#GivingTuesday2021

With the winter coming, and with our sanctuary being located in Phelan and getting snow in the winter, we need your help to cover costs of the increased electricity bills to come with the use of heat lamps, heat pads, and other ways we use to keep our animals warm and comfortable throughout the winter. Recently, we have also accrued vet bills due to our animals being older in age and having different various medical needs. We always do our best to make sure our animals have the best life here and that costs us money, with your help we can ensure the animals keep receiving the quality care they need to live happy and healthy lives here with us. 

Background

Growing up around many different exotic animals it wasn't a complete surprise the Joel, co-founder, would start a rescue and rehabilitation facility with his wife, Chemaine in the local High Desert. After Acquiring their USDA and Fish & Game Licenses they were shocked to discover the horrible truth behind the exotic animal market. Every year thousands of captive-bred exotic animals are put to sleep for many of the same reasons. Abandoned, abused, neglected, or illegally obtained these animals all need the same thing, a home. Joel and Chemaine made the decision to do just that. With a great love for these animals, they created Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary. They started to provide educational programs to help teach people about these beautiful animals and to raise money to support rescue and rehabilitation efforts. But it hasn't been enough. To their disappointment every year some of the animals had to be turned away. So another decision was made. They became a 501(c)3 Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation. Now they have great hopes that the donations will help them save and preserve wild animals and the educational programs will help teach people to do their part in protecting the animal's land and lives from becoming extinct.

In February of 2009 the Almquist Family after years of barely making it, taking care of their family, and the extended family of Beautiful Animals, someone finally came to their rescue. They were the recipients of Extreme Home Makeover and for the first time, they felt they might just make it. That was short-lived, when in March the county announced that they could not allow the public to visit the new Learning Center and Sanctuary until 1.5 miles of dirt road leading to Forever Wild was paved at a cost of over $1 million. This went on for several months, cutting into the donations and funds they could have made by being open to the public. On June 19, 2009, the county waived the need to pave Buttemere Road and Forever Wild proceeded to apply for the needed permits to allow the public to walk through their door. Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary had its Grand Opening to the public on July 6, 2009. Their need for funds is now ever greater, due to the added costs of running a center now open to the public, and the fact that they have added several new cats and many other animals that were in need of homes. In the coming years, the hope is that Forever Wild will never have to turn away any animal in need. Currently, the total monthly cost of running the sanctuary is around $20,000.00.