Can you believe that February has already turned into March? It’s amazing how time flies! And now that it’s March, we know that March Break is just on the horizon, which means it’s a great time to travel! Here are some awesome animal sanctuaries that you have to check out while you’re travelling abroad!

Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida

Housing an array of bobcats, tigers, leopards, and other large felines, Big Cat Rescue emphasizes education and the rescue of large cats. The animals are usually taken out of abusive situations, and if they are unable to be released back into the wild, are re-homed in the sanctuary. All cat care is taken on by volunteers as well!

To visit them, you can pre-book your ticket on their website, where they then provide guided tours through the sanctuary. In order to reduce stress on the animals, they do not allow guests to free-roam through the sanctuary. Their tours emphasize education on big cats in captivity and in the wild.

If you can’t visit, Big Cat Rescue has a Youtube channel, where they frequently post updates and fun videos about their resident cats.

Tiggywinkles in Buckinghamshire, UK

This sanctuary not only houses animals, but are a specialist hospital that relies solely on donations to provide free specialist care! The animals housed there are usually injured due to unfortunate encounters with traffic and other human conveniences. They treat and educate the public on hedgehogs, wild birds, deer, and other British wildlife. Tiggywinkles even offers animal care courses for aspiring vets!

You can either book tickets as a large group, or check out tour times on their website(tours start in April!)

Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand

A sanctuary and rehabilitation centre, Elephant Nature Park not only rescues elephants, but they also rescue dogs, cats, and other animals in need. The elephants are usually rescued from the tourism industry, where they are ridden by people for profit. The centre focuses on rebuilding a healthy and trusting relationship between elephants and people, as well as rebuilding their relationships with fellow elephants.

Elephant Nature Park welcomes visitors for single day, overnight, and volunteer visits. Check out their website for more details!

Hetta Huskies in Enontekiö, Finland

Focusing on the ethical care of sled dogs, Hetta Huskies houses their huskies on a farm in the north of Finland. The huskies there are working dogs, and are given a high level of care so that they can live the best life possible. Retired dogs can live out the rest of their days on the farm in peace, as the centre work on a no-kill basis.

Visitors can learn more about the dogs, or learn more about dog sledding. They are also known for their single and multi day dog sled tours, where you may even catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights! Click here for more details!

Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Zărnești, Romania

Asides from having possibly the best name out of the rescues on this list, Libearty Bear Sanctuary also does great work with bears that have been previously trapped in the tourism industry. Many of the bears at the sanctuary have been caught as cubs to work for human entertainment, so the sanctuary does their utmost to provide them with large spaces and natural stimulation, such as trees to climb, pools to swim in, and opportunities to forage.

Visitors can visit the sanctuary for an educational tour through the website here. Groups are taken through the sanctuary in groups to ensure the smooth operation of the sanctuary and to reduce stress on the bears.

Where do you plan on visiting for March Break? Let us know in the comment below!