The Wildcat Sanctuary
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
PROVIDE A NATURAL SANCTUARY TO WILD CATS IN NEED AND INSPIRE CHANGE TO END THE CAPTIVE WILDLIFE CRISIS.
- Income
- $4.2 million
- Spending
- $3.0 million
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 22.7 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 22
- Volunteers
- 400
- Highest pay
- $132,971, veterinarian
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 22.7 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 1% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 29% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 9% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 73% of charities in its peer group (animals, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $2.6 million spent. THE WILDCAT SANCTUARY (TWS) IS A 501C3 NON-PROFIT, 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 RESCUE ORGANIZATION AND IS NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. COMBINING NATURAL AND SPACIOUS HABITATS WITH A LIFE FREE OF EXHIBITION, TWS ALLOWS ALL RESIDENTS TO LIVE WILD AT HEART. AS A TRUE SANCTUARY, WE DO NOT BUY, BREED, SELL OR EXHIBIT ANIMALS. THE WILDCAT SANCTUARY IS ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN SANCTUARY ASSOCIATION, THE GLOBAL FEDERATION OF ANIMAL SANCTUARIES AND A MEMBER OF THE WILDLIFE CONFISCATION NETWORK. WE ARE ALSO LICENSED BY THE USDA. OUR SAVINGSAS AN ORGANIZATION WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CARING FOR OVER 150 FELINES FOR YEARS INTO THE FUTURE, SUSTAINABILITY IS A CORNERSTONE OF OUR SANCTUARY.O OUR BOARD ENSURES THAT WE HAVE A MINIMUM OF 2 YEARS OF OPERATING SAVINGS IN THE BANK TO ENSURE WE CAN CARE FOR THE CATS EVEN DURING THE TOUGHEST OF TIMES.O WE ALSO HAVE SAVINGS EARMARKED FOR ACQUIRING ANY ADJACENT LAND THAT BECOMES AVAILABLE TO PROVIDE A NATURAL BORDER TO THE SANCTUARY AND CONSERVE WILDLIFE LAND.O WE HAVE RESTRICTED FUNDS FOR NEW LAND DEVELOPMENT TOWARD UTILITIES, PERIMETER FENCE, A WORKSHOP AND MORE. OUR SANCTUARYTHIS PAST YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE SANCTUARY FOR 17 NEW RESIDENTS AND LEAD MANY HIGH-PROFILE CASES. OUR RESCUE EFFORTS SPANNED FROM QUEBEC, CANADA TO BANDON, OREGON. OUR TEAM COORDINATED THE SEDATION, PLACEMENT AND TRANSPORT OF EIGHT BIG CATS AND SEVEN EXOTIC CATS FROM WEST COAST GAME PARK SAFARI IN OREGON. AFTER INVESTIGATORS FINISHED A FOUR-DAY SEARCH THERE, 310 ANIMALS WERE SEIZED AND RELOCATED. THE ROADSIDE ATTRACTION IN OREGON WAS RAIDED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT DUE TO CONCERNS ABOUT ANIMAL WELFARE. WE ALSO COORDINATED THE PLACEMENT OF SERVALS, BOBCATS, LYNX, LEOPARDS, TIGERS AND LIONS TO OTHER ACCREDITED SANCTUARIES. AND NO CAT WAS TOO SMALL AS WE WELCOMED BENGAL CATS AFTER SEA QUEST'S CLOSURE AND HIGHLANDER HYBRIDS FROM A NEGLECT SITUATION. AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE ALSO WELCOMED OUR FIRST-EVER SNOW LEOPARD TO THE SANCTUARY!WE ENHANCED HABITATS FOR OUR CURRENT RESIDENTS. LILIGER ALYSSA AND LION CUB MANGO RECEIVED NEW ROCK CAVES TO EXPLORE. LEO LION MOVED INTO A NEWLY REMODELED HABITAT IN ROAR RIDGE. MANY CATS RECEIVED ADDITIONAL SKYWALKS AND A-FRAMES TO EXPLORE MORE VERTICAL SPACE. AND ON TOP OF THAT, TWO ROOFED HABITATS WITH HEATED BUNGALOWS WERE CONSTRUCTED. THE ONSITE WORK ISN'T COMPLETE WITHOUT MAINTAINING THE SANCTUARY. YOU HELPED US DO THAT THROUGH THE INSTALLATION OF A SECOND WELL AND NEW ROOFS ON THREE CENTRAL ANIMAL BUILDINGS. OUR VETERINARY TEAM PERFORMED 71 WELLNESS EXAMS AND 18 SURGERIES, IN ADDITION TO PREVENTATIVE TREATMENTS LIKE VACCINES AND DEWORMING. THE SURGERIES INCLUDED SERVAL JALAPEO'S ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY AND LEG AMPUTATION, LION MANGO'S TWO HERNIA SURGERIES AND TIGER NOAH'S STEM CELL THERAPY TO RELIEVE HIS ARTHRITIC PAIN.WE ALSO HOSTED THE FIRST-EVER SANCTUARY VETERINARY WORKING GROUP TO FOSTER COLLABORATION AMONG EIGHT FACILITIES. WE RECEIVED OUR 3-YEAR GFAS ACCREDITATION RENEWAL AND WERE HUMBLED WHEN WE WERE TOLD THE WILDCAT SANCTUARY IS THE GOLD STANDARD FOR WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES. THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT ALL OF YOU WHO SUPPORT OUR MISSION. YOU, OUR SUPPORTERS, AND OUR 28 INTERNS AND VOLUNTEERS, WHO CONTRIBUTE OVER 4,400 HOURS ANNUALLY TO THE CAUSE, HAVE MADE OUR SANCTUARY WHAT IT IS TODAY.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2002.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.