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What happens to exotic animals when their owners can no longer care for them?
In this episode of Top Dog Podcast, we sit down with Brittany Vanderstine, Director of Wild Exotics Animal Refuge, a New Jersey nonprofit dedicated to rescuing and providing lifelong care for exotic animals.
Brittany shares how her experience in animal welfare led her to recognize a major gap in rescue: while large exotic animals often have established sanctuaries, smaller exotic pets such as reptiles, birds, and mammals can have very limited options when they are surrendered, abandoned, or no longer wanted.
In this conversation, we discuss:
✔ The overlooked challenges facing exotic animal rescue ✔ Why exotic pets are often surrendered when owners are unprepared for their needs ✔ Building a refuge for animals with nowhere else to go ✔ The importance of education before someone adopts an exotic pet ✔ Caring for animals with complex and specialized needs ✔ The realities of running a nonprofit animal refuge ✔ How rescue organizations can prevent exotic pet abandonment
Brittany's story highlights an important lesson for animal welfare leaders: sometimes the biggest opportunities for impact are found in the gaps that others aren't addressing.
Learn more about tools supporting animal welfare organizations: https://doobert.com/
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