What Noah’s Ark does

Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1991 and operating on a 121-acre campus in Locust Grove, Georgia. The sanctuary provides permanent rescue, shelter, and care for abused, neglected, and exploited animals, currently housing 150+ residents across species including primates, large cats, bears, wolves, birds, reptiles, and barnyard animals, with over 1,500 animals transformed since founding. The organization is licensed and inspected by the USDA and Georgia Department of Natural Resources, and holds Candid's Gold Seal of Transparency for financial accountability. Recent rescue intakes include Claire the bear, wolves Boaz and Pete (transferred from a closing Midwest sanctuary), and red foxes rescued from fur farms via the Save-A-Fox organization.

The sanctuary monetizes through a diversified mix of revenue streams across three broad categories: visitor-facing admissions and programs, recurring memberships, and philanthropic donations. Visitor revenue includes general admission ($15 adult / $10 child effective April 1, 2025), behind-the-scenes WOW Tours ($75-$125 per person), educational field trips ($5-$10/person), Scout programming ($400 per 10 scouts), and the monthly Critter Fun Day children's program ($50/child). Recurring revenue includes annual memberships at $50 individual / $150 family tiers, plus subscription-style Adopt-an-Animal packages. Donation and corporate sponsorship revenue includes Haven Builder recurring gift tiers, Mazuri e-gift card feed support, Bricks of Love memorial program, wishlist donations, and venue rental ($50-$125). The Go-to-Market motion is direct-to-consumer via on-site visit (Tuesday-Sunday 10am-4pm) complemented by website booking for programs, GiveButter-powered online donations, email newsletter marketing, and regional earned media.

Operating geographies are concentrated in the Southeast United States, with primary markets being the Henry County and greater Atlanta metro area of Georgia. Customer segments span families with children (primary), school groups, scout troops, corporate volunteer work groups, court-ordered community service participants, private event hosts, and donor supporters. The organization employs 101-250 staff and is governed by an independent board under recently appointed Executive Director Lisette George. There is no disclosed parent company, no funding rounds, no subsidiaries, and no private equity involvement; funding is sourced entirely from donations, memberships, admissions, and grants.

Name

Noah’s Ark

Legal name

Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary

Website

https://noahs-ark.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit on 121 acres in Locust Grove, GA, providing rescue and permanent care for 150+ abused, neglected, and exploited animals across primates, large mammals, bears, wolves, birds, and reptiles. It generates revenue from visitor admissions, educational programs, memberships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Sanctuary Services

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

akta.pro primary industry

Sanctuaries & Long-Term Care (Farm, Equine, Exotic) (BPAGAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC), Foster & Volunteer Network Programs (BPAGAIAF)

Keywords

• Animal sanctuary services
• Wildlife rescue
• Educational wildlife tours
• Animal welfare programs
• Conservation education

Headquarters

HQ city

Locust Grove

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. General Admission: Visitors pay admission fees to tour the sanctuary and view animal habitats. Standard pricing is $15 for adults and $10 for children (effective April 1). A 2.6% surcharge is added for credit card payments.
2. Annual Memberships: Recurring annual memberships offering unlimited entry. Tiers include Individual ($50), Family of 4 ($150), and Additional Person ($30). Members receive discounts on Adopt-An-Animal and 10% off gift shop purchases.
3. Donations: Tax-deductible charitable donations as a 501(c)(3) organization. One-time or recurring (monthly, quarterly, yearly) donations. Haven Builder program with tiers from $25/month to $500+ one-time gifts.
4. Adopt an Animal Program: Symbolic animal adoption at various tiers (Flock, Pack, Herd, Pride) with corresponding benefits including certificates, photos, stuffed animals, and memberships.
5. Bricks of Love: Personalized engraved brick purchases placed in memorial garden or walkways. 4x8 brick on pathway is $100; 4x8 brick in Memorial Garden is $150.
6. Mazuri Feed the Need: Mazuri e-gift card purchases to support animal food costs. Residents consume 14,000 lbs of feed annually.
7. Wishlist Donations: Supporters purchase supplies from Amazon, Tractor Supply, and Sanctuary Supplies wishlists.
8. WOW Tours: Behind-the-scenes guided tours at $125/person for private tours (up to 5 people, ages 10+) or $75/person for semi-private tours (up to 10 people). Available April 15-November 1.
9. Critter Fun Day: Monthly educational program for children ages 5-12 at $50/child. Includes guided tour, animal encounters, and activities. Adults pay separate admission.
10. Scout Programming: Badge-earning programs for scout groups at $400 for 10 scouts, $30 per additional scout. Includes private tours and hands-on activities.
11. Field Trips: Educational tours for school groups at $5/person (self-guided) or $10/person (guided).
12. Community Service: Court-ordered community service workers assist with grounds maintenance and barnyard duties during scheduled hours.
13. Venue Rental: Gazebo rental at $50 for 2 hours, $125 for all day, plus $25 non-refundable deposit.
14. Work Groups: Corporate and community group volunteer days for team building and grounds maintenance assistance.
15. Corporate Sponsorship: Business sponsorship opportunities for companies interested in supporting the sanctuary.
16. Gift Shop Sales: On-site gift shop with 10% discount for members. Operating adjacent to sanctuary visitor areas.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Noah's Ark is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal sanctuary that provides permanent rescue, rehabilitation, and care for abused, neglected, and unwanted animals on a 121-acre property in Locust Grove, Georgia. The organization houses more than 150 animal residents and offers educational programming, guided tours, memberships, and adoption sponsorship programs for public engagement.

Product overview

Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal rescue organization on 121 acres in Locust Grove, GA. The sanctuary's offerings consist primarily of visitor programs (guided tours, educational field trips, scout programming, children's Critter Fun Day), facility rentals, membership passes, and various donation-based support programs (animal adoption, feed donations, memorial bricks, browse donations). The core experience is general admission access to view over 150 resident animals including primates, large mammals, birds, reptiles, and barnyard animals. Supplementary programs include WOW behind-the-scenes tours, venue rental for events, and volunteer/work group opportunities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Admission Public visitor entry to the 121-acre sanctuary to view 150+ animal residents. Designed for families, individuals, and tourists seeking animal encounters.
• WOW Tours Guided specialty tours of the sanctuary for an enhanced educational visitor experience.
• Critter Fun Day

Quantifiable outcome

• Transformed lives of over 1,500 animals since founding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mazuri (Purina)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMazuri provides specialized pelleted animal feed to the sanctuary. Residents consume approximately 14,000 lbs of nutritionally balanced, breed-specific Mazuri feed annually. The sanctuary promotes Mazuri gift card purchases as a way for supporters to help offset food costs.
• Henry County Chamber of CommerceminorOthersHenry County Chamber of Commerce featured Lisette George's appointment as Executive Director, demonstrating organizational partnership for regional business community engagement.
• Save-A-Fox OrganizationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoxes arrived at the sanctuary in Fall 2024 through rescue from fur farms via the Save-A-Fox organization. Claire the bear also arrived in 2025 from Save-A-Fox.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Zoo Atlanta: Major AZA-accredited zoo located ~30 miles from Noah's Ark in Atlanta, GA. Comparable as a paid-admission animal facility with memberships, educational programming, and conservation messaging, though at vastly larger scale and with broader species collection.
• Humane Society of the United States: Large national animal welfare nonprofit with broad advocacy, rescue, and sanctuary programs. Comparable as a donation-driven animal welfare organization, though operates at national scale with a more advocacy-focused mission.
• International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW): Global nonprofit focused on animal rescue, rehabilitation, and conservation. Comparable as a large animal welfare nonprofit with donor funding, though it operates internationally with an advocacy and field-rescue orientation.

Direct peers

• Big Cat Rescue: Florida-based nonprofit sanctuary for big and small wild cats with guided tours and educational programming. Comparable visitor-driven sanctuary model with similar admission, membership, and donation revenue streams.
• Exotic Feline Rescue Center: Indiana-based nonprofit big cat rescue and sanctuary with public tours, education, and donation programs. Comparable as a smaller, mission-driven big cat sanctuary with similar operating model and donor base.
• Lions Tigers & Bears: California-based USDA-licensed big cat and bear rescue sanctuary with public tours, VIP experiences, and educational programs. Similar nonprofit sanctuary model with comparable pricing for guided experiences and membership tiers.
• The Wildcat Sanctuary: Minnesota-based nonprofit sanctuary housing over 100 big cats and other wild animals. Closely comparable as a regional wildlife sanctuary with public tours, memberships, and donation-based funding, though focused specifically on wild cats.
• Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary: Montana-based nonprofit sanctuary providing permanent homes to non-releasable wildlife with public visitation and education. Comparable mid-sized regional sanctuary model focused on education and rescue.
• Best Friends Animal Sanctuary: Largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the US, operating in Kanab, Utah with thousands of resident animals. Directly comparable to Noah's Ark as a 501(c)(3) rescue/sanctuary with visitor programs, membership, and donation-driven revenue model.
• Carolina Tiger Rescue: North Carolina-based nonprofit sanctuary for wild cats and other native/exotic animals. Directly comparable as a Southeast US regional sanctuary offering guided tours, educational programs, and donor-supported operations.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/NoahsArkClub
• Facebookfacebook.com/NoahsArkAnimalSanctuary
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/noahs-ark

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Noah’s Ark