Wildlife Conservation United States Project #9684

Keepers of the Wild

by Keepers of the Wild

Project Report | May 2, 2025
Ch-cha-changes!

By Lara Kraft | VP, Co-Executive Director, Chairwoman

As we reflect on the journey we have embarked upon together since the beginning of the year, we are filled with gratitude for your unwavering support. Your commitment has made it possible for us to achieve new milestones at our nonprofit wildlife sanctuary, Keepers of the Wild.

This year has brought many new and exciting additions to the Keepers family. We are thrilled to announce the arrival of:

Two three-year-old energetic male grey wolves, Skyca and Blueca, whose majestic presence has brought a new dynamic to our sanctuary.
With Skya and Blueca came a stunning 12-year-old female black-spotted leopard named Kadesh, adding to the diversity of species we care for.
A sweet adolescent male goat named Shadow, who brings joy and companionship to our resident animals and Caretakers alike.
And another adorable female baby mule deer, Anna, who has quickly won the hearts of our staff and visitors.

As we continue to grow, we have prioritized the welfare of our animals. Last year, we rescued 12 foxes from a fur farm in Minnesota. As time passed, we recognized the need to build separate habitats to ensure their comfort and safety, as some foxes were not getting along. We have responded with urgency and compassion by initiating the construction of three new enclosures, designed to provide every fox with a safe and enriching environment. The new habitats include lots of platforms to climb, places to hide, hammocks, and den boxes to accommodate the unique needs of these frisky creatures.

In our ongoing quest to operate efficiently and foster strong relationships with our supporters, we have implemented several technological upgrades:

A new point-of-sales system in our gift shop enhances the shopping experience for our visitors while optimizing our operations.
Updated donor management systems empower us to maintain a personable and secure connection with each of you, our valued donors.
A large Generac emergency backup generator was installed to handle the frequent power outages we experience in our rural setting. This generator specifically supports our Animal Care Center, the hub of our operations.
We are also excited to reveal an innovative new feature for our supporters next month, which will further enhance our community engagement. Stay tuned for this exciting announcement!

None of these achievements would have been possible without your generous support and belief in our mission. Together, we are making a significant impact on the lives of the animals we rescue and care for. Thank you for being an indispensable member of the Keepers Pack. We look forward to sharing more updates with you as we continue on this remarkable journey.

With a Wild Heart,

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Jul 12, 2024
July Bonus Day: A Roaring Success!

By Lara Kraft | VP, Co-Executive Director, Chairwoman

The July Bonus Day Fundraiser, held yesterday, was a roaring success. The fundraiser was organized to raise funds to help offset the costs of rescuing 20 new animals since January. Our goal was to raise $5,000, but thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters, we were able to raise even more.

Keepers of the Wild, our accredited wildlife sanctuary, has been dedicated to protecting and caring for animals since 1995. Over the years, we have rescued and provided a safe haven for countless animals in need. However, the costs associated with rescuing and caring for these animals continue to grow, making fundraisers like the July Bonus Day essential for our operations.

The July Bonus Day Fundraiser exceeded all expectations. Through the support of our generous donors, we were able to raise a total of $6,583, and we ranked 48th out of over 3,000 projects worldwide. Wow! This will go a long way in helping us continue our mission of rescuing and caring for animals in need.

The funds raised during the July Bonus Day Fundraiser will directly benefit the 20 new animals that we have rescued since January. These funds will cover their medical expenses, food, shelter, and any other needs they may have. Without the support of our donors, we would not be able to provide these animals with the care and love they deserve.

On behalf of the entire organization, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of our supporters who made the July Bonus Day Fundraiser a success. Your generosity and compassion have made a significant impact on the lives of animals in need. We hope that you feel as proud and successful as we do in knowing that you have helped change the lives of these animals for the better. Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our cause. We can't do this without you!

With boundless gratitude,

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Jun 1, 2021
Arrived! New Animal Rescues!

By Lara Kraft | Vice President, Chairwoman

Rico, experiencing freedom for the first time.

To our generous friends and supporters,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am especially excited to share with you all the incredible work that has been done at Keepers of the Wild since we last checked in. Over the past six weeks, Keepers of the Wild has taken in 16 new rescued animals, seven of which are big cats! And you know what? We have YOU to thank. Without your continuous support, we would never have the ability to give a loving forever home with top-notch care to animals who desperately need our help. Thank you!

Whether you binged watched it or chose to skip it all together, by now you’ve heard about the Netflix series “The Tiger King”. We watched it and were deeply troubled by what we saw; it is the epitome of animal exploitation and abuse. Big cats living in a private household, pay-to-play schemes, small cages for the animals to stay in, medical neglect, and physical and emotional abuse are just some of the disturbing issues we saw within the “Tiger King” series. Fortunately, we weren’t the only ones distressed by what we saw at Tiger King Park, and something was finally done to save the poor animals residing there.

Two weeks ago, Keepers of the Wild worked closely with the U.S. Department of Justice and several other accredited sanctuaries to execute a large-scale rescue of 69 endangered big cats at Tiger King Park in Thackerville, Oklahoma. The cats included lions, tigers, lion-tiger hybrid species, and a single jaguar, all of which were removed from Jeff and Lauren Lowe’s Oklahoma facility due to “ongoing Endangered Species Act violations.”

Keepers of the Wild is caring for seven of the 69 cats while the U.S. Department of Justice seeks permanent forfeiture of the animals. The cats will receive the utmost veterinary care, diets, daily enrichment opportunities, and large natural habitats to roam in while at our Arizona facility.

Keepers’ Founder and Director, Jonathan Kraft, had this to say of the rescue: “We are so grateful to have the opportunity to care for these wonderful animals and to work with federal agencies and other accredited sanctuaries to help rescue and protect endangered animals. Thank you to all the sanctuaries involved in this operation, for your professionalism, kindness, and cooperation. It took a skilled team of many people to make this happen.”

We are incredibly proud (and thrilled!) to have been selected as one of the sanctuaries to be involved with this case. Without such a strong support base, Keepers of the Wild would not have been able to handle a rescue of this magnitude. Taking in the seven big cats alone has added over $110,000 annually to our operational costs-and that is just to feed them!

With 16 new animal rescues and more to come, Keepers of the Wild needs your help to continue saving lives and providing lifetime care for animals who fall victim to the captive wildlife crisis. There are three easy ways you can help right now:

Donate to Keepers of the Wild (every little bit helps!)
Support the Big Cat Public Safety Act {H.R. 263} by signing this petition (https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/117/hr263/comment)
Spread the word about Keepers of the Wild and our work on social media by following us and sharing our posts.

Thank you again for your love of animals and for your desire to directly make a positive impact in the lives of abused, neglected, abandoned, and retired captive wildlife. Because of your generosity and support, these animals have a second chance at life. A second chance to really live…Free of trauma and pain, and free to do what feels natural and happy each day. For Rico the lion who came from Oklahoma, that meant touching dirt with his paws and scratching his face against a tree for the very first time in his life. Every animal should be so fortunate.

I look forward to sharing about the new animals with you and hope that in the meantime you’ll follow Keepers of the Wild on social media for daily photos, updates, news alerts, and more.

We Love. We Care. We Protect. We are Keepers of the Wild.

Until next time, stay safe, stay well, and stay kind.

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