Sanctuary Standards: What Makes a True Animal Sanctuary

The term sanctuary is unregulated and misused, making it essential for supporters and visitors to distinguish genuine sanctuaries from facilities that exploit the label.

Key Facts

No legal definition of animal sanctuary exists in most jurisdictions, allowing any facility to use the term regardless of welfare standards
Genuine sanctuaries provide permanent care for animals that cannot be released, avoid exploitative interactions such as riding or petting for profit, and do not breed animals for commercial purposes
Accreditation by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) provides independent verification of welfare standards against published criteria
Facilities that breed animals, use them in performances, or sell animals do not meet the sanctuary definition even if they describe themselves as one
Elephant sanctuaries that offer riding are not sanctuaries by welfare standards; genuine elephant sanctuaries provide observation-only contact without physical interaction

Welfare Considerations

Sanctuary misuse directly harms animal welfare by allowing facilities with poor conditions to benefit from the positive associations of the word while providing no genuine sanctuary to the animals in their care. Animals at facilities that call themselves sanctuaries but breed, perform, or sell may experience welfare conditions equivalent to or worse than straightforwardly commercial facilities. Welfare-literate engagement with sanctuaries requires looking past the label to the specific practices: does the facility breed? Do they offer paid interactions? Is there independent accreditation?

What You Can Do

Research any facility calling itself a sanctuary before visiting or donating using GFAS accreditation status as a guide
Avoid facilities that offer hands-on animal interactions for payment even if they describe themselves as sanctuaries
Support GFAS-accredited sanctuaries as verified providers of genuine welfare-positive animal care
Share sanctuary identification criteria with others who want to visit or support animal facilities
Advocate for regulation of sanctuary labelling in jurisdictions where it remains unprotected