Lions Tigers & Bears is intense about guarding unique animals

Lions Tigers & Bears is a nonprofit corporation in Alpine focused to supplying sanctuary to abused and deserted exotic animals.

To discover more, the La Jolla Light posed the following thoughts to founder and director Bobbi Brink:

Q. When did your establishment get started? Who founded it? What is its mission?

A. I started San Diego’s Lions Tigers & Bears in 2002 when I bought a contact about two tigers named Raja and Natasha who ended up living in a 6-by-12-foot chain-connection enclosure in a backyard in Texas. The proprietor purchased the tigers as a present for his wife, but they were receiving divorced and he did not want the wife to have the tigers.

I had needed to start out an animal sanctuary … after performing with animals due to the fact 1990 and witnessing firsthand the abuses of the exotic animal trade when I was residing in Texas.

When I got the phone, I realized I experienced to act promptly, and in considerably less than 30 days I secured the allowing, funding, transportation and place to carry the cats to Alpine, the very same internet site the sanctuary is positioned now. What began with the rescue of Raja and Natasha is now Lions Tigers & Bears, dwelling to a lot more than 65 animals across 19 species.

Lions Tigers & Bears presents a haven to abused and deserted unique animals and inspires an educational forum to conclude the exotic animal trade. As a point out and federally certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Lions Tigers & Bears enables the animals in its treatment to live out their lives with dignity in a caring and secure ecosystem.

I also do the job across the nation to coordinate the rescue of large cats, bears and unique animals and relocate them to reputable sanctuaries where they will reside peacefully. … To date, the LTB rescue team has rescued a lot more than 1,100 major cats, bears, wolves and other animals.

Q. What providers do you supply?

A. Lions Tigers & Bears is a refuge for retired circus animals, unique animals previously made use of for … image and petting options and deserted, illegally owned large cats, all who’ve been rescued and given without end residences in broad open habitats.

The general public is welcome to e-book visits, turn out to be a member, host functions or keep the night at White Oak Wild Evenings, the onsite, private two-bed room high-class retreat.

Throughout visits, which materialize Wednesdays via Saturdays, friends embark on a two-hour guided check out of the sanctuary to understand about each and every of the animals and its rescue story. Guests can even feed the animals element of their each day eating plan with a keeper in the course of a “Feed with the Keeper” or “Behind the Scenes” working experience for those people 18 or older.

At White Oak Wild Evenings, attendees can take pleasure in numerous pools and a scorching tub, an outside kitchen, roaming the sanctuary, observing the animals and can decide to have a meal ready by a neighborhood private chef.

Q. What tends to make you and/or your business special compared with related ones?

A. Lions Tigers & Bears is San Diego’s only huge cat and bear sanctuary and the 1st in Southern California. The sanctuary is one particular of the only types in the country to be accredited by each the International Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and the American Sanctuary Association. To be accredited, a sanctuary have to fulfill really stringent rules about habitat sizing, animal care, and so on.

Each and every animal at the sanctuary has been rescued. They each individual have a unique tale, but their typical bond is that they are victims of the exotic animal trade. They’ve been born in captivity, employed for financial gain — like cub-petting chances, the enjoyment field or roadside zoos — and then dumped off. Other people have been bred and offered as animals, and then their entrepreneurs abandon or check out to sell them mainly because they never have the capacity or know-how to care for them.

The sanctuary is nestled on 143 acres on the edge of the Cleveland National Forest, and it presents a tranquil existence for … unique and ranch animals (lions, tigers, black bears, grizzly bears, bobcats, a leopard, a mountain lion, servals, llamas, horses, a donkey, goats, sheep, chickens, peacocks and a macaw).

At Lions Tigers & Bears, we do not buy, market, breed, trade or exploit animals. It is a no-get hold of facility, indicating no website visitors or staff will ever have just one-on-one particular contact with these animals.

Q. What is new lately that you want every person to know about?

A. Lions Tigers & Bears has rescued and taken in 15 animals given that 2021, which includes a tiger from an deserted Oklahoma zoo, a 700-pound grizzly bear that retired from the film business and two Himalayan black bears that had been neglected for a long time by a defunct roadside zoo.

My crew and I are often law enforcement’s initially simply call to rescue an animal, as we are a single of the only sanctuaries in the place geared up to rescue, transport and provide veterinary care to rescued animals. We have a condition-of-the-art, self-contained 18-wheel animal rescue hauler that supplies a safe and sound house for the animals to make them as at ease as feasible on their journey to their new property.

Also, there are numerous alternatives to volunteer — which includes foodstuff preparation, specific activities and business office assist, carpentry or even training as a stop by information — and each activity is significant to the sanctuary’s functions.

Q. What are the positive aspects of operating with La Jollans?

A. La Jollans have taken a wonderful fascination in Lions Tigers & Bears. We have quite a few longtime members and donors who dwell in La Jolla that we deeply appreciate. It will take a lot of function and methods to continue to keep this sanctuary open up and able to rescue even far more animals. We’re grateful for the support we get from our site visitors and donors.

Learn much more at lionstigersandbears.org.

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