Forest Animal Rescue Assisting with Biggest Big Cat Rescue in U.S. History

Multiple Accredited Sanctuaries Collaborate to Rescue 110 Big Cats and Bears in Colorado

Forest Animal Rescue (FAR) is an accredited wild animal sanctuary. Founded in 1998, FAR has a strong history of rescuing wild animals from inappropriate captive situations and educating others about the plight these animals face in captivity. Their mission of providing lifetime care to nonreleasable wild animals has recently expanded to include rehabilitation and release of wild black bear cubs.

Forest Animal Rescue has almost 100 animals at their 80-acre sanctuary in the Ocala National Forest in Marion County. This wooded sanctuary provides forever homes to animals ranging from big cats to wolves, bears, primates and more that were born into captivity and had nowhere else to go.

On September 21, Two organizations, Tigers in America (TIA) and Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR), purchased the property and equipment of a Colorado based animal facility, whose owner was in ill health and wanted to ensure the well-being of the 110 wild animals on the property. He donated the animals to TCWR with the understanding that they would put the welfare of the animals first.

Many of the animals from Colorado are in need of veterinary care and an enormous amount of work needs to be done before winter sets in at the property in Colorado.

So far, TCWR has moved 27 big cats to their facility in Arkansas and TIA has committed to placing and transporting the remainder of the animals who need new forever homes to the best big cat sanctuaries in the U.S.; some of them will be making the trip to Florida before the Holidays.

Forest Animal Rescue is part of that combined effort. FAR is planning to accept two tigers and two black bears in desperate need of forever homes, and will be quickly building acreage habitats to give them the space and comfort they deserve right here in Marion County.

This project is an enormous undertaking and the cooperation and generosity of the animal sanctuary community cannot be overstated. This is an unprecedented showing of sanctuaries working together to make sure no big cat or exotic animal will be left behind.