Big Cat Rescue (bigcatrescue.org) is a Florida-based sanctuary for exotic cats that have been rescued from poachers and abusive zookeepers, or carelessly inbred to serve as pets or performance acts and subsequently abandoned. Founded in 1992, this organization’s mission is to shelter and care for these endangered animals while also educating the public about the plight of big cats in the wild, where their habitats are shrinking, and in captivity, to which they are very poorly suited. The BCR facility comfortably houses more than 100 lions, tigers, bobcats, leopards, cougars, ocelots, and other wild cats, making it home to the most diverse population of exotic cats in the world. Although the sanctuary is designed for the animals rather than for spectators, BCR does offer guided educational tours.
Each charity we feature has earned a four-star overall rating from Charity Navigator, which ranks not-for-profit organizations on the strength of their finances, their control of administrative and fundraising expenses, and the transparency of their operations. Four stars is the group’s highest ranking.
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