T&D's Cats of the World — Attraction in Center Township

An EXCELLENT refuge for exotic animals, and one of the few genuine big cat sanctuaries in the country. Unlike most places claiming to be "rescues", T&D's does not breed, buy, or trade animals - they provide unwanted exotics with a home for life. A wide variety of animals from all over the world call T&D's home, including exotic lemurs, parrots, binturongs, and primates; as well as native PA wildlife - black bears, deer, and fox. And, of course, you can see just about every species of big cat, too - including african lions, tigers (both orange and white), leopards (spotted and black), servals, and more!

I was pleasantly surprised to see that most of the animals have very large, natural habitats, some of which are better than most zoos. For example, you may see tigers roaming their 2-acre enclosure, which includes woods, a grassy meadow, and a pond to swim in. The way the enclosures are configured also allows for stunning up-close views of the animals - imagine sitting on a park bench just feet away from a lion or a tiger. It's excellent for photographers who want to get shots of exotic animals in their "natural environment" - many of the pictures that I've taken there are indistinguishable from those taken in the wild!

That said, T&D's is NOT a "zoo" - it's the animal's home, and that means that the animals always come first. Some of the animals may not be visible because they're hiding in the brush that's been provided for that purpose - unlike at a zoo, where an animal's desire for privacy is often sacrificed for better viewing opportunities.

Also, it's important to remember that many of these animals came from situations of horrific abuse or neglect. For example, one of the monkeys was rescued after being caged alone in a dark attic for ten years. As a result, T&D's animals are much more sensitive than typical zoo residents, and require an extra level of respect. I would only recommend a visit to T&Ds for children who are mature enough to understand that they are guests in the animal's home, and that yelling, running around, and taunting the animals is NOT okay. One of the tigers recently had to be moved to another enclosure away from the path because a young child tried to throw rocks at her. If you have a particularly excitable child, I would save T&D's for when s/he's a little older.

For animal lovers, photographers, and families with older children, T&D's makes for a wonderful, inexpensive outing. There are even picnic tables there so that you can bring your own picnic lunch before visiting the animals. And you can be happy knowing that the money you DO spend there goes directly to providing abused animals with a...

I was so impressed with this place! Brought my parents and daughter on a week day. We had about 20 people in our group. Our guide Jeff was knowledgeable and personable! The owner greeted us to get us all paid (they only take cash) and tell us about what they do and how passionate she is for the animals they take in and care for. The animals all looked happy and well cared for. I liked hearing the stories about how each animal came to live at T&D's. The big cats were my favorite but the bears were really fun to watch. They are in the process of creating a larger enclosure for the bears and I can't wait to come back to see it! Truly a great place. If you bring kids with you, discuss the rules as this is not a zoo. No running, no making noises at the animals, no lagging behind etc. they take all of that serious for good reason. I absolutely loved my visit and can't wait...

This place was bigger than I expected, but still a small size animal sanctuary. They are open only 70 days per a year. So we got there around 4 p.m. not many people at that time since they close at 6. We took our time watching all the animals so it took us 1 hour and a half to see everything. We also get to talk some of the volunteers there about the animals, they were nice and knowledgeable. I suggest you wear comfortable shoes since it's a dirt pathway throughout the refuge. There was also an aviary section that was close at the time due to bird flu, that cost extra to get in. Animals we saw were many monkeys, lots of bengal tigers, a lion, bobcats,many foxes, raccoons, emu, and cute bears. I'm thankful this place existed, to take care of animals from people who can no longer own or take care of them. If you love animals, this is a great place to see them up close...