Wildlife sanctuaries provide care for animals that cannot be returned to the wild — but standards vary enormously, and distinguishing genuine sanctuaries from exploitative facilities is essential.
The sanctuary label is frequently misused by commercial facilities that keep wild animals in exploitative conditions while presenting themselves as rescue operations. The hallmark of genuine sanctuaries is that they prioritise animal welfare over visitor revenue: animals are not used for entertainment, direct visitor contact is avoided for wild species, and long-term welfare is the primary goal. GFAS accreditation provides a reliable quality signal. Supporting genuine sanctuaries and refusing to visit or patronise pseudo-sanctuaries is both a welfare action and a signal to the market.