Pat Craig Email & Phone Number

Founder and Executive Director – Pat Craig – Pat began saving captive wildlife after learning that thousands of “surplus” animals were being kept in tiny cages in the back of zoos all across the country – with many being euthanized on a daily basis. Pat set out on a mission to help save these animals by building a small rescue facility on his family farm outside Boulder, CO. In doing so, Pat became the youngest state and federally licensed person in the country – as well as the first person to build a sanctuary dedicated to saving large carnivores. Pat’s vision has led, 41 years later, to the oldest, largest nonprofit sanctuary in the Western Hemisphere dedicated exclusively to the rescue of captive exotic and endangered large carnivores that have been abused, abandoned, exploited or illegally kept. Pat’s 40 years of experience in captive large carnivore behavior and sanctuary development have led to his becoming a leading expert in the field. He has participated in The Association of Sanctuaries and the American Sanctuary Association, on whose board he served. Pat lectures regionally and nationally on captive wildlife rescue and transportation, great cat behaviors and diets, teaches on the subject of Captive Wildlife Crisis and Sanctuaries at Colorado State University, and has worked tirelessly toward better protection for these animals. He works hand-in-hand with the USDA, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Colorado Division of Wildlife, and many other state, national & international organizations in the never-ending rescue of animals in need. Pat’s lifetime of experience in animal behavior has been key in his creating and building the unique and expansive infrastructure that makes up the 10,473 acre Wild Animal Sanctuary today. With over 550 rescued large carnivores living there, The Wild Animal Sanctuary continues to lead the way in fighting the Captive Wildlife Crisis in the world today.

Listed skills include Nonprofits, Public Speaking, Community Outreach, Animal Behavior, and 41 others.

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  Executive Director

  The Wild Animal Sanctuary

  Jan 1980 - Present - Keenesburg, Colorado, United States

  Founder and Director of 720 Acre Wild Animal Sanctuary rescuing Lions, Tigers, Bears, Wolves and other large carnivores...

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  University Of Northern Colorado

  Education