Often, owners of wild animals in captivity in aquariums, roadside attractions, or local zoos are unprepared or unable to provide proper care for the animals and look to resell them. The author offers sanctuaries as a more humane place for these animals to live out their lives. Each chapter profiles an established sanctuary and the animals housed within it. Inserts provide in-depth information about species such as bears, elephants, monkeys, tigers, and whales. This book is a welcome stepping point for a call to action for ending the trade and abuse of wild animals. Readers can help by adopting exotic animals only from rescue facilities, not supporting attractions featuring wild animals, making donations, or becoming volunteers.

Caution: Many of the stories end in the eventual death of animals.

128 pp., 8 × 10", colour photographs • Bibliography • Index

Source: Association of Book Publishers of BC - BC Books for Schools (2021-2022)

Nicholas Read is a journalism instructor at Langara College in Vancouver, British Columbia. He collaborated with Ian McAllister on several books, including Wolf Island, A Bear's Life, The Seal Garden and The Great Bear Sea and wrote City Critters, about urban wildlife. He lives in Vancouver, British Columbia.

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