The Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary, based in south Texas and home to over 400 monkeys, is one of the largest sanctuaries of its kind in the world. Today, it was confirmed that the sanctuary has been re-accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) – confirming its standing as a facility of excellence. The sanctuary has maintained its affiliation with GFAS since 2009, which means that it has met the rigorous standards demanded by the Federation, which “through [its] evaluation process… can ensure that those designated as GFAS-Accredited uphold the highest standards for the animals in their care.”
We are delighted that we continue to be recognized as meeting the demanding standards of GFAS accreditation. It is a testament to the hard work of our team and the generosity of our supporters, that we are able to provide the absolute best care to our monkey residents. We are proud to be part of the membership of the Federation, alongside other global leaders in our field.
“Born Free Primate Sanctuary is dedicated to the peace and well-being of their primate residents. We see this demonstrated through exceptional animal care and a commitment to ethical and operational principles. Born Free Primate Sanctuary is a true sanctuary.”
Kristin Leppert, GFAS Program Director
Accreditation by GFAS is not only a badge of honor for the member organizations but an important way in which members of the public are able to differentiate between rogue operations that call themselves “sanctuaries,” while not meeting ethical and practical standards, and those that are genuine sanctuary operations. As there is no legally recognized definition of what does and does not constitute a sanctuary, the term has been co-opted by unethical businesses looking to benefit from the positive connotations associated with animal sanctuaries, while failing to follow basic principles of operation. GFAS accreditation therefore offers confidence to our supporters that we are what we claim to be and are operating under strict ethical codes.
True sanctuaries are not just assessed on their standards of animal care, although this will always be the most important element of their work. In order to be considered a true sanctuary by GFAS, the following criteria must be met:
- The sanctuary must operate on a not-for-profit basis;
- No captive breeding;
- No commercial trade in animals or animal parts;
- No tours allowed that are not guided and conducted in a careful manner that minimizes the impact on the animals and their environment, does not cause them stress, and gives them the ability to seek undisturbed privacy and quiet;
- Animals are not exhibited or taken from the sanctuary or enclosures/habitats for non-medical reasons;
- The public does not have direct contact with wildlife.
Born Free USA is proud to operate a true sanctuary that provides the highest standard of care to all of its residents and in which our supporters can have utmost confidence.
You can support the Born Free USA primate sanctuary by adopting one of our resident monkeys!
For the Monkeys,
Liz
