How to Find an Ethical Wildlife Sanctuary

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Wildlife sanctuaries are directed to be refuges for animals at risk of extinction.  But some “sanctuaries” hold animals hostage in terrible conditions or are used for profit. Here’s a short guide on how to find an ethical sanctuary.

Research before going

The first rule is checking if the sanctuary is associated with a national or international trustworthy conservation organization. Other important thing to do is to contact the sanctuary previously. Asking questions like how are the animals kept or if they are bred, will help you clarify if it is an ethical sanctuary.

Lawful accreditation

If a sanctuary has the correct certification, you can have a tad more of certainty that it is an ethical sanctuary.The greatest standard is the membership of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries which has a strict code to grant membership to the sanctuaries.

Red flags

Any ethical institution would not offer physical contact with animals, as this may cause them stress. If they offer ‘hands-on’ activities it is probably not an ethical institution. Also, check how the animals are housed. If the way they are kept doesn’t resemble their natural habitat, you know it is not a good sanctuary.

No reputable organization breeds animals –unless its species is in immense danger of extinction- so if you see they are breeding them, it is probably an unethical sanctuary as they are probably just stretching resources for profit.

If you follow all these tips, decide to go to the sanctuary, and still find some wrongdoing there, the best you can do is to amount photo and video evidnce, and report it to the World Wildlife Foundation, the International Fund for Animal Welfare and the Born Free Foundation.

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