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Meet Joel and Chemaine Almquist, a compassionate couple from Phelan, CA. Years ago they made room in their expansive hearts and backyard for wild cats in need of some tender loving care. This endeavor grew into Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary. (You may have seen the Almquists on Extreme Home Makeover a couple years ago, when Ty and his team swooped in to provide some awesome renovations.)

No outgoing adoptions here – these great cats have found their forever-home. Some come from the entertainment industry, others have outgrown the resources of well-meaning owners, and some have even been rescued from abuse and neglect. It all makes me want to give the Almquists a lion-sized hug!

The Almquists have lots of cats to care for. Their feline family includes servals, lynxes, bobcats, tigers, mountain lions, black leopards, and one regal African lioness named Gypsy – 26 wild cats in all!

The handsome fellow pictured below is Taj, Forever Wild’s star of the month for March. Taj’s former owners had purchased him from a breeder so that he could perform in a show. When he developed cataracts in both eyes, he was in danger of being put down. Thankfully his owners were able to give him to Forever Wild instead!

Learn more about Taj here.

Click here too see Forever Wild’s current star of the month!

Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary houses several other types of critters as well – check out their website for footage and information on their winged, scaled, and four-legged residents – and, if you’re interested, how you can help. They’re open to the public, so consider taking some time to visit if you’re ever in the area.

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with some heart-warming footage of Maverick the bobcat, who is so very grateful for his forever-home and family! (The human in the video is Joel Almquist, and the other kitty is Maverick’s pal, Sasha the lynx.)

Photo and video courtesy of www.foreverwildexotics.org