Wild Animal Sanctuary director answers viewers' questions

The Wild Animal Sanctuary made waves earlier this week when it announced that it was raising itscost of admission from $15 to $50 - a move that the executive director says is aimed at helping theanimals and weeding out tourists from actual supporters. 9

KUSA

Allison Sylte, 9:48 p.m. MDT July 29, 2015

Pat Craig, the founder and executive director of the Wild Animal Sanctuary(Photo: KUSA)

KEENESBURG - The Wild Animal Sanctuary made waves earlier this week when it announced that itwas raising its cost of admission from $15 to $50 - a move that the executive director says is aimedat helping the animals and weeding out tourists from actual supporters.

"We just want to honor the people who do support the animals, and anybody who doesn't see thevalue in supporting them, that's fine, you can go learn and see wildlife somewhere else, and have agreat time at the zoo or somewhere that's more in that line," Executive Director Pat Craig told9NEWS Monday.

Craig emphasized this central point Wednesday during an interview with 9NEWS Reporter SteveStaeger, saying that the price increase is aimed at getting more donors.

Visitors can pay $200 a year for unlimited visits.

"So one of the viewer questions that we've gotten is, 'Why increase the price, why not just close thething now and only allow supporters to come inside?" Staeger asked.

"That's virtually what's happening, in a sense," Craig said. "The only reason we wanted the $50option was to give people who haven't become a donor yet that option to say 'well, jeez, how would Iknow unless I come and see what you're doing?'"

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The price increase has prompted an outcry on social media - and the Wild Animal Sanctuary hasresponded directly to some of the comments from visitors on Facebook, in one case, commentingthat a donor criticizing the admission increase gave $19 in 2013 and $10 in 2014. Craig says he wasgenuinely thanking the visitor for her contributions.

"That's public information that's in the non-profit's records," Craig said. "It goes to the IRS. It's onthe 990."

"That wasn't like condescending," he added. "It wasn't to out this lady or anything."

Craig says the sanctuary's approach on social media in response to criticism about the admissionincrease is to be "honest and open with supporters."

"You could say, 'Oh, we're the Donald Trump of sanctuaries' if you want, but the key is when peoplespeak frankly, others don't like that,'" he said.

When asked about his January comments to the Greeley Tribuneabout plans to build an RV park,welcome center and bed and breakfast on the property, Craig told 9NEWS that these projects "willstill happen" and don't interfere with the mission to be about the animals rather than a tourist

destination.

"But those are all for supporters," Craig said. "I can introduce you to people who are supporters ...they've always been supporters and they live in Fort Collins, places like that, and they're the oneswho come down here and say 'well jeez, you ought to have this.' They said 'you ought to have thisbed and breakfast because I'd stay here.' We're addressing something they asked for."

9NEWS Reporter Steve Staeger spoke to Wild Animal Sanctuary Executive Director Pat Craig.9NEWS WEB EXTRA.

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