Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) and Tigers in America would like to announce the WINNER of this year’s International Tiger Day Photo Contest!
Cosmo of Accredited Wildcat Ridge Sanctuary Oregon, USA
In the fall of 2022, the Compound Manager at S&R Productions got news that the Secret Garden in Las Vegas was closing. The Mirage had been sold and all animals had to be rehomed. This was unexpected and heartbreaking for the keepers who had cared for the cats their entire lives. After an extensive search and recommendations from the Compound Manager, the Sarmoti Foundation selected WildCat Ridge Sanctuary to provide lifetime care for six tigers. Cosmo is playful, very curious, loves to chuff at the keepers and enjoys playing hide and seek with the photographer.
Wildcat Ridge Sanctuary will receive a $1000 prize in recognition of their rescue work for Cosmo and the other cats in their care.
Five additional finalists were chosen and each entry receives a $100 prize.
Now Accepting Nominations for the Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Awards
On behalf of the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries Board of Directors and GFAS Award Committee, we are excited to announce that nominations are now open for the 2024 Carole Noon and Outstanding Sanctuary Awards!
The GFAS Carole Noon Award is given annually to an individual who embodies and puts into practice the GFAS philosophy of vision, dedication, and excellence in animal care at sanctuaries. The award was created in 2009 to honor outstanding contributions to the animal sanctuary field to memorialize Carole Noon, Ph.D., a courageous and innovative sanctuary pioneer, and champion of chimpanzees.
The Outstanding Sanctuary Awards recognize excellence in humane and responsible animal care; professionalism and ethics; organizational sustainability; public engagement; and contributions to, and leadership within, the sanctuary field. GFAS Accredited/Verified organizations of varying missions are eligible, including sanctuaries which provide lifetime care for animals; transition and rescue centers which temporarily care for animals with a goal of placing them in adoptive homes; and rehabilitation centers which temporarily care for wildlife so that they can be returned to their native environments.
Recipients will be honored in four categories:
- Outstanding Equine Sanctuary of 2024
- Outstanding Farmed Animal Sanctuary of 2024
- Outstanding Wildlife Sanctuary of 2024
- Outstanding International Sanctuary of 2024
The deadline for submissions is September 3, 2024.
The GFAS Award Committee, which includes past Carole Noon Award recipients, reviews all nominations, and makes recommendations; the full GFAS Board of Directors then makes the final selection. The award recipients are honored publicly, receive an engraved plaque, and are presented with a gift for their affiliated organization.
For full nomination requirements, evaluation criteria, and nomination forms, please see the GFAS website. For questions, please e-mail
Performing Animal Welfare Society’s 2024 International Captive Wildlife Conference
Our friends at PAWS, invite you to attend the 2024 PAWS International Captive Wildlife Conference, November 9-10 in Los Angeles, California. This global event features leading experts from over half a dozen countries coming together to report on the latest developments regarding elephants, marine mammals, big cats, and other wild animals exploited for entertainment.
A hearty congratulations to PAWS as they get set to commemorate four decades of rescue, sanctuary, education, and advocacy on November 9, with a special 40th Anniversary Evening Celebration (including surprise celebrity guests!).
Seating for the Conference and Evening Celebration is limited, so register and/or purchase your tickets early. For more information and to register please go to this link: PAWS’ 2024 International Captive Wildlife Conference & 40th Anniversary Celebration (constantcontactpages.com)
Take Action to Help Pass the Captive Primate Safety Act (H.R. 8164/ S. 4206)
Now that the Captive Primate Safety Act has been reintroduced by U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick and Earl Blumenauer, and U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal, it’s time to call your congressional representatives and ask them to sign on as a co-sponsor!
Primates forced into the pet trade suffer immensely as there is no federal law that regulates the possession of primates by individuals. This primate pet trade is a risk to both human and animal wellbeing and drives illegal wildlife trafficking. This critical legislation would prohibit the possession of apes, monkeys, and prosimians, by private individuals.
Learn more about the problem of the primate pet trade and what the legislation aims to do from our friends at the Animal Welfare Institute: Captive Primate Safety Act | Animal Welfare Institute (awionline.org)
World Federation for Animals
Did you know that GFAS is a proud associate member of the World Federation for Animals (WFA)?
The World Federation for Animals is a federation of 60+ non-governmental organizations from around the world working towards the recognition of animal welfare as essential for the sustainable development agenda. The purpose of WFA has been to gather organizations worldwide to focus on political issues that are affecting animals globally. The work includes influencing the FAO and other UN bodies, where a stated objective is for animal welfare to be included as one of the global sustainability goals.
Over the past year, GFAS supported the Federation’s efforts to integrate animal welfare into international health, food, and environmental regimes. To learn more about our work with the Federation, please see WFA’s website and the 2023 Annual Review.
Our Very Own ED, Valerie Taylor, Will Be Speaking at the Upcoming Homes for Horses Coalition Conference
We were delighted to be asked to join an incredible group of fellow equine advocates at this year’s Homes for Horses Coalition Conference. This three-day event is a wonderful opportunity to work with and learn from some amazing leaders within the equine community.
Our Executive Director, Valerie Taylor, will be participating in a panel discussion on Accreditation. She will also be on-hand to answer questions or to just chat.
Valerie has more than 20 years of experience in leadership, non-profit association management, education and advocacy, fundraising, and credentialing program operations for animal sanctuaries, rescue, and rehabilitation centers in North America and internationally. Her career has afforded her the opportunity to work with a wide range of animals, from horses to whales, spending time advising on-site at more than 100 animal sanctuary facilities. Before joining GFAS, she worked in the Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies field and for several years, she served in a volunteer capacity as State Director for an equine rescue in Oklahoma.
To register and learn more about this event, go to:
https://homesforhorses.org/homes-for-horses-coalition-conference/.
PRO-TIP: A picture is worth a thousand words
A recent visit to Accredited Pasado’s Safe Haven provided excellent ideas for improving operations and animal care day-to-day, but also in an emergency through a strategic use of photos!
They have photos as visual aids for cleaning protocols, that show how enclosures should look and be arranged once they are cleaned. Volunteers or new staff are able to see at a glance what the end result should look like. This helps ensure they’ve carried out the instructions correctly and provides consistency for residents. Much like any manual, where text explanations fall short, a diagram or picture can really demonstrate how something should look. This could be used not only for cleaning, but for enrichment and other visual processes.
In the second example, you see laminated cards on the entry to an enclosure, with the resident’s picture, name, identifying information, and behavioral quirks or notes. This simultaneously serves two purposes: in the event of an emergency or evacuation, the animals can be quickly identified, the number of animals in an enclosure is readily obvious, and the tags can be removed and affixed to a crate or transport device at the ready. Secondly, depending on the content of the tag, you can see there’s an opportunity to say something about the resident, their backstory, or who they are as an individual that serves as a chance to educate a visitor about them. We have seen some of these tags include a QR code which links to the resident’s full story and/or a sponsorship opportunity, so that visitors can get an in-depth background on why they are in sanctuary and support your work.
These are quick, easy ways to improve the safety and care of your residents! Thanks to Pasado’s Safe Haven of Washington State for sharing.
Dharmahorse Equine Sanctuary Transitions to GFAS Accreditation
After much hard work and dedication, we are proud to announce that Dharmahorse Equine Sanctuary has become GFAS Accredited after being Verified since 2020.
‘It has been a pleasure to collaborate with Katherine and her team during this transition. Their focus has been to create a strong and long-standing place for these rescued equines to heal and live out their lives in peace.,’ states GFAS Program Director, Traci Hanson.
According to Dharmahorse Founder and ED, Katherine Chrisley-Schreiber, ‘Transitioning from Verified to Accredited has helped us focus on being the absolute best we can be, with additions and changes within our policies and facilities to make things even better for our equines. That is our forever vision. To always bring good health, companionship, safety, and compassion to all who live at Dharmahorse. Our favorite definition of Love is, “Love is the active promotion of the well-being of the love object”. We love horses.’ Katherine goes on to say, ‘With this transition to Accredited, we hold ourselves to the highest standards possible and hope to always set an example of care and compassion. Our name, Dharmahorse, remains an inspiration – Dharma comes from the Sanskrit “Dhri”, meaning to “support”. We support horses of all ages, needs and backgrounds within a True Sanctuary.’
Dharmahorse Equine Sanctuary has succeeded in carving out a safe space for horses, donkeys, and mules within the harsh climate of New Mexico. With a strong educational program, Dharmahorse introduces the public to natural horsemanship and horse care. A sanctuary not just for horses, but also for people. For more information, go to: https://dharmahorse.org/.
Certification and Renewals
Over the past month GFAS has recertified one organization and transitioned one group from Verified to Accredited status!
Congratulations to these groups!
Verified to Accredited Status
Dharmahorse Equine Sanctuary, New Mexico
Renewal