellence, there is constant demand for placement at Lions Tigers & Bears. While Lions Tigers & Bears works with other agencies and sanctuaries to rescue animals, the well-being of those already in their care always comes first.

“We are still actively involved in rescues, but capacity is always a critical consideration,” Colaneri states. “We will never compromise the well-being of animals already in our care to take in more.”

Instead, Lions Tigers & Bears collaborates with accredited sanctuaries to ensure rescued animals receive the care they desperately need. These are sanctuaries that prioritize “proper placement” over overcrowding.

“Rescue is not about saying ‘yes’ impulsively,” Colaneri says. “It’s about saying ‘yes’ responsibly.”

What Is the Big Cat Public Safety Act?

Even as the public becomes more educated about why exotic animals should not be pets, backyard breeding continues. This leads inexperienced people to attempt to care for exotic animals, generally resulting in poor outcomes for the animals. As a result, the Big Cat Public Safety Act was introduced. Brink was integral to the legislation’s passage, thanks to her testimony before Congress advocating for the welfare of exotic animals.

“The Big Cat Public Safety Act has been transformative,” Colaneri explains to A-Z Animals. “For decades, we saw an endless cycle of backyard breeders, cub petting operations, and private ownership disasters. The law now prohibits private ownership of big cats and bans public contact with cubs.”

Consequently, there are now fewer “cub-petting operations” and fewer people interested in owning big cats.

“That said,” Colaneri says, “there are still animals out there in need. The law helps prevent future suffering, but we are still dealing with the consequences of decades of exploitation.”

Why Public Tours Are Different from a Zoo Experience

Lions Tigers & Bears is a non-profit organization. Because of this, they rely on donations to care for their animals. One way to do this is to offer public experiences. These experiences are not akin to visiting a zoo or being allowed to handle the exotic animals. Instead, it is an opportunity to learn more about the animals and educate the public about animal exploitation in hopes that one day, the sanctuary will no longer be needed.

“When guests visit Lions Tigers & Bears, they are entering a rescue sanctuary, not a zoo,” Colaneri says. “We are not a breeding facility. We do not import animals for display. We do not trade animals. Every resident is here because they needed help.”

Visitors can expect a guided tour that is both intimate and educational, sharing the animals’ rescue stories and explaining why these animals should never have been in private hands. Overall, the goal of Lions Tigers & Bears is not entertainment. The goal is to bring awareness and connection so that the public understands why true sanctuary matters.

What the Public Needs to Know About Animal Exploitation

Many facilities across the country claim to be sanctuaries, but some are actually businesses seeking to profit from exotic animals. Lions Tigers & Bears wants to educate the masses to put an end to these breeding facilities that do nothing more than exploit and mistreat animals in their care.

“Many facilities call themselves ‘sanctuaries,’ but if they are breeding animals, allowing public contact, offering photo ops with cubs, or selling animals… they are not true sanctuaries,” Colaneri states. “Cubs are bred to be handled. Once they grow too large or dangerous, they are often warehoused in small enclosures, sold, or discarded. It’s a cycle driven by profit.”

The difference between a facility like what Colaneri details and a legitimate accredited sanctuary is that the latter “does not buy, sell, trade, breed, or allow contact.” This is why accredited sanctuaries do not allow selfies with lion and tiger cubs and ask the public not to participate. Selfies with these animals are “exploitation, not education.”

What the Public Can Do to Help Stop Animal Exploitation in the U.S.

With animal exploitation still widespread in the United States, many people wonder how they can help raise awareness and protect these animals. The more voices speaking out, the more animals can be saved.

One of the most important actions people can take is to avoid participating in blatant exploitation.

• Do not take selfies with exotic animals

• Do not pay for direct experiences with exotic animals

According to Colaneri, it is the demand for these experiences that continues to fuel the exploitation.

“The exotic animal trade exists because there is demand,” Colaneri says. “When demand disappears, so does the suffering. Understand that exploitation often hides behind cute photos and marketing.”

People have the power to end exotic animal exploitation. It is through the “choices they make” that animal exploitation can finally end.

“First and foremost: do not support facilities that offer cub petting, wildlife selfies, or direct contact experiences,” Colaneri explains. “Do the research and support only accredited sanctuaries. Advocate for strong legislation. Speak up when you see exploitation.”

At the end of the day, Colaneri says, “rescue doesn’t happen without public awareness, and it certainly doesn’t happen without public support. Together, we can end the cycle.”

The post Beyond the Cage: Inside the 142-Acre Fortress Fighting the Exotic Pet Trade appeared first on A-Z Animals.