As the exotic pet trade and entertainment industry have produced waves of displaced animals, sanctuary standards have become increasingly important for ensuring these animals receive genuine welfare, not just sympathetic-sounding captivity.
The term 'sanctuary' has been heavily misused by facilities that breed, sell, and profit from animals while marketing themselves as rescuers. Genuine sanctuaries provide lifetime care, do not breed, do not sell, and do not allow paying visitors to interact with animals. The welfare difference between a genuine sanctuary and a facility using sanctuary branding for commercial purposes is enormous - it is the difference between an animal living in species-appropriate conditions with appropriate social complexity and an animal being repeatedly stressed for human entertainment. Supporting accredited sanctuaries and avoiding 'pay to play' facilities is the most direct welfare intervention available to the public.