The Wild Animal Sanctuary is a 720-acre (290 ha) animal sanctuary located near Keenesburg, Colorado, U.S.A.. The sanctuary specializes in rescuing and caring for large predators which are being ill-treated, for which their owners can no longer care, or which might otherwise be euthanized.[4] It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and a state and federally licensed zoological facility.
Created in 1980, The Wild Animal Sanctuary is situated on grassland North of Denver, and has helped over 1,000 animals since it first opened. As of 2012, it was home to over 290 animals.
The stated mission of the sanctuary is “to rescue captive large carnivores who have been abused, abandoned, illegally kept or exploited; to create for them a wonderful life for as long as they live; and to educate about the causes and solutions to the Captive Wildlife Crisis.” The sanctuary states that there are many large carnivores living outside the zoo system in the United States, including 4000 or so tigers living as pets in Texas alone, and many of these come from the black market trade in exotic animals.