The following is a non-exhaustive roster of rescued animals that are currently housed at The Wild Animal Sanctuary, The Wild Animal Refuge or The Wild Horse Refuge.

Please note that the list, as well as others, may not be entirely up-to-date due to the frequency of our rescue operations each year, as well as the loss of some of our older animals.

To view a list of animals residing at The Wild Animal Sanctuary Texas, kindly follow this link to their website.

Clementine: USDA Confiscation - Female Grizzly Bear, Clementine, was rescued when the USDA confiscated five Grizzly Bears, two Black bears and one Mountain Lion from a horribly cramped exotic animal breeder’s compound near the town of Portland, Indiana. Both Clementine and her brother, Oscar, and all the other animals were kept in tiny steel cages and were forced to hibernate inside cold iron  barrels. When their owner refused to provide more adequate shelters for the animals, the USDA moved to confiscate them and asked The Wild Animal Sanctuary to give them a better home.  Clementine and the other Bears now live in incredibly natural 20-acre habitats complete with ponds to swim in and snug and warm underground dens for winter hibernation!

 

Maye: USDA Confiscation -Maye came from a photography studio where the owner would use her in photographs with clients. Her owner decided it was not a lucrative enough business and therefore no longer wanted Maye. She was rescued by TWAS where she will always be wanted.

 

Nadia: Contraceptive Failure -Nadia was born after AZA contraceptive medications failed-leaving us no choice but to permanently fix Kelty so there would be no more accidental Grizzly Bear births.

 

Shaq & Lil' Kim: Taxidermist Surrender -Shaq and Lil' Kim were a breeding pair of Grizzly Bears at a South Carolina taxidermist operation. When the owner died, the family did not want to continue the business, and had prepared to put the animals down. Someone in a neighboring state got involved, and called us to take the remaining animals to keep them from being put down. Shaq and Lil' Kim escaped certain death when we rescued them and brought them back to live in "Bear luxury" at The Wild Animal Sanctuary.

 

Ben: USDA Confiscation -Ben was kept in a small cage in a remote area in Wisconsin, by a back-woods miner, before being rescued by TWAS. Good food, a better climate, and of course, good company, have given Ben a much better life!

 

Ethel, Fred & Lucy: Ohio County Officials and USDA Confiscation - These Bears were rescued from Ohio, where they suffered great abuse by the person that kept them- until the facility was shut down by USDA and Wildlife Officials.  They are now healthy and happy, romping through the Sanctuary's Black Bear Habitat.

 

James & Tuff: USDA Confiscation - These bears came from a tourist attraction in North Carolina that was not designed to house Bears. Now at the Sanctuary they rumble and tumble with each other, and all the other Bears.

 

Ben II: Private Forfeiture -Ben was being kept in a corn crib, converted into a cage, as a pet in Iowa. When the state insurance requirements increased on Ben the owners no longer wanted him. Ben now lives in a large acreage habitat with lots of other bears!

 

Magic: USDA Confiscation -Magic came from a photography studio where the owner would use him in photographs with clients. His owner decided it was not a lucrative enough business and therefore no longer wanted Magic. He was rescued by TWAS where he will always be wanted.

 

Smokey: USDA Confiscation - Smokey was living in neglect, illegally kept in South Dakota. She was confiscated and taken to an Animal Shelter, where she was housed for 8 months in a wooden 4 foot by 8 foot crate with only a small opening on the top. Now she has plenty of room to roam in the Sanctuary's ten acre Black Bear Habitat!

 

Alfalfa, Darla & Spanky: Contraceptive Failure -In 2004 the standard zoo contraceptive medications used on our Bears failed. As a result, many unplanned births occurred in zoos throughout the nation. Because TWAS does not support breeding of these animals, it was a great shock when these three bear cubs (along with Nadia the Grizzly) were born. To prevent this from happening again, all the male Bears were permanently fixed.

 

Bob: Private Forfeiture - This black bear was surrendered by an Indiana business that breeds and trains bears for the entertainment industry. Bob proved to be one of those animals who was untrainable, thus he was of no use to his owners and was slated to be put down. Bob now enjoys life with the other bears in a ten-acre habitat.

 

Emily: USDA-Enforced Zoo Closure - This black bear was one of 18 animals facing an uncertain future when a Nebraska zoo was shut down by the USDA due to animal abuse and safety violations. Since Emily was rescued late in the year, we had to get her into a den so she could hibernate. Emily is now enjoying life with other bears in a spacious habitat complete with swimming tanks and play  structures.

 

Buddy: Private Forfeiture -Buddy the Black Bear was kept as a pet by an individual in Texas who bought him from an exotic animal breeding compound in Missouri. When he got to be too much for his owner to care for, Buddy was surrendered to The Wild Animal Sanctuary. Here, Buddy enjoys a Bear's life the way it's supposed to be, with plenty of space to roam and play, and lots of food to eat.

 

Sam: Indiana Fish & Game Confiscation -Black Bear, Sam, was confiscated after his owner was deployed to the Gulf War—leaving the Bear unattended in a small cage with a metal dumpster set in it as a house for him to live in. Without food, water or someone to care for him, neighbors contacted the state Fish & Game and asked them to find a new home for the Bear. The Wild Animal Sanctuary rescued Sam and brought him back to live freely with our other rescued Bears in one of our specialized large-acreage Bear habitats.

 

Sammy: Michigan SPCA Closure -Sammy, Ellie Mae & Anthony found themselves in a tight situation when the SPCA they were living at was shut down, and winter was fast approaching. Sammy, Ellie Mae and Anthony had been orphaned in a tragic turn of events in California- and were somehow shipped to Michigan to live. TWAS was called in to save the bears and get them to Colorado in time to get settled in for their long winter hibernation. The two Bears will now be able to wake in the spring and -And they can roam freely in one of our large acreage natural habitats.

 

Teddy:  USDA Confiscation, Ohio —When a breeding compound in Ohio was shut down for more than 900 counts of animal abuse, the USDA contacted The Wild Animal Sanctuary to take seven Black Bears in a covert operation.  Teddy lived in horrendous conditions before coming to live at the Sanctuary in Colorado.  Now enjoying a 15-acre habitat complete with cozy underground dens, play structures and swimming tanks, this lucky Bear has all but forgotten his enforced hibernation in tiny concrete boxes and the miserable 30x30 cage they all lived in prior to being rescued. 

 

Cupcake:  County Animal Control Confiscation —This beautiful Black Bear cub was found tied by her neck to a front porch outside Dayton, Ohio.  When county authorities confiscated her due to animal abuse by her owner, they   contacted The Wild Animal Sanctuary to come pick her up.  Cupcake now enjoys life as a Bear was meant to – living and playing in a large open space in our west Black Bear habitat.   

 

Little Bear:  Private Forfeiture —This young female black bear was being kept with numerous other animals on a farm in Iowa.  When the State passed new laws requiring liability insurance for exotic animals, her owners no longer wanted to keep her - or the other animals - so they called the sanctuary to come rescue her.

 

Buster:  Kansas Humane Society Confiscation —Buster, a young Black Bear, was sold at an exotic animal auction to a couple intending to keep him as a “pet.” The couple soon realized that bears are not pets and sold him.  He was passed around from person to person, until finally he came to The Wild Animal Sanctuary — now he will never be passed around again!  He will stay with us for the rest of his life — potentially 40 years! 

 

Chocolate, Hercules, Hillbilly, Megan, Smokey II:  Roadside Attraction Surrender —When the owner of a roadside attraction passed away, his family no longer wanted to keep the animals.  Chocolate, Hercules, Hillbilly, Megan and Smokey II were living together in a 30x50 enclosure before being rescued by The Wild Animal Sanctuary, but now they’re enjoying the kind of life they really deserve in their 15-acre habitat.

 

Beau & Panda:  Private Forfeiture —Beau and Panda were kept in concrete and steel cages at a Taxidermy shop in South Carolina by a man that had decided it was a good way to make money (by raising animals to kill and mount).  The man died, and his family didn’t want to keep the bears anymore - so they decided they kill them - but a nearby zookeeper stepped in to save them by calling us.  We immediately drove to South Carolina to rescue Beau & Panda, as well as two Grizzly Bears they had there.

 

Yogi:  Private Forfeiture —Male Black Bear, Yogi, was being kept as a “pet” by a family in rural Ohio.  After two previous pet bears died, and quite some time keeping Yogi in a barren wire corn-crib in their back yard… these people finally realized that trying to keep a bear as a pet was not going to work out.  TWAS rescued Yogi and brought him back to Colorado where he now happily lives and plays with lots of other rescued bears.

 

Ellie Mae & Anthony:  Michigan SPCA Closure —Ellie Mae, Sammy  & Anthony found themselves in a tight situation when the SPCA they were living at was shut down, and winter was fast approaching.  Ellie Mae and  Anthony had been orphaned in a tragic turn of events in California – and were somehow shipped to Michigan to live.  TWAS was called in to save the bears and get them to Colorado in time to get settled in for their long winter hibernation.  The two Bears will now be able to wake in the spring and find they  can roam freely in one of our large acreage natural habitats. 

 

Lilly: Illinois State Attorney Confiscation - Lilly is a young Black Bear that was confiscated from a man who bought her at an exotic animal auction and was trying to keep her as a pet.  The State Attorney worked with the local   animal control to seize the Bear and place her in a temporary holding facility until they could find a permanent home for her. The State Attorney office called TWAS right away because they knew she could have the best life possible here. Now at TWAS, Lilly lives in a large acreage habitat with other rescued Bears where she will live freely for the rest of her life.

 

Sierra & Nevada: California Fish & Game Confiscation - Sierra and her brother Nevada were left with nowhere to go after their mother was shot and killed after invading several homes near Sacramento in desperation to find food for her cubs. Even though the cubs were born in the wild; they were deemed unfit to participate in any type of rehab and release program because they were extremely young and participated in the home invasions with their mother. No one at the temporary holding facility wanted to see the Cubs euthanized so they contacted TWAS to rescue them. Now at the Sanctuary, Sierra and Nevada live in a large habitat where they will live for the rest of their lives with other rescued Bears.

 

Gus: New York State Wildlife Officials Confiscation – Gus is a male Black Bear that was being kept in a rundown facility that was supposed to be a Sanctuary, but had tiny cages and extremely poor facilities for the animals living there.  New York State Wildlife Officials, along with other Animal Welfare Agencies, raided the facility after the owner refused to comply with their attempts to raise the care standards there.  Gus and two other Black Bears were rescued by The Sanctuary and now live and roam freely in a large 20 acre habitat complete with underground dens and lots of friends to play with.

 

Natasha & Tiny: Texas Facility Closure – Natasha & Tiny were among 25 Bears that were rescued from a facility in Texas that was forced to close.  The owner of the facility ran away and left no funding to feed or care for over 300 animals.  With nowhere to go, TWAS and other facilities were called to the rescue to give all of the animals a second chance. These lucky Bears are now living together in a large acreage and enjoying their new freedom at TWAS. 

 

Tuvy, Pasha, George II, Arzo, Pumpkin, Boo Boo, Ballou, Ben III, Baby, Gracie, Lady, Murphy, Benny, Newman: Texas Facility Closure – These were among 25 Bears that were rescued from a facility in Texas that was forced to close.  The facility had no funding to feed or care for over 300 animals.  With nowhere to go, TWAS was specifically called to rescue all of the Bears and give them a second chance. All of the Bears are now living together in a large acreage habitat and enjoying their new freedom. 

 

Princess: Private Surrender - Princess and other Black Bears were rescued from a small property in Dayton, Ohio after their owner died suddenly. The Bears spent 20+ years of their lives living in tiny horse stalls with concrete floors. They were also declawed and had their teeth filed down because they were trained to perform tricks and wrestle people at local fairs. Now at TWAS, the Bears do not have to perform or wrestle another day and they just get to enjoy being a Bear in a large acreage habitat.

 

Sugar Bear:  Private Forfeiture —Female Black Bear, Sugar Bear, was raised by a couple in Ohio as a pet, but it soon became evident to them that bears don’t make good pets, and require an enormous amount of food and space to be happy and healthy.  The couple soon contacted TWAS to come rescue Sugar Bear and give her a    proper home where she can eat, play and hibernate like a bear should.

 

Mary, Pam, Bonnie II & Clyde II: Ohio Department of Agriculture Surrender/Confiscation—Black Bears Mary, Pam, Bonnie II and Clyde II and four African Lions were rescued from Zanesville, Ohio as a result of the new laws about private exotic animal ownership in Ohio. All of the animals were originally owned by Terry Thompson, the man who was responsible for letting his collection of 56 exotic animals loose before killing himself in October 2011 in Zanesville, OH.  Now at TWAS, Pam is living in one of the Sanctuary’s large acreage habitats, with her other Bear friends, where they can roam freely for the rest of their life.

 

Cody:  Amusement Park Closure--Male Black Bear, Cody, was a long-time resident of an amusement park located in Florida.  The wild animal portion of the park was closed in 2013, and a number of Bears living there needed to be rescued and find a life-long home.  The Wild Animal Sanctuary was happy to rescue them, and now Cody gets to enjoy romping and playing in a wide open habitat!

 

Chumlee, Sassy, Abby Lucy and Diesel: USDA-Enforced Zoo Closure--Chumlee, Sassy, Abby Lucy and Diesel were rescued from a road-side zoo in Wisconsin.  The owner of the zoo had purchased the Bears two years earlier when they were tiny cubs but was unable to renew his license.  The Bears are a tight-knit bunch and out of all the people the zoo-owner called, only the Sanctuary was willing to rescue all of them together.  Chumlee is the leader of the group, and the others happily follow him around enjoying life as a Bear was meant to - living and playing in a large open space in our Syrian Brown Bear habitat.

 

Jake:  Amusement Park Closure – This male Kodiak Grizzly Bear was a long-time resident of an amusement park located in Florida.  The Wild Animal portion of the park was closed in 2013, and Jake, along with some Black Bears living there, needed to be rescued and find a life-long home. The Wild Animal Sanctuary was happy to rescue Jake and he now gets to enjoy romping and playing in a wide open habitat!

 

Carolina, Ella, Catfish and Josie: South Carolina State Wildlife Officials Confiscation – These Black Bears were used in an ancient medieval custom called “Bear Baiting” where hunters train their dogs to attack captive bears that have had all of their teeth and claws removed and are chained to a wall.  This practice was illegal in every state in the U.S. except South Carolina and these Bears were regularly chained up and allowed to have packs of hunting dogs attack them in order to make the dogs feel more confident when they would go out on real hunting trips.  Finally, the SC legislature passed a law banning the practice, and we were able to rescue them and bring them to the Sanctuary.  Now they all live their lives in a wide open habitat free from harassment and have lots of love, respect, great food and good friends to enjoy!

 

Jessie II, Little Bear II & Coco: North Carolina Private Forfeiture - Jessie, Little Bear and Coco are Black Bears that were kept by a family - in a series of corn crib cages on a farm in North Carolina.  The family had purchased the bears as cubs and tried raising them as pets, but when they got bigger they put them into makeshift cages and left them there.  When they were forced to sell their farm, the family decided they weren’t going to take the Bears with them, so they contacted our Sanctuary to help provide them with a stable and much more appropriate home.  Now Jessie, Little Bear and Coco and live in a large acreage natural habitat where they can roam and play freely with all the scrumptious food they can eat.

 

GEORGIA BEARS ~

“GRIZZLY BEARS”: O.B., Urusula, Rose, Drew, Howell, Mancell, Marley, Mikie, Ringo, Alex, Anna, Mel, Sam, George, Helen, “BLACK BEARS”: Burton, Nikki, Nacoochee,  Goldie, Sassy II: Georgia Facility Closure-  21 Bears were rescued from Helen, GA as a result of the Black Forest Bear Park going into foreclosure.  All 21 Bears lived in barren concrete pits that were part of a tourist trap/roadside zoo.   Many animal welfare organizations had been pushing to close down the facility, but the end finally came when they failed to pay their mortgage.  Every year, their cubs were taken from the female Bears at birth and put on display for profit.  TWAS was able to rescue all of the bears, and rehabilitate them so they could live in large natural spaces.  Two of the female Grizzly Bears (O.B. and Ursula who were pregnant when rescued) gave birth to three cubs each at The Wild Animal Sanctuary, and they are finally able to raise them for the first time in their whole life with no fear of having them taken away from them.  

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Nutty Buddy: Georgia Department of Natural Resources Confiscation – Male Black Bear, Nutty Buddy, along with 5 other Black Bears were rescued by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. The Wild Animal Sanctuary was called upon to rescue these six Black Bears from two different facilities in their state. Both locations were unable to adequately care for their respective Black Bears, so state officials intervened, requiring them to give them up. Nutty Buddy was one of four bears residing at a place calling itself a “Sanctuary” which was essentially a guise for the private ownership of the animals. Both places utilized small cages buried in the woods to house the Bears, even employing old farm corncribs for caging. Far from those backwoods cages, Nutty Buddy and the other bears may now roam freely across their large acreage habitat to eat, sleep, and play plentifully!

 

Skittles: New York State Wildlife Officials Confiscation - Skittles is a Black Bear that was being kept in a small cage located in a junk-ridden back yard of a couple living in New York State.  The couple had purchased Skittles, along with a Mountain Lion and an African Serval with the intention of keeping them as pets - but once they all had grown up – they were placed in cramped cages out behind the couple’s house.  Skittles, and her fellow back yard “pet” friends were rescued and now live in open habitats with others of their own species.

 

Boudreaux: USDA Forced Zoo Forfeiture – Boudreaux is a male Black Bear that was once a wild Bear roaming the backwoods of Louisiana.  He got into human trouble a number of times and was finally captured by the LA Fish & Game Department and sent to a local zoo to live.  However, the zoo didn’t have an enclosure for him, so they placed him in an indoor concrete room that had no windows or skylights – where he stayed for more than 3 years.  The zoo kept swearing they were going to build a new exhibit for the Bear, but never did, so Boudreaux was left to languish in deprivation.  Finally, the USDA forced the zoo to surrender Boudreaux to our Sanctuary so he could be free from his solitary confinement cell, and live in a more natural environment at our Sanctuary.

 

Clyde III: New York State Wildlife Officials Confiscation – Clyde is a Black Bear that was being kept in a rundown facility that was supposed to be a Sanctuary, but had tiny cages and extremely poor facilities for the animals living there.  New York State Wildlife Officials, along with other Animal Welfare Agencies, raided the facility after the owner refused to comply with their attempts to raise the care standards there.  Clyde and  another Black Bear were rescued by The Sanctuary and now live and roam freely in a large 20 acre habitat complete with underground dens and lots of friends to play with.

 

Dora, Dasha, Sasha, Sebastian, Darwin & Diego: New York Court Ordered Confiscation – These 6 Black Bears were confiscated (by court order) from a man who was breeding and selling Black Bears and other exotic animals from his backyard facility.  Dora, Dasha, Sasha, Sebastian, Darwin and Diego were kept together in a tiny concrete and steel cage in this man’s unofficial roadside zoo.  New York State Courts ruled he had to get rid of his animals, or they would have to be euthanized, so our Sanctuary worked with two other animal welfare organizations to arrange for the Bears to be saved.  They were rescued and brought to live in large natural habitats where they will be able to enjoy their wonderful new home for the rest of their lives.

 

Sun & Moon:  Tennessee Wildlife Department Confiscation - Moon, a female Asiatic Black Bear and Sun, a male Asiatic Black Bear were confiscated from a tourist attraction in Pigeon Forge, TN.  They were being kept by the owner of a place called Three Bears Gift Shop, but were obtained illegally, so the TN Fish & Game officials were able to confiscate them and let us bring them to live in a more natural setting here at TWAS.  Sun and Moon will now be able to roam freely in their own large acreage habitat and enjoy their new-found ability to eat well, hibernate and do everything else Bears enjoy!

 

Ricki:  Forced Private Forfeiture - Ricki is a female Black Bear that lived in a small concrete and steel cage outside of an ice cream shop located in Pennsylvania for more than 12 years. Ricki’s cage was located next to a Putt-Putt golf course in order to attract more visitors to the ice cream shop.  Visitors would watch Ricki pace back and forth all day and would buy dog food from vending machines to put down a PVC pipe that led to Ricki’s cage.  Private citizens, along with the Animal Legal Defense Fund, sued the owner and were able to reach a settlement where Ricki would be freed and come to the Sanctuary where she could then live and roam freely in a large acreage natural habitat.

 

Kelly:  USDA Confiscation - Kelly, a male Syrian Brown Bear was born at The Wild Animal Sanctuary shortly after his pregnant mother, Paula, and intact father, Simon, were rescued from a defunct roadside zoo in West Virginia.  They were kept in a tiny mud-ridden cage for years before the USDA finally closed the facility.  Fortunately for Kelly, this handsome Syrian Brown Bear will never have to live in the fetid squalor that Paula and Simon did.  Now living as a family unit in a large, natural habitat, these three Bears live a life of dignity and respect previously unimaginable.

 

Trouble:  City Zoo Forfeiture - Male Brown Bear, Trouble, came to live at the Sanctuary when a city zoo in Minnesota was forced to downsize due to budget constraints.  The zoo’s director and staff went to great lengths to ensure their beloved Trouble would be going to the best life-long home possible, and chose the Sanctuary after coming for a personal visit.  This large, handsome Bear now lives on many acres of natural habitat in the midst of numerous other Bear habitats and will be loved, cared for and respected for the rest of his life.

 

Molly:  Ohio Department of Agriculture Seizure - Female Syrian Brown Bear, Molly, came to live at the Sanctuary with 11 other Bears as a result of the State of Ohio’s new law restricting ownership of dangerous wild animals.   Molly was confiscated along with two other adult Syrian Brown Bears from a breeder that failed to come into compliance with the new law.  Upon being confiscated, Molly and the other Bears were held temporarily at a state-run wildlife facility, which is where she gave birth to a single female cub named Betty Jean.  All 12 Bears were rescued by The Wild Animal Sanctuary and Molly and her cub now live in a spacious 15 acre habitat!

 

Zelda:  Ohio Department of Agriculture Seizure - Female Syrian Brown Bear cub, Zelda, came to live at the Sanctuary with her mother, Ersila, two siblings and 8 other Bears as a result of the State of Ohio’s new law restricting ownership of dangerous wild animals.   Zelda’s mother, Ersila, was confiscated along with two other adult Syrian Brown Bears from a breeder that failed to come into compliance with the new law.  Upon being  confiscated, Ersila and the other Bears were held temporarily at a state-run wildlife facility, which is where Ersila gave birth to three cubs, including Zelda.  All 12 Bears were rescued by The Wild    Animal Sanctuary and Zelda and her family now live in a spacious 15 acre habitat!

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Lily:  Private Forfeiture - Lily is a female Asiatic Black Bear that was rescued from a roadside zoo in Maryland.  Along with her brother, Lily was placed in a concrete-floored, 12-feet diameter corn crib ten years earlier.  After her brother was relocated to another roadside zoo, Lily lived a life of isolation in filth and squalor, with nothing to do but eat.  As a result she became morbidly obese and her health became a concern of visitors.  With pressure from many fronts, the zoo’s owner finally agreed to let Lily be rescued.  She now joins the Sanctuary’s other Asiatic Bears to roam freely in a large acreage habitat and enjoying everything Bears enjoy!

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Polly:  Zoo Surrender - Female Syrian Brown Bear, Polly, was previously kept by the Detroit Zoo.  Wanting to provide a better home for all of its Bears, the Zoo opted to retire and re-home Polly and a Black Bear to give their remaining Bears more room.  After an extensive search and review of sanctuaries, the zoo decided The Wild Animal Sanctuary would be the best place for the Bears to live.  Upon being asked, The Sanctuary was more than happy to give beautiful Polly and her zoo-mate a lifetime home of wild open spaces, lots of good food and living with other Bears.

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Benji:  Indiana Sanctuary Surrender - Male Black Bear cub, Benji, came into the world at a Bear breeding facility where he was subsequently purchased by an Indiana couple who wanted him as a “pet”.  Benji was then confiscated by the Indiana DNR since it is illegal to possess a Bear in the state, and was placed at a wildlife sanctuary also located in Indiana.  Realizing they really did not have the facilities or know-how to properly raise a Bear cub, they asked The Wild Animal Sanctuary if we would give Benji a home, to which we gladly agreed!  Benji now looks forward to living with other Black Bears in a 15-acre habitat, finally getting to live like a Bear truly ought. 

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Baloo:  Alabama Petting Zoo Surrender - Male Black Bear cub, Baloo, and his parents were rescued from a petting zoo in rural Alabama.  When asked by the owner of the facility to take Baloo, since he was not permitted to have any additional Bears, the Sanctuary agreed on the condition the parent Bears were allowed to come to the Sanctuary as well—thus preventing further breeding and removing them from a horrible life.  Once large enough, Baloo will join his parents and other Black Bears in a 15-acre habitat, never knowing the terrible life of living in a steel and concrete cage, and being loved and respected for the amazing animal he is. 

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Kody:  ODA and USDA-mandated Relinquishment--Male Grizzly Bear, Kody, had a multi-year, round-about trip before finally getting to settle at the Sanctuary.  He was one of 24 animals suffering from declining care at an animal rescue facility in Spearfish, South Dakota.  Previously, that facility had been caring for Kody as a ‘ward of the court’ since Kody had been confiscated from his owner in Ohio—who was now legally appealing Kody’s confiscation by the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA).  The South Dakota facility began to suffer from overcrowding and mismanagement.  As a result, the USDA stepped in when many of the exotic animals showed signs of being undernourished.  Because the facility’s director was initially unwilling to surrender the animals, the USDA was prepared to legally confiscate the affected animals.  However, at the last minute the director acquiesced and the animals were surrendered to The Wild Animal Sanctuary.  After two-plus years of additional legal wrangling, Kody is now a full resident of the Sanctuary and can look forward to living out the rest of his life with plenty of food to eat and having acres and acres of room to roam!

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Tupak, Nico and Pina:  Zoo Closure--Male Spectacled Bears, Tupak and Nico and Female Spectacled Bear, Pina, were three of hundreds of animals in need of a new home when the city of Buenos Aires decided to close its zoo and convert it to an Ecopark due to the antiquated and inhumane conditions in which the animals were living.  These three Bears lived their entire lives in a decades-old concrete grotto enclosure, often spending their days begging for food from guests.  The Wild Animal Sanctuary happily agreed to take them when asked by the zoo, and now these three unique Bears will be the first residents of the new 250-acre Bear habitat at The Wild Animal Refuge where they can live in the most natural habitat possible!

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Grizzly Bears, Maverick, Timber, Amos, Mishka and Miss Montana, along with her sister, Miss America, all come from varied backgrounds but ended up at a rescue facility near Los Angeles.  Due to a number of setbacks at the facility, in mid-2019 the California Department of Fish and Wildlife assumed care of all the facility’s animals and asked the Sanctuary to provide a home for these six Grizzly Bears and many other animals.  Naturally, the Sanctuary agreed so now these majestic Grizzlies are living out their lives on over 100 acres of forested land with others of their own kind, giving them the most natural life possible and everything a Bear could ask for.

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Black Bears, Brett, Liberty, Cheyenne and Chloe, all come from varied backgrounds but ended up at a rescue facility near Los Angeles.  Due to a number of setbacks at the facility, in mid-2019 the California Department of Fish and Wildlife assumed care of all the facility’s animals and asked the Sanctuary to provide a home for these four bruins and many other animals.  Naturally, the Sanctuary agreed so now these four Bears are living out their lives in a large-acreage habitat with many other Black Bears and everything else a Bear could ask for.

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Male Grizzly Bears Yogui, Atila, Buko and Fausto along with Female Grizzly Bears Rosita, Julieta, Esperanzea, Libertad, Mabel and Sopresa:  Zoo Closure--were part of hundreds of animals in need of a new home when the City of Mendoza, Argentina decided to close its zoo and convert it to an Ecopark due to the antiquated and inhumane conditions in which the animals were living.  These Grizzlies lived their entire lives in decades-old concrete grotto enclosures.  When asked, The Wild Animal Sanctuary happily agreed to take give them a new forever home, and now these ten Bears will become some of the first residents of the new 103-acre Grizzly Bear habitat at The Wild Animal Refuge where they can live in the most natural habitat possible!

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Dillan:  USDA Assisted Private Forfeiture - Dillan is a male Asiatic Black Bear that was 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 severe zoochosis where he rocked rhythmically against a concrete wall hours on end—for years 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 ownership finally agreed to release him to the USDA which then released him to The Wild Animal Sanctuary.  Dillan will now join one of the Sanctuary’s female Asiatic Bears and they will together roam freely in a large acreage habitat and enjoy living a healthy life, free from harm and doing everything else Bears enjoy!

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Charity, Charlotte and Oliver: Mandated Owner Relinquishment - These three Grizzly Bear litter-mates were only about two and one-half months old when rescued by the Sanctuary.  Born at a facility that breeds Bears and sells cubs, the breeder attempted to bring them into the state of Ohio without the proper permits.  There is little doubt that they were taken away from their mother shortly after birth and were on their way to some place where they would be exploited for profit.  Fortunately, the cubs were discovered.  Facing prosecution, the breeder surrendered them to the state which asked a major zoo to care for them until a permanent home could be found.  Within a matter of days the Sanctuary drove to Ohio and brought the three cubs to their new forever home.  These three beautiful Bears can now look forward to the best of care and when old enough, be released into the massive Grizzly Bear habitat at the Refuge to live as close to wild as possible.

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Sally:  Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Confiscation - Four-month old female Black Bear cub, Sally, was confiscated by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries when she was discovered being kept as a so-called pet near Baton Rouge.  Tethered to a truck by a rope less than three-feet long, Sally was severely malnourished and very underweight when confiscated.  From what could be gathered, her diet consisted mostly of bread and authorities found no water bowl for her, either.  Upon being confiscated, Sally was kept and cared for by a zoo in New Orleans until a suitable home could be found for her.  Now at the Sanctuary, Sally will have all the nutritious food and clean water she could ever desire, and be able to live with other Black Bears as naturally as possible in a large-acreage habitat.

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Bearita:  Private Surrender – Bearita is a female Grizzly Bear that was rescued from a private zoo in Seguin, Texas.  She, along with her sister, Pooh, were owned by a wealthy Mexican religious leader who kept them just so his family could see them on display at their own private zoo, which was called Silver Wolf Ranch.  Both Bearita and Pooh lived in a small cage at the zoo and were forced to deal year-round with the sweltering heat of south Texas.  As such, both Pooh and Bearita never grew to be the normal size of a majestic Grizzly Bear.  Thankfully, their life of misery at the zoo ended when they were rescued and brought to our 9,743-acre Refuge in southern Colorado.  Now, both Pooh and Bearita roam freely within a 103-acre forested habitat and are able to follow their natural instinct to hibernate deep within natural underground caves.  Simply being able to engage in this seasonal cycle has made a significant difference in Bearita’s overall health and demeanor.  Even though Bearita will never be as large as she could have been, she is now a happy Grizzly Bear and enjoys her wonderful life at The Wild Animal Refuge!

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Pooh:  Private Surrender – Pooh is a female Grizzly Bear that was rescued from a private zoo in Seguin, Texas.  She, along with her sister, Bearita, were owned by a wealthy Mexican religious leader who kept them just so his family could see them on display at their own private zoo, which was called Silver Wolf Ranch.  Both Bearita and Pooh lived in a small cage at the zoo and were forced to deal year-round with the sweltering heat of south Texas.  As such, both Pooh and Bearita never grew to be the normal size of a majestic Grizzly Bear.  Thankfully, their life of misery at the zoo ended when they were rescued and brought to our 9,743-acre Refuge in southern Colorado.  Now, both Pooh and Bearita roam freely within a 103-acre forested habitat and are able to follow their natural instinct to hibernate deep within natural underground caves.  Simply being able to engage in this seasonal cycle has made a significant difference in Pooh’s overall health and demeanor.  Even though Pooh will never be as large as she could have been, she is now a happy Grizzly Bear and enjoys her wonderful life at The Wild Animal Refuge!

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Loretta:  USDA Confiscation – Loretta is a female Grizzly Bear that was rescued from a terrible facility in the state of Indiana.  Loretta, along with four other adult Bears and her two-juvenile offspring were confiscated from their owner due to severe health and welfare violations.  Loretta and the other Bears, along with a female Mountain Lion, were being kept in tiny steel cages and forced to endure the freezing cold winters without proper shelter.  Loretta and the other Bears were individually locked inside large non-insulated iron drums (tubes) whenever their owner decided it was time they should hibernate.  There, locked inside against their will, the Bears would claw at the walls of the drum trying to escape their harshly cold and barren jail cells.  Thankfully, the USDA confiscated the animals and called on The Wild Animal Sanctuary to rescue them.  Now that Loretta has been reunited with her two juvenile cubs they, along with the other recued Grizzly Bears, roam freely within a 20-acre natural habitat complete with comfortable underground dens to hibernate – as well as a large lake for them to enjoy!

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Henreitta: California Department of Fish & Wildlife Relocation – female black bear, Henreitta, was formerly known across the country as “Hank the Tank” after multiple home invasions between Nevada and California. Her photo went viral, and the “Hank” nickname followed in suit before it could be confirmed she was female. Due to her nationwide support, California Department of Fish and Wildlife granted her a rare reprieve from the euthanasia that often befalls wild “nuisance” bears. Colorado Parks and Wildlife then utilized their once-a-year exemption to relocate a bear of this kind to a Sanctuary. Henrietta now lives in a sprawling 230-acre forested habitat with other black bears at our Wild Animal Refuge and will have a full, safe life for all her days. She’s certainly one of the lucky ones, and a reminder that it’s up to human neighbors to not put bears’ lives at risk if bear-proofing protocols are not observed.

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