Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries

Category: Latest News

  • Not all Sanctuaries are Created Equal

    Not all Sanctuaries are Created Equal

    Not all Sanctuaries are Created Equal

    Any facility can call itself a “sanctuary.”  GFAS was formed initially to distinguish those providing proper care to all individual animals at their facilities from those that are geared toward commercial gain. There is a huge need for this, as there is no regulation on the use of “sanctuary” and “rescue” — any roadside zoo, backyard breeder or hoarding situation can use those terms in their name.

    Exploitation at these pseudo-sanctuaries knows no bounds. The facility may be breeding animals, it may be allowing the public to pay for photos of themselves with tiger cubs, it may be selling animals, it may be housing the animals in subpar facilities, but it can still call itself a sanctuary. GFAS does not consider such places legitimate sanctuaries, nor should any donor.

    • In the U.S., state laws regarding the keeping of wildlife vary greatly, with some states having no laws —download the informative map of such laws created by Born Free USA. We can’t count on government regulations, as a USDA permit is not required for every facility with non-native wildlife. A growing number of states are actually relying on GFAS accreditation as a means to support their permitting processes.

    Sometimes it is obvious

    • A facility is posting photos of the public petting ANY wild animals or offers tourists an option to have a photograph taken with wild animals. Legitimate sanctuaries don’t allow this.
    • A facility allows breeding.  A legitimate sanctuary doesn’t breed, unless it is carrying out a bona fide breeding program for endangered or threatened species, with the offspring actually being released into the wild as part of a monitored, legal and sanctioned program.
    • A facility that has inadequate housing conditions and limited access to food and water. All animals should have enough space to carry out natural behaviors — including walking/flying/swimming, socializing, eating and drinking.
    • A facility that offers open admission, unguided tours without any education messaging or programs that remove animals from the protection of their enclosures.

    Yet, it is not always easy to spot 

    • GFAS takes an in-depth examination to determine which sanctuaries
    • Are solvent
    • Own the sanctuary property or have a long-term lease and contingency plan for what would happen if they have to vacate the property
    • Have reasonable financial reserves
    • Have written policies and protocols and adequate veterinary care, all designed  to ensure humane care and treatment of the animals
    • Have a disaster plan
    • Have adequate insurance
    • Have a safe and secure facility
    • Have a knowledgeable Board which carries out its
      responsibilities with due diligence
    • Have solid human resource policies
    • These items and more are vital for facilities that care for animals, because if such a facility fails, the animals are the ones who pay the price, with slowly deteriorating care, possible transport to another facility (again), and certainly possible death.

    When in doubt

    GFAS has done the hard work for you. Check to see which organizations are GFAS Accredited or Verified.

    If an organization you know is a true sanctuary and is not GFAS Accredited or Verified, ask why not, and urge them to apply!

     

  • Fire!

    Sept, 2009. The prestigious Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines had a two-story barn destroyed by fire. No animals or humans were harmed. Perhaps that is because Ryerss had done much right. There was a fire alarm in the barn. It did ring inside the main residence. The fire occurred despite the fact that the barn was made of stone walls and a metal roof. Ironically, according to the newspaper report , that fire-proof exterior “ insulated the fire and allowed the temperature inside the barn to get extremely high and was causing the hay to smolder.” Also according to the newspaper report: “one of the biggest challenges about fight the fire was the (limited) water supply.” Two horses and a potbellied pig who were in the barn at the time, got out uninjured.

    How about your facility? If a fire broke out, would you escape with only structural damage (devastating as that is)? Would an alarm ring? Even better yet, would a sprinkler system activate? Are animals ever locked in a structure? How long would it take to reach them? To get them out?

    Yesterday, for 250 exotic birds, the answers were not good. The newspaper report begins with this horrible sentence: “Hundreds of exotic birds and a dog have died in a blaze that destroyed a building at a private Las Vegas nature preserve and sanctuary.”

    The Value of the Accreditation Process

    Just before a pilot takes off, s/he reads aloud from a checklist, just to make sure everything vital is checked out. The pilot tests each critical piece of equipment, and checks that all is clear before takeoff. Doesn’t matter if the plane has never had an accident. Doesn’t matter how experienced the pilot is. The checklist is used.

    Similarly, the GFAS accreditation application is a chance for a sanctuary to check for critical pieces, and make sure all are in operating condition. The GFAs accreditation process starts with a thorough self-evaluation checklist.

    After joining GFAS, on one of my first visits to a model sanctuary, we discovered a smoldering fire in progress when we opened the door and stepped inside a building housing animals, bedded down for the night. I don’t know if everything happens for a reason, but that site visit drove home to me the importance of the accreditation process. If a model sanctuary could have a building with more than twenty animals in it, with a heater running inside, and no fire alarm, no fire extinguisher, no sprinkler system ….I knew it could happen any place. It is all too easy to overlook something, given the overwhelming task that sanctuary work is. The GFAS accreditation process helps a sanctuary spot overlooked areas of risk or weakness and correct them.

    Two Common Disasters

    By far the two most common disasters (beyond shutting down) that I have seen hit sanctuaries since beginning with GFAS are: 1) barn fires and 2) the sudden departure of the founder.

    Think neither can happen at your place?

    We all know the unthinkable can and does happen.

    You know what to do. Put in place fire alarms which also ring in the main residence, fire extinguishers, and better yet, sprinkler systems. Hold fire drills. Think through your water supply. Have emergency numbers posted. Have everyone equipped with a cell phone. Test emergency equipment often. Store hay in a separate barn from your animals. Have the fire department come out and give recommendations. Make sure they can get into your facility and are familiar with it. These are not luxury items. These are critical pieces from day one. Taking basic precautions against anything that could kill your animals is not something to do “someday”, but rather something to do TODAY, if you have not already done so.

    Regarding the founder’s sudden departure, I’ll address that next blog.