Wildcat Sanctuary

Keep the wild in your heart, not your home.

Our Mission

Provide a natural sanctuary to wildcats in need and inspire change to end the captive wildlife crisis.

Our Vision

Help create a world where animal sanctuaries are no longer needed.

Who we are

The Wildcat Sanctuary (TWS) is a 501c3 non-profit, no-kill big cat rescue located in Sandstone, MN. TWS provides a natural sanctuary to wild cats in need and inspires change to end the captive wildlife crisis. TWS is funded solely on private donations. The Sanctuary is a home for animals, not a zoo for people and is not open to the public. Combining natural and spacious habitats with a life free of exhibition and exploitation, TWS allows all residents to live wild at heart.

At TWS, animals are never bought, sold, bred, traded, or mistreated in anyway. Each resident is given every opportunity to behave naturally in a wonderfully humane environment for life. The Sanctuary is accredited by the American Sanctuary Association which means it meets strict care and safety standards, and is the only accredited big cat sanctuary in the Upper Midwest. The vision and need for The Wildcat Sanctuary has garnered endorsements from the Minnesota Zoo and the University of Minnesota’s Veterinary Care Program.

TWS has earned a national reputation for excellence in rescuing and housing captive wildcats while providing a unique service to animal control officers, local sheriff departments, humane societies as well as the Department of Natural Resources and the US Fish & Wildlife Service.