Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries

Category: Awards

  • Recipients of the 2025 Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Awards Announced

    Recipients of the 2025 Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Awards Announced

    Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries honors sanctuaries, rescue, rehabilitation, and transition centers for exceptional animal care, professionalism and ethics.

    October 24, 2025- (Washington, DC) The Board of Directors of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) today announced the recipient of the 2025 Carole Noon Award, Tim Ajax of Oklahoma Primate Sanctuary. The Carole Noon Award is named after the late Dr. Carole Noon, a courageous and innovative sanctuary pioneer and champion of chimpanzees.

    The GFAS Board of Directors also presented the annual Outstanding Sanctuary Awards to recognize excellence in humane and responsible animal care; professionalism and ethics; organizational sustainability; public engagement; and contributions to, and leadership within, the sanctuary field. Recipients included The Elephant Sanctuary, Tennessee; Full Circle Farm Sanctuary, Georgia; Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Centre, DRC Congo; and The Flicka Foundation, U.K..

    “This year’s award recipients truly embody and put into practice the GFAS philosophy of vision, dedication, and excellence in animal care,” noted Valerie Taylor, Executive Director of GFAS. “Part of the GFAS mission is to recognize sanctuaries and rescue centers and raise awareness of their work, and the 2025 Award recipients serve as exemplary models of many important characteristics attributed to true sanctuaries, demonstrating professionalism, collaborative spirit, and leadership, all for the animals – qualities highly regarded by GFAS and the late Dr. Noon.”

    To learn more about each of this year’s award winners, click on the links below. GFAS urges everyone to help support the important work of these incredible organizations by making a monetary or in-kind donation, following them on social media, and signing up for and sharing their newsletters.

    Editor’s Notes:

    GFAS is a global leader in accreditation programs for animal sanctuaries, assessing facilities against a robust set of operational and animal care standards, including species-specific standards for elephants, great apes, big cats, horses, farmed animals, and others. More information about GFAS at www.sanctuaryfederation.org and a list of previous awardees at https://www.sanctuaryfederation.org/about-gfas/carole-noon-award/.

    Thank you to the generous sponsor of this event!

    https://secure.humaneworld.org/

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  • Recipients of the 2024 Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Awards Announced

    Recipients of the 2024 Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Awards Announced

    Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries honors sanctuaries, rescue, rehabilitation, and transition centers for exceptional animal care, professionalism and ethics.

    October 16, 2024 – (Washington, DC) The Board of Directors of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) announces the recipient of the 2024 Carole Noon Award, Dr. Indra Lahiri of Indraloka Animal Sanctuary, Pennsylvania. The Carole Noon Award is named after the late Dr. Carole Noon, a courageous and innovative sanctuary pioneer and champion of chimpanzees.

    The GFAS Board of Directors also presents the annual Outstanding Sanctuary Awards to recognize excellence in humane and responsible animal care; professionalism and ethics; organizational sustainability; public engagement; and contributions to, and leadership within, the sanctuary field. Recipients include Lucky Orphans, New York; Peace Ridge Sanctuary, Maine; Wolf Haven International, Washington; and Wild Futures, U.K. Register to attend the Virtual Awards Ceremony on Friday, October 25 to hear directly from all of these groups: https://staging.sanctuaryfederation.org/about-gfas/carole-noon-award/

    “This year’s award recipients truly embody and put into practice the GFAS philosophy of vision, dedication, and excellence in animal care,” noted Valerie Taylor, Executive Director of GFAS. “Part of the GFAS mission is to recognize sanctuaries and rescue centers and raise awareness of their work, and the 2024 Award recipients serve as exemplary models of many important characteristics attributed to true sanctuaries, demonstrating professionalism, collaborative spirit, and leadership, all for the animals – qualities highly regarded by GFAS and the late Dr. Noon.”

    To learn more about each of this year’s award winners, click on the links above. GFAS urges everyone to help support the important work of these incredible organizations by making a monetary or in-kind donation, following them on social media, and signing up for and sharing their newsletters.

    Editor’s Notes:

    GFAS is a global leader in accreditation programs for animal sanctuaries, assessing facilities against a robust set of operational and animal care standards, including species-specific standards for elephants, great apes, big cats, horses, farmed animals, and others. More information about GFAS at www.sanctuaryfederation.org and a list of previous awardees at: https://staging.sanctuaryfederation.org/about-gfas/carole-noon-award/

    Download the press release.

    Thank you to the generous sponsors of this event!

    https://onetosavemany.com                                 https://humanesociety.org

     

  • Recipients of the 2023 Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Awards Announced

    Recipients of the 2023 Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Awards Announced

    Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries honors sanctuaries, rescue, rehabilitation, and transition centers for exceptional animal care,
    professionalism and ethics.  Learn more about these organizations here.

    October 27, 2023 – (Washington, DC) The Board of Directors of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) today announced the recipient of the 2023 Carole Noon Award, Tammy Thies of The Wildcat Sanctuary, Minnesota. The Carole Noon Award is named after the late Dr. Carole Noon, a courageous and innovative sanctuary pioneer and champion of chimpanzees.

    The GFAS Board of Directors also presented the annual Outstanding Sanctuary Awards to recognize excellence in humane and responsible animal care; professionalism and ethics; organizational sustainability; public engagement; and contributions to, and leadership within, the sanctuary field. Recipients included The Donkey Sanctuary of Canada, Canada; Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge, North Carolina; Vervet Monkey Foundation, South Africa; and Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, Malawi.

    “This year’s award recipients truly embody and put into practice the GFAS philosophy of vision, dedication, and excellence in animal care,” noted Valerie Taylor, Executive Director of GFAS. “Part of the GFAS mission is to recognize sanctuaries and rescue centers and raise awareness of their work, and the 2023 Award recipients serve as exemplary models of many important characteristics attributed to true sanctuaries, demonstrating professionalism, collaborative spirit, and leadership, all for the animals – qualities highly regarded by GFAS and the late Dr. Noon.”

    To learn more about each of this year’s award winners, click on the links below. GFAS urges everyone to help support the important work of these incredible organizations by making a monetary or in-kind donation, following them on social media, and signing up for and sharing their newsletters.

    GFAS is a global leader in accreditation programs for animal sanctuaries, assessing facilities against a robust set of operational and animal care standards, including species-specific standards for elephants, great apes, big cats, horses, farmed animals, and others. More information about GFAS at www.sanctuaryfederation.org and a list of previous awardees at https://www.sanctuaryfederation.org/about-gfas/carole-noon-award/.

    Download press release.

  • Sanctuary Award Week 2023

    Sanctuary Award Week 2023

    Sanctuary Award Week 2023:
    A Week of Webinars to Celebrate the Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Award Winners

    To celebrate the Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Award Winners, we have put together several great presentations for the week of the virtual ceremony.  Below, you will find information on each of the upcoming presentations, as well as links to register to attend. We will be recording each webinar if there are some you are not able to attend. All webinars take place at 11:00 a.m. pacific/2:00 p.m. eastern on the dates listed.

    Monday, October 23
    Building a Donation Driven Website, presented by Dave Graham, Sanctuary Websites
    View a description of this webinar and register

    Tuesday, October 24
    Introduction to Animal-Centered Design, presented by Lenore Braford and Paul Drake, Piedmont Farm Animal Refuge
    View a description of this webinar and register

    Thursday, October 26, 2023
    How Do Sanctuaries Create Change?, presented by Jackie Bennett, GFAS
    View a description of this webinar and register

    Friday, October 27
    Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Awards Virtual Ceremony
    Register to attend

  • Recipients of the 2022 Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Awards Announced

    Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries honors sanctuaries, rescue, rehabilitation, and transition centers for exceptional animal care, professionalism and ethics.

    October 21, 2022 – (Washington, DC) The Board of Directors of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) today announced the recipient of the 2022 Carole Noon Award, Lynn Cuny of Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, Texas. The Carole Noon Award is named after the late Dr. Carole Noon, a courageous and innovative sanctuary pioneer and champion of chimpanzees.

    The GFAS Board of Directors also presented the annual Outstanding Sanctuary Awards to recognize excellence in humane and responsible animal care; professionalism and ethics; organizational sustainability; public engagement; and contributions to, and leadership within, the sanctuary field. Recipients included Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue, Maryland; Goodheart Farm Animal Sanctuary, U.K.; Three Ring Ranch Exotic Animal Sanctuary, Hawaii; and Global Sanctuary for Elephants, Brazil.

    “This year’s award recipients truly embody and put into practice the GFAS philosophy of vision, dedication, and excellence in animal care,” noted Valerie Taylor, Executive Director of GFAS. “Part of the GFAS mission is to recognize sanctuaries and rescue centers and raise awareness of their work, and the 2022 Award recipients serve as exemplary models of many important characteristics attributed to true sanctuaries, demonstrating professionalism, collaborative spirit, and leadership, all for the animals – qualities highly regarded by GFAS and the late Dr. Noon.”

    To learn more about each of this year’s award winners, click on the links below. GFAS urges everyone to help support the important work of these incredible organizations by making a monetary or in-kind donation, following them on social media, and signing up for and sharing their newsletters.

    GFAS is a global leader in accreditation programs for animal sanctuaries, assessing facilities against a robust set of operational and animal care standards, including species-specific standards for elephants, great apes, big cats, horses, farmed animals, and others. More information about GFAS at www.sanctuaryfederation.org and a list of previous awardees at https://staging.sanctuaryfederation.org/about-gfas/carole-noon-award/.

    Carole Noon Award Winner:
    Lynn Cuny, Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation

    		 Outstanding Sanctuary Award, Wildlife:
    Three Ring Ranch Exotic Animal Sanctuary

    Outstanding Sanctuary Award, Equine:
    Gentle Giants Draft Horse Rescue

    Outstanding Sanctuary Award, International:
    Global Sanctuary for Elephants, Brazil
    Outstanding Sanctuary Award, Farmed Animals:
    Goodheart Farm Animal Sanctuary

     

    Download press release.

  • Recipients of the 2021 Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Awards Announced

    Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries honors sanctuaries, rescue, rehabilitation, and transition centers  for exceptional animal care, professionalism and ethics.

    October 22, 2021 – (Washington, DC) The Board of Directors of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) today announced the recipient of the 2021 Carole Noon Award: Anna Bryant, of ARCAS Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Guatemala. The Carole Noon Award is named after the late Dr. Carole Noon, a courageous and innovative sanctuary pioneer and champion of chimpanzees.

    The GFAS Board of Directors also presented the annual Outstanding Sanctuary Awards to recognize excellence in humane and responsible animal care; professionalism and ethics; organizational sustainability; public engagement; and contributions to, and leadership within, the sanctuary field. Recipients included Skydog Sanctuary, Oregon; Pasado’s Safe Haven, Washington; Animals Asia, China; and Juliana’s Animal Sanctuary, Colombia.

    “This year’s award recipients truly embody and put into practice the GFAS philosophy of vision, dedication, and excellence in animal care,” noted Valerie Taylor, Executive Director of GFAS. “Part of the GFAS mission is to recognize sanctuaries and rescue centers and raise awareness of their work, and the 2021 Award recipients serve as exemplary models of many important characteristics attributed to true sanctuaries, demonstrating professionalism, collaborative spirit, and leadership, all for the animals – qualities highly regarded by GFAS and the late Dr. Noon.”

    Editor’s Notes:

    GFAS is a global leader in accreditation programs for animal sanctuaries, assessing facilities against a robust set of operational and animal care standards, including species-specific standards for elephants, great apes, big cats, horses, farm animals, and others. More information about GFAS at www.sanctuaryfederation.org and a list of previous awardees at https://staging.sanctuaryfederation.org/about-gfas/carole-noon-award/

    ARCAS Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Center is a Guatemalan NGO committed to preserving wildlife and its habitat. It was formed in 1989 by a group of Guatemalan citizens who became concerned as they saw their precious natural heritage – especially their wildlife – rapidly disappearing before their eyes. ARCAS was originally created for a very specific purpose: to build a rescue center in the northern Peten region to care for and rehabilitate wild animals confiscated from smugglers in the Maya Biosphere Reserve. Since the establishment of the rescue center, ARCAS has opened additional program areas on the Pacific coast of Guatemala and the altiplano, branching out into other very necessary activities including marine turtle conservation, protected areas management, environmental education, ecotourism, and reforestation.  For more information, visit https://arcasguatemala.org/

    Skydog Sanctuary rescues at-risk mustangs and burros from neglect, abuse and starvation as well as special needs wild horses rounded up by the BLM.  The rescue and sanctuary bring them back to health and releases them to their 9000 acre sanctuary near Bend, Oregon. Donations are used for rescuing horses in need, for vet bills to treat them, farrier bills to help with their feet which are often in very bad shape and for the special equipment needed to handle wild horses, as well as for the hay, grain, supplements and minerals to keep them in good health moving forward. Skydog Sanctuary also raises awareness for wild horse issues and educates people on what to do to help through social media platforms. For more information, visit https://www.skydogranch.org/

    Pasado’s Safe Haven is on a mission to end animal cruelty. In addition to investigating animal cruelty crimes and providing sanctuary to animals who have suffered abuse and neglect, the organization advocates for better laws to protect animals and educates the public about how they can help reduce animal suffering. Learn more at https://www.pasadosafehaven.org/

    Animals Asia mission and major programs include ending the farming of bears for bile in Vietnam and China, providing sanctuary for rescued bears, ending the suffering of wild animals in captivity and ensuring humane treatment of dogs and cats.   For more information, visit https://www.animalsasia.org/

    Juliana’s Animal Sanctuary is the first farm animal sanctuary established in South America almost 15 years ago and is currently the only established one in Colombia. We have substantial educational programs, including vegan cooking workshops, free distribution of vegan comics, vegan food relief, and strong social media activism. Donations made to Juliana’s Animal Sanctuary enable us to provide the absolute best life for the animals under our care, as well as empower our vegan advocacy projects for the Colombian population and, most importantly, address the root cause of animal abuse – inequality. For more information, visit https://julianasanimalsanctuary.org/

    Download press release.

  • Recipients of the 10th Annual 2018 Carole Noon Awards for Sanctuary Excellence Announced

    July 2, 2018 – (Washington, DC) The Board of Directors of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) today announced the recipients of the 2018 Carole Noon Awards for Sanctuary Excellence: Dr. Karmele Sanchez, Program Director of Yayasan International Animal Rescue in Indonesia and Patti Ragan, Founder, Center for Great Apes in Florida, USA. GFAS is the global leader in accreditation of animal sanctuaries and rescue centers and is popularly considered the “gold standard” when assessing operational excellence and humane care at facilities across the globe.

    “This year’s Noon awardees are both extraordinary leaders, doing remarkable work, with indefatigable determination, who have had significant achievements in their careers,” noted Allan Kornberg, Executive Director of GFAS. “GFAS prides itself on its global reach and the wide variety of species for which our member sanctuaries provide humane refuge, and the wild animal facilities honored this year are outstanding examples of compassionate care—Dr. Noon would certainly be proud.”

    Sue Leary, GFAS Board Member, presenting Award to Patti Ragan

    At the Center for Great Apes, the only accredited sanctuary for orangutans in North America, apes who were former “pets” and performing animals are cared for with compassion and provided for their specialized needs.  As the plight of the wild orangutan becomes more desperate due to poaching and deforestation in Borneo, individual animals suffer injury and death in alarming numbers — the Yayasan International Animal Rescue Indonesia not only works to protect orangutans, but also rescue, rehabilitate and release slow lorises, macaques and other imperiled species.

    Ms.  Ragan said of the Noon Award honor, “So much has happened in the past 9 years that Carole would have celebrated (chimpanzees finally being classified as Endangered Species in captivity… chimps finally coming out of invasive research… exploitation of great apes ending in entertainment venues & the exotic pet trade in North America….and new sanctuaries opening to care for these primates).  I am grateful for GFAS’s recognition of our work here at the Center for Great Apes.” Dr. Sanchez added, “It’s a great honour and an authentic privilege to receive this award. This award is for us a new inspiration to continue working on protecting animals in need. “This award is dedicated to the whole team of IAR in Indonesia, a very dedicated team who has made it possible for us to win this award. It’s only thanks to this team that IAR can be so proud to get this international recognition.”

    Jackie Bennett, GFAS Program Director, Africa and Asia, presenting Award to Karmele Sachez

    The Carole Noon Awards are named after the late Dr. Carole Noon, founder of Save the Chimps in Florida, USA, where she and her team rescued and cared for hundreds of chimpanzees rescued and retired from biomedical research, including those used in government testing protocols.

    Editor’s Notes:

    GFAS is a global leader in accreditation programs for animal sanctuaries, assessing facilities against a robust set of operational and animal care standards, including species-specific standards for elephants, great apes, big cats, horses, farm animals, and others.

    Dr. Karmele Sanchez, Program Director, Yayasan International Animal Rescue Indonesia, is a veterinarian and oversees YIARI’s orangutan center on Borneo and the Primate Rehabilitation Center in Ciapus near Bogor in West Java. Both are GFAS accredited. The Bogor facility was built with the objective of protecting species that were not often considered by other conservation organizations; it is the world’s largest rescue center for slow lorises and the biggest rescue and rehabilitation center for long- and pig-tailed macaques on Java. YIARI established the first systematic reintroduction project for Indonesian slow lorises. Its Center for Rescue and Conservation of Orangutans operates near Ketapang, West Kalimantan, one of the most heavily deforested areas of Borneo. YIARI established the first ever Human-Orangutan Conflict Response Team (HOCRT) in Kalimantan. The team is ready at all times to respond to HOC situations in West Kalimantan reported by local people, through mitigation of conflict, translocation or rescue of orangutans, and is responsible for investigating, assessing, enumerating, and mitigating any reported instances of HOC. More information at http://www.internationalanimalrescue.or.id/

    Patti Ragan, the Founder of the Center for Great Apes, is dedicated to the health and welfare of chimpanzees and orangutans who unwillingly served the entertainment and biomedical research industries. Patti and her staff ensure that the apes get excellent medical care and lots of enrichment. The enclosures are unique and are all connected through the forested sanctuary with over a mile and a half of aerial trailways that the apes can roam through. With the unique system of trailways, the apes have more opportunities for making choices on their environment.    Patti, her board, and volunteers work hard to ensure that the necessary funding is in place to care for the apes.  One of the many things that makes the Center for Great Apes special is Patti and her staff’s relationship and commitment to Knuckles. Knuckles is a chimpanzee with cerebral palsy, needing around the clock special care. The Center is currently focused on securing funding so that new habitats can be built to help give sanctuary to more orangutans and chimpanzees in need of care. More information at http://www.centerforgreatapes.org

    Download press release here.

  • Founder of Rescate Animal in Costa Rica Recipient of Global Award for Sanctuary Excellence

    Dennis Janik of GFAS-accredited Rescate Animal is the ninth recipient of the Carole Noon Award for Sanctuary Excellence given annually by Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.

    Washington DC – The 2017 Carole Noon Award for Sanctuary Excellence recipient was announced by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). This year Dennis Janik of GFAS-accredited Rescate Animal, an animal rescue center in Costa Rica, was singled out for his innovation and leadership in supporting the welfare of native wildlife as a caregiver, conservationist and advocate.

    The Carole Noon Award for Sanctuary Excellence is given annually to a sanctuary or individual who embodies and puts into practice the GFAS philosophy of vision, dedication and excellence in animal care. It memorializes Carole Noon, founder of Save the Chimps in Fort Pierce, Florida, the world’s largest chimpanzee sanctuary.

    “Dennis’ story is truly inspiring. A native of Canada, he became aware of the environmental concerns in Costa Rica and made the decision to take action,” says Kellie Heckman, GFAS executive director. “He now operates what is considered the most extensive, effective and secure animal rescue center in all of Costa Rica and is personally relied on heavily for his expertise by the local government and animal welfare NGOs.”

     

    Heckman also applauded Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solís for his recent signing of the new regulations of the Wildlife Conservation Law that will ensure that all native wildlife will receive appropriate care in rescue centers such as Rescate Animal http://presidencia.go.cr/comunicados/2017/08/nuevo-reglamento-de-la-ley-de-conservacion.

    In 1995, Dennis Janik founded Rescate Animal, a wildlife rehabilitation facility located on 84 acres of natural forest in the province of Alajuela, Costa Rica with a mission to protect and restore the country’s biodiversity through wildlife rehabilitation and endangered species breeding and reintroduction. The facility has saved the lives of tens of thousands of injured, orphaned and confiscated native birds and mammals.

    “Dennis has been incredibly innovative when it comes to providing the best possible care for injured and orphaned wildlife,” remarks Jeanne Marie Pittman, GFAS Director of Accreditation – North, Central and South America. “He has created numerous rearing and soft-release strategies that have been highly successful in reversing the local extinction of many globally and locally threatened species.”

    Janik shared his thoughts about the achievement, saying, “I am very honored to receive such a meaning full award. I admire GFAS for its work to establish an international standard for animal sanctuaries worldwide.”

     

    Download press release here.

  • Founder of Bat World Sanctuary Recipient of Global Award for Sanctuary Excellence

    Photo A.Lollar-7-27-16 (1)Amanda Lollar of GFAS-accredited Bat World Sanctuary is the eighth recipient of the Carole Noon Award for Sanctuary Excellence given annually by Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.

    Washington DC – The 2016 Carole Noon Award for Sanctuary Excellence recipient was announced by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS). This year Amanda Lollar of GFAS-accredited Bat World Sanctuary was singled out for her leadership in supporting the welfare of bats as a caregiver, educator and advocate.

    The Carole Noon Award for Sanctuary Excellence is given annually to a sanctuary or individual who embodies and puts into practice the GFAS philosophy of vision, dedication and excellence in animal care. It memorializes Carole Noon, founder of Save the Chimps in Fort Pierce, Florida, the world’s largest chimpanzee sanctuary.

    “For decades, Amanda has been a tireless champion for this often misunderstood, maligned and underserved group of animals,” says Kellie Heckman, GFAS executive director. “She is the expert in captive bat care and management and an inspiration to all for her passion and dedication. We are excited and honored to provide her with the recognition she deserves.”

    Amanda Lollar founded Bat World Sanctuary in Weatherford, TX in 1994, after rehabilitating her first injured bat in 1988. Amanda has since volunteered her time seven days a week, 365 days per year, 12 to 16 hours per day. The Sanctuary currently cares for over 200 permanent residents. Over the past two decades, Amanda has personally saved the lives of thousands of bats, including over 2,000 starving and injured orphaned bats which were hand-raised and released back to the wild.

    Lollar shared her thoughts about the achievement, saying, “Bats are miraculous creatures that deserve our protection. They are highly intelligent, have remarkable language skills, and form deep social connections. It has been my life’s work and my greatest joy to defend and support the species. I thank GFAS for this monumental recognition and for all they do to protect the animals of the world by making certain Dr. Noon’s passion and compassion lives on.”

    “Amanda has trained over 400 zoologists, veterinarians, and other animal care professionals from every bat-inhabited continent in the world. It is not an exaggeration to say that Amanda has saved hundreds of thousands of bats across the globe due to her hands-on ability and her willingness to share her knowledge. We are so very grateful to GFAS for bestowing this much-deserved award upon Amanda, who makes us proud each and every day,” elaborates Dottie Hyatt, Vice President of Bat World Sanctuary.

    An award will be presented to Ms. Lollar in person at a ceremony in the fall at Bat World Sanctuary.

    About Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries:

    Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the sole purpose of strengthening and supporting the work of animal sanctuaries/rescues worldwide. The goal of GFAS in working with and assisting sanctuaries/rescues is to ensure they are supported, honored, recognized and rewarded for meeting important criteria in providing care to the animals in residence. GFAS was founded in 2007 by animal protection leaders from a number of different organizations in response to virtually unchecked and often hidden exploitation of animals for human entertainment and financial profit. The GFAS Board of Directors guides the organization’s work in a collaborative manner. They represent top leadership from Born Free USA, The Humane Society of the United States, International Fund for Animal Welfare, and American Anti-Vivisection Society. For more information, visit: localhost.

    About Bat World Sanctuary

    Bat World Sanctuary is devoted to providing permanent sanctuary to non-releasable bats, rehabilitating and releasing injured bats, educating the public about bats, protecting and conserving wild bat colonies, promoting the humane treatment of bats in captivity and training animal care professionals on the proper treatment of bats. We believe that great animal rescue organizations are not judged just by the scale of the work that they do, but by the impact that work has on the lives of the animals they seek to serve. We actively work with zoos, researchers and animal shelters to offer an alternative to death. Many of the bats in our care have lived horrific lives before coming to us and we provide the security and privacy they need to recuperate from their previous suffering. Our facility is currently the only accredited bat sanctuary in the world. Bat World Sanctuary is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, volunteer-based organization supported by public donations.

    Download press release here.

  • Lions Tigers and Bears Founder Presented with Award for Sanctuary Excellence

    Alpine, CA — The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) presented the seventh Carole Noon Award for Sanctuary Excellence to Bobbi Brink in a ceremony at Lions Tigers and Bears sanctuary on Saturday, December 12, 2015.

    Staff, volunteers and community supporters of the sanctuary, including a representative of the office of California Senator Joel Anderson were in attendance. Representatives of GFAS present for the ceremony included Adam Roberts, President; Dr. Kim Haddad, Treasurer; and Kellie Heckman, Executive Director.

    “The scope of Bobbi’s efforts in rescuing and providing lifetime sanctuary to animals is inspirational and truly embodies the spirit of this award,” explains Heckman.

    The Carole Noon Award for Sanctuary Excellence is given annually to a sanctuary or individual who embodies and puts into practice the GFAS philosophy of vision, dedication and excellence in animal care. It was initially given in 2009 to memorialize Carole Noon, the founder of Save the Chimps, a chimpanzee sanctuary in Fort Peirce, Florida, who recognized the injustice of using chimpanzees in experiments and ambitiously fought to provide a place where they could spend the rest of their lives in peace.

    “There are so many people doing amazing work for animals at sanctuaries and rescue centers worldwide, which makes choosing just one as the award recipient a real challenge,” observes Heckman. “However, Bobbi stands out within the sanctuary community by serving where she can as a leader, partner and mentor.”

    “It is an honor to receive this recognition. However, our work is not over yet. There are still so many animals out there living in unacceptable conditions that need our help, and we won’t stop until the abuse ends once and for all,” reflects Bobbi Brink in response to receiving the award.

    Past award recipients include Carole Noon of Save the Chimps, Florida (2009), Jill Robinson of Animals Asia, Vietnam and China (2010), Stany Nyandwi of Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, Uganda (2011), The Donkey Sanctuary, United Kingdom (2012), Pat Derby of Performing Animals Welfare Society, California (2013), Jorg Huckabee Mayfield of White Bird Appaloosa Rescue, Virginia (2014).

    Funds supporting this award were granted by American Anti-Vivisection Society, Born Free USA, Humane Society of the United States, International Fund for Animal Welfare and private donations.

    About Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries: 

    Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the sole purpose of strengthening and supporting the work of animal sanctuaries/rescues worldwide. The goal of GFAS in working with and assisting sanctuaries/rescues is to ensure they are supported, honored, recognized and rewarded for meeting important criteria in providing care to the animals in residence. GFAS was founded in 2007 by animal protection leaders from a number of different organizations in response to virtually unchecked and often hidden exploitation of animals for human entertainment and financial profit. The GFAS Board of Directors guides the organization’s work in a collaborative manner. They represent top leadership from American Anti-Vivisection Society, Born Free USA, The Humane Society of the United States, International Fund for Animal Welfare and Tigers in America. For more information, visit: localhost.

    About Lions Tigers and Bears

    Lions Tigers & Bears (LTB) is a federally and state licensed non-profit 501 (c)(3) rescue sanctuary dedicated to providing a safe haven to abused and abandoned exotic animals while inspiring an educational forum to end the exotic animal trade. Founded in 2002, LTB is a NO KILL, NO BREED and NO SELL facility that allows animals in its care the opportunity to live out their lives with dignity in a caring and safe environment. LTB is one of few sanctuaries in the United States with the highest level of accreditation from the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and the American Sanctuary Association. For more information or to make a donation to help care for the animals at LTB, please visit www.LionsTigersAndBears.org or call (619) 659-8078.

    Download the press release here.