The Welfare of Rescued Big Cats in Sanctuaries

Thousands of big cats in US private ownership end up in sanctuaries — welfare depends on accreditation quality.

Key Facts

The US has more captive tigers than exist in the wild globally — estimated at 5,000-10,000
The Big Cat Public Safety Act banned public interaction with big cats in 2022
Accredited big cat sanctuaries provide large natural habitats with appropriate enrichment
Unaccredited facilities calling themselves sanctuaries may offer poor welfare conditions

Welfare Considerations

The US big cat crisis — created by decades of lax private ownership laws — has been partially addressed by the Big Cat Public Safety Act, but thousands of captive tigers, lions, and other big cats remain in facilities of wildly varying quality. True accredited sanctuaries provide large naturalistic enclosures, species-appropriate enrichment, professional veterinary care, and do not allow public handling or riding. Verifying sanctuary credentials before visiting or donating is essential — many facilities use sanctuary branding while providing conditions that do not meet accredited standards.

What You Can Do

Support the Big Cat Public Safety Act implementation and enforcement
Verify GFAS or comparable accreditation before visiting or donating to big cat facilities
Never support facilities that allow petting, feeding, or photographing big cats
Advocate for state-level bans on private big cat ownership