Discover True Sanctuaries with GFAS’s Find-A-Sanctuary Tool
As we approach the seasons of spring and summer, many of us are eager to explore new destinations and connect with animals in meaningful ways. It’s a great time to check out the GFAS Find-A-Sanctuary tool, designed to guide you to GFAS certified sanctuaries and rescue centers across the globe.
More than just a directory, this tool ensures that your support, whether financial contributions or volunteer efforts, reaches authentic sanctuaries dedicated to animal welfare and ethical care practices. Each listed sanctuary has met GFAS’s rigorous standards, guaranteeing a safe haven for animals rescued from exploitation.
Planning your next getaway? Incorporate a visit to a GFAS-certified sanctuary into your travel itinerary. Whether you’re passionate about big cats, primates, or farmed animals, our tool allows you to find sanctuaries near your destination. Explore educational tours, volunteer opportunities, and even overnight stays, offering enriching experiences that resonate long after your visit.
By choosing GFAS-accredited sanctuaries, you contribute directly to the well-being of animals and support sustainable conservation efforts. Join us in celebrating responsible tourism and ethical animal encounters this season.
Together, we can create a world where every animal thrives in safe and loving environments. Start your adventure with GFAS today!
Visit https://sanctuaryfederation.org/ to explore our certified sanctuaries and plan your next meaningful journey.
GFAS Supports Legislation to Improve Animal Welfare
GFAS is often called upon to endorse, submit letters of support, or supply testimony on legislation that seeks to improve the welfare of animals. Below are some of the measures we have recently supported. If legislation is active in your state or region, please consider getting involved.
- In collaboration with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, a request to prevent allocation of additional funds for 2025, as requested by the National Institutes of Health to expand nonhuman primate research, infrastructure, and resources aimed primarily at expanding primate breeding programs in research centers. Please tell your members of Congress to reject funds for primate research centers in the NIH’s funding bill. Sign on here: https://act.pcrm.org/XJThY7AqrEeFkfZVHj1rGA2
- New York – A.5850/S.3629-A to prohibit the use of bears, nonhuman primates, kangaroos and wallabies, and big cats in circuses and other traveling acts.
- Virginia – A bill which would prohibit premature maternal separation of captive wildlife; this bill passed out of the House and went to the Governor’s desk for signature.
- Washington – SB 5065 to prohibit the use of elephants, wild cats, primates, and bears in traveling animal acts; this bill passed the Senate and is now on to the House.
- The SAFE (Saving America’s Forgotten Equines) Act, to permanently ban the slaughter of horses within the U.S. for human consumption and prohibit the transport of equines for this cruel purpose. Your sanctuary or rescue can take action by signing on: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1B9wWR2V4v3fY8cX3tEBSuv7WUQ1Vow0-4T_AZf0Ej-s/viewform?edit_requested=true
Free Webinars and Workshops from GFAS partner, Animal Defense Partnership
GFAS is delighted to share these offerings through the Animal Defense Partnership (ADP), aimed at further supporting your sanctuary’s mission and operations:
Liability Insurance for Nonprofits – REGISTER
March 20th, 3 pm ET / 12 pm PT
This 75-min workshop covers how nonprofits utilize insurance as a risk mitigator. We will discuss the various insurance policies available (general liability, directors and officers, employment practices liability insurance, etc.), and how to curate an insurance policy portfolio that fits your nonprofit’s specific needs.
The role of government legislation, the insurance broker, and the re-insurer, if any, will be covered, as will insurance companies rating systems since insurers vary in terms of financial strength and claims management quality.
The goal of this workshop is to provide extremely practical advice, eschewing mere theory. Towards that end a concise discussion about insurance certificates in the context of being named as an additional insured and definitions for a reportable claim, claims-made/ occurrence-based/ deductible/ Cumis Counsel/ retention, etc., will also be offered. Questions are encouraged.
Animal Nonprofit Board Member Course – REGISTER
Starting April 1st
Every other Tuesday, 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm EST / 11:00 am – 12:15 pm PST
4/1, 4/15, 4/29, 5/13, 5/27
This course is intended for individuals new to nonprofit board service and experienced nonprofit board members looking to better understand a director’s duties or a board’s role. It may also be of interest to individuals (e.g., executive directors, founders) looking to understand the role and function of the board and directors in a nonprofit and individuals interested in serving on a nonprofit board.
Additional information and registration for this course: https://www.animaldefensepartnership.org/courses/
Celebrating Women in Sanctuary Work!
This month celebrated International Women’s Day on March 8. This day is always special to us here at GFAS – not only because we are a woman-led and majority-run organization- but because strong, visionary women are the backbone of the sanctuary movement. Unlike other segments of animal protection, where women make up the majority of the movement (70-80%) but leadership roles remain predominantly held by men, the majority of animal sanctuaries are founded and led by women. These individuals are incredible forward-thinkers and problem solvers that demonstrate the power of gender equity in leadership roles. When women are empowered, they do incredible things for animals. Let’s keep setting the example until the rest of animal protection catches up.
Pro-Tip: Pinterest as a brainstorming tool
Sometimes, you just need a visual. Gardeners, crafters and DIYers of all kinds use Pinterest for inspiration. The platform (app or online) allows you to create “Boards” with “pins” of images and links on a theme. Our team was recently brainstorming some enrichment suggestions for sanctuaries. But we found that ideas are hard to convey verbally at times – so we tried Pinterest. There we found many creative ways that folks create engaging homes for animals, using often low-cost materials! This gave us another option for communicating our suggestions and you know what they say: a picture is worth 1000 words. If your team needs some inspiration, or a way to organize ideas visually, give this a try! You can see two of our boards on bird and rabbit enrichment for some inpso!
The Elephant Sanctuary – 30 Years of Rescue and Refuge
GFAS is thrilled to congratulate, The Elephant Sanctuary on their 30th Anniversary! The Elephant Sanctuary has been a part of the GFAS family since earning accreditation in 2014. This peaceful refuge has provided a healing environment and individualized attention for dozens of elephants from a variety of captive backgrounds. The elephants spend their days traversing rolling hills and forests on over 3,000 acres in the heartland of Tennessee.
The Elephant Sanctuary is a “true sanctuary” in that residents have a vast space to wander and forage while receiving specialized veterinary care, an appropriate and nutritious diet, enrichment, and opportunities to socialize and enjoy companions. Despite remaining in a captive setting, the elephants are free to exercise their autonomy and make their own choices.
The Elephant Sanctuary’s team has never rested, in addition to caring for each elephant’s special needs, staff conduct an extensive global outreach program that educates and inspires people of all ages to learn about who these elephants are and where they came from.
There’s more on the horizon as the sanctuary team prepares to welcome additional elephants to sanctuary, expand habitats, and add infrastructure that will enhance the experience of each resident. GFAS is tremendously proud of The Elephant Sanctuary and their commitment to captive elephants.
To learn more, please visit: The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee
Certification and Renewals
Over the past month GFAS has renewed two groups!
Congratulations to these groups!
Renewal
Black Beauty Ranch, Texas
Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary, Texas