Center for Animal Research and Education

What Center for Animal Research and Education does

The Center for Animal Research and Education (CARE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal sanctuary operating on 22 acres at 245 County Road 3422 in Bridgeport, Texas, founded in 2004 by Executive Director Heidi Krahn. The organization provides lifelong sanctuary care for approximately 40-60 resident animals across 15 species — including tigers, lions, leopards, bobcats, cougars, lynx, margay, Asian leopard cats, ring-tailed lemurs, llama, and tortoise — having given homes to 123 animals over its 22-year history. CARE specializes in elderly, sick, and special-needs exotic animals that other facilities cannot accept, and does not buy, sell, trade, breed, or permit public contact with animals.

CARE's service portfolio centers on physical visitor experiences and digital engagement: public Saturday guided tours (suggested $30/person donation), Safari Suites overnight accommodations adjacent to big cat enclosures (booked via Wild Animal Retreat/lodgify.com), internship programs, and collaborative research with institutions such as Texas A&M. Distinctive infrastructure includes Special CARE Units (indoor heated/cooled enclosures for special-needs residents), an on-site vet center, and a reverse-osmosis water filtration system installed during COVID-19. Educational and fundraising reach is extended through a YouTube channel, Patreon subscription community, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, email newsletter, GoFundMe campaigns, and an Amazon Wishlist.

Revenue is generated through a diversified donation-and-experience mix: tour donations, Patreon recurring subscriptions, symbolic adoption/sponsorship programs, merchandise sales, annual events (notably the Fall Festival, held virtually on YouTube in 2020), and targeted GoFundMe campaigns for enclosures. Average monthly operating expenses are approximately $25,000, funding food, veterinary care, housing, enrichment, medications, and facility maintenance. The organization is powered primarily by volunteers and a small core staff, with corporate support from sponsors such as First State Bank, Advanced Foam Recycling, Decatur Town Square, and Enlink Midstream; partners in animal health (Zoetis) have provided in-kind vaccine donations. CARE holds USDA licensing, GuideStar/Candid platinum transparency status, and Great Nonprofits Top Rated status, and achieved Guinness World Records recognition in 2021 for Raven, the World's Oldest Living Leopard in captivity.

Name

Center for Animal Research and Education

Legal name

Center for Animal Research and Education

Website

https://carerescuetexas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CARE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal sanctuary in Bridgeport, Texas, providing lifelong care for ~60 exotic animals across 15 species on a 22-acre facility, funded through tours, donations, sponsorships, and Patreon subscriptions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Sanctuary and Wildlife Rescue

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC), Education & Community Outreach (Responsible Pet Ownership) (BPAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Exotic animal sanctuary
• Wildlife rescue services
• Animal welfare education
• Nonprofit animal care
• Big cat conservation

Headquarters

HQ city

Bridgeport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tour Donations: Visitors are asked to make a suggested donation of $30 per person for guided educational tours. Tours are the primary public-facing engagement and revenue activity.
2. Patreon Subscriptions: Monthly recurring donations through Patreon providing exclusive content and supporting ongoing animal care. CARE Patron program delivers gated content to supporters.
3. Adoption and Sponsorship Programs: Symbolic animal adoption and sponsorship packages where supporters receive recognition (photos, updates) in exchange for financial contributions supporting individual animals.
4. Merchandise and Gift Sales: Sale of branded CARE merchandise and gifts through the organization's storefront, generating supplemental revenue.
5. Event Fundraising: Annual events such as the Fall Festival serve as major fundraising opportunities. The 2020 Fall Festival was held virtually on YouTube with corporate sponsors underwriting costs.
6. GoFundMe Campaigns: Campaign-based fundraising for specific projects such as new enclosures (tiger cub enclosure fundraiser, Special CARE Units fundraiser, Juno's habitat GoFundMe).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

CARE operates a 22-acre exotic animal sanctuary in Bridgeport, Texas providing lifelong rescue, rehabilitation, and permanent housing for over 60 rescued animals including big cats, small wild cats, ring-tailed lemurs, llama, and tortoise. The organization generates revenue and community engagement through guided educational tours, Safari Suites overnight accommodations, internships, animal adoption and sponsorship programs, Patreon memberships, merchandise sales, and fundraising events, while conducting research to improve captive animal welfare globally.

Product overview

CARE operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal sanctuary offering a portfolio of visitor engagement, educational, and donation-based services centered on the rescue and lifelong care of exotic animals. Core offerings include Guided Tours of the 22-acre Bridgeport, Texas facility, Safari Suites overnight accommodations adjacent to enclosures, Internships for hands-on animal care experience, and Research Programs focused on captive animal welfare. The organization also offers Adopt or Sponsor programs for symbolic animal support, a Merchandise Shop for branded goods, Patreon Membership for exclusive content access, and Virtual Tours via YouTube for remote engagement. These services collectively support the care of over 60 animals including tigers, lions, leopards, bobcats, cougars, lynx, margay, lemurs, llama, and tortoise.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Guided Tours Educational guided tours of the 22-acre Bridgeport, Texas facility where visitors learn about animal species, backgrounds, and stories of resident exotic animals including big cats, wild cats, and lemurs. Tours last approximately 2 hours and are open to the public on Saturdays with private and weekday options available by booking.
• Safari Suites Overnight Stays Overnight accommodations at the Wild Animal Retreat positioned directly above tiger and lion enclosures, offering guests a unique immersive wildlife experience. Bookings are managed through the Wild Animal Retreat platform at wildanimalretreat.lodgify.com and provide a revenue-generating program funding animal care operations.
• Internships Hands-on training programs for individuals seeking practical knowledge and experience working with exotic animals in a sanctuary setting. Participants gain direct exposure to animal care operations at the Bridgeport facility.
• Research Programs Collaborative research initiatives aimed at improving animal care, veterinary practices, and living conditions for captive animal populations worldwide, including genetics expertise collaboration with Texas A&M University.
• Animal Adoption and Sponsorship Program Symbolic adoption or sponsorship of an animal at CARE providing financial support for an individual animal's care in exchange for recognition items such as photos and updates about the sponsored animal.
• Merchandise Shop Online merchandise store offering CARE-branded items and gifts to supporters, generating supplemental revenue for animal care operations.
• Patreon Membership Monthly recurring donation program through Patreon providing patrons with exclusive behind-the-scenes content, Q&A sessions, weekly meditation videos with animals, and special access supporting ongoing animal care.
• Virtual Tours on YouTube Pre-recorded video content and virtual experiences available on the CARE YouTube channel providing remote access to animal interactions, facility tours, and behind-the-scenes content for a global audience.

Quantifiable outcome

• Guinness World Record: Raven named World's Oldest Living Leopard in captivity — over 10 years beyond normal leopard life expectancy
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.

• ZoetismajorGTM or Marketing Partner · 20 October 2021Zoetis, an animal health company, donated its experimental COVID-19 vaccine uniquely formulated for animals to CARE in fall 2021. Each animal received two doses approximately three weeks apart. The vaccine was authorized for experimental use by the USDA and the state veterinarian. Zoetis donated vaccines to nearly 70 zoos and more than a dozen conservatories, sanctuaries, and academic institutions across 27 U.S. states. This partnership protected CARE's most vulnerable animals (including Guinness World Record holder Raven) and enabled the organization to plan for limited reopening.
• First State Bank, Advanced Foam Recycling, Decatur Town Square (Fall Festival Corporate Sponsors)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2020Three local businesses served as corporate sponsors for the 2020 Virtual Fall Festival, making the free event possible. Their sponsorship enabled CARE to offer the virtual event without requiring ticket purchases, expanding reach while still supporting animal care fundraising.
• The Kennedy FamilyminorOthers · 23 March 2020The Kennedy family donated cleaning wipes necessary for cleaning lemur enclosures, enough to last several months during the COVID-19 pandemic when supplies were scarce.
• Enlink MidstreamminorOthers · 20 February 2019Enlink Midstream generously donated building materials (construction materials for enclosures) to CARE, supporting habitat development for rescued animals. This in-kind donation represents community corporate support for CARE's infrastructure.
• Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (WWWRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Amarillo, Texas referred Juno, a small wild cat (likely margay or oncilla), to CARE for permanent sanctuary care. WWWRC had been caring for the animal after it was found wandering in central Texas. WWWRC also sent Bob the bobcat to CARE in November 2021. This partnership exemplifies CARE's role as a receiving sanctuary for animals referred from rehabilitation facilities.
• Wild Animal Retreat (Safari Suites)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWild Animal Retreat is the booking platform for CARE's Safari Suites — overnight accommodations adjacent to big cat enclosures. This channel partnership enables CARE to monetize its unique location while funding animal care operations. Bookings are managed through lodgify.com.
• Texas A&M UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCARE has access to genetics experts at Texas A&M for species identification when exact species determination is needed (e.g., for Juno the margay/oncilla). Represents a research collaboration for wildlife genetics expertise.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Wildcat Sanctuary: Minnesota-based nonprofit sanctuary for wild cats offering guided tours, adoption/sponsorship programs, and lifelong care. Directly comparable in mission, programming, and donor-engagement approach.
• Exotic Feline Rescue Center: Indiana-based nonprofit caring for over 60 big and small wild cats with public tours, adoption programs, and education. Closely mirrors CARE's resident population scale and sanctuary mission.
• Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge: Arkansas-based nonprofit refuge for big cats and other rescued animals featuring public tours, overnight lodging, and education. Closely matches CARE's sanctuary-plus-tourism-plus-lodging model.
• Big Cat Rescue: Large accredited big cat sanctuary operating tours, overnight stays, and educational programming. Highly comparable to CARE's rescue-and-education model, sanctuary-only policy, and donation-based funding, though at a significantly larger scale.
• Lions Tigers & Bears: California-based big cat and bear sanctuary offering VIP tours, overnight stays, and educational programming. Directly comparable in overnight-experience offerings and donation-driven funding model.
• Carolina Tiger Rescue: North Carolina nonprofit rescuing wild cats and other native/exotic animals, offering public tours and education. Highly comparable operating model and donor-supported funding mix.
• The Wild Animal Sanctuary: Large Colorado-based nonprofit operating rescued-animal habitats with public viewing, tours, and education. Directly comparable to CARE in mission and visitor engagement, at substantially greater scale.
• Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch: HSUS-operated Texas sanctuary for rescued exotic and farm animals offering tours and education. Comparable to CARE in geographic region and exotic-animal rescue scope, supported by a national organization.
• In-Sync Exotics: Texas-based nonprofit exotic cat sanctuary with guided tours, educational programs, and volunteer engagement. Strong regional and operational parallel to CARE's Bridgeport, Texas operation.

Regional players

• Tiger World: North Carolina-based nonprofit sanctuary and education center for endangered and exotic species. Similar mission in big cat rescue and education, but not directly competing in Texas.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/carerescuetexas
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CAREBigCats
• Facebookfacebook.com/CARERescueTX
• Instagraminstagram.com/carerescuetexas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/center-for-animal-research-and-education

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Center for Animal Research and Education