I have been volunteering for Suncoast Primate Sanctuary since June and I absolutely love it! Everyone is so nice and great to work with. You can tell they really love the animals and give such amazing care to them. Volunteering there has really changed my life and I am so grateful and thankful for them. Caring for the animals is the highlight of my week and I look forward to it everyday. I enjoy spending time with the animals and have fallen in love with them. Please consider donating to this amazing cause.
I am part of the most amazing team of volunteers at the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary. I volunteer in the Small Primate section, where we care for the most precious monkeys and other animals. We have made fantastic progress since the new management team took over, just over a year ago. Come and pay us a visit!
The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary has helped so many animals through the years and is run by volunteers. They could use your help. Volunteer to help the animals and you get so much more in return!
The new management has done more for these animals in the past year than has ever been done by previous owner. They need more donations to further enhance the lives of the animals! Visit, make a donation, volunteer!
I have been volunteering here for many, many years and it makes me feel good knowing that I have enriched their lives. They love their volunteers and the interaction we give them. It has been under new management since August 2022 in which we have done a ton of improvements such as cages, enrichment toys, landscaping, better diets, among other things. We are non-profit and depend on donations to help us. Please consider volunteering here or helping out in some way. They is always something to do.
The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary started in 1948 (known then as Noelle’s Arc) with humble beginnings and a whole lot of love for abandoned animals. Fast forward to new management taking over in August 2022 and you will find a passionate, hard-working group of volunteers that run the sanctuary and have big goals for the animals under their care. Enclosures are being upgraded and enrichment has become a priority. The final goal is to raise enough money to build a Prima-Dome for the great apes and two smaller domes for the small primates. This will give them time to run and play on natural surfaces. Every donation makes a difference for the retirement of these amazing animals.
I have visited this facility for several years, it has always been great, but the last couple times we have been there it is not ok, the animals look stressed, the people aren't the same, and my personal favorite monkey is gone, they took all these donations for kids programs and there are none, I have asked online several times and I get ignored! I'm not sure about the managers here but I would use caution donating until they get straightened out.
Review from Guidestar
Absolutely horrible place.
I cannot believe the good reviews left on this place, they must be from people in the family.
This place houses over 130 animals in small, concrete cages. It is dirty, it is bleak, it is heartbreaking. The animals scream and cry all night long. The owner is rude, lies and tries to blackmail anyone who dare question the welfare of these animals. When offered help, she targeted people with harassment and false accusations. If she loves the animals, why would she refuse help to give them better lives?!
This place is not an accredited sanctuary with GFAS (Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries) or ASA (American Sanctuary Association), which are the only two organizations that give accreditation to be a sanctuary, so it is misrepresentation for them to call themselves a sanctuary. Especially with how poor the conditions are. I have never seen any zoo, sanctuary or non-profit as bad as this place.
We visited SPS on Saturday, Oct 30, 2021. We were delighted! Deb and her team of volunteers are doing a great job. We were able to talk with Deb for quite a while. She is a wealth of information with vast experiences and passionate about education. I was impressed that she was able to teach, speak to all ages of guests and subtly suggest that although the animals are in great care, they do not make good pets. The animals seemed to be all well cared for and it’s an all round very clean facility. I’d love to see the organization be able to expand and grow the education module.
Great place! Can’t wait to go back! Maybe even as a volunteer!
I love this place ! Its run by all volunteers. Where else can you go to see Primates in a nature park. The animals are well cared for. They get five feeding a day. They love when visitors come to see they. They get vet care and will stay there until the go to the rainbow bridge. You can bring in a picnic lunch and dogs are allowed. The volunteers will answer and questions you might have. Great place to visit!
Love the fact that they are saving primates lives. The animals are well kept, clean environment, hospitable volunteers, and a great way to spend a few hours engaging with the monkeys. Very entertaining.
Suncoast Primate Sanctuary is a refuge not only for primates, but also alligators. tropical birds, and more. I have been volunteering since 2018 and continue to feel privileged every day to be able to know and help the magnificent animals residing here. They need volunteers from all walks of life with all different kinds of skills to help give the animals the care they so deserve. They also have monthly, wholesome and educational events (keep an eye on Palm Harbor Patch.com- geared towards families and children. Please look into volunteering here - you won't regret it. (And watch the attached video! :))
The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary backs up to a community bike trail and my two grandchildren beg to ride to see the primates from the bike trail. I so appreciate having this facility within our town and I enjoy seeing my grandkids learning and appreciating these fine animals. Thank you to all the workers who make the Sanctuary a success.
Loved hearing how the animals used for chemical testing are finally living a healthy life and are well cared for
They rescue primates from animal testing and other awful situations. They do their best providing toys to entertain them and it’s located in a natural setting. Unfortunately they could use more funds to expand their cages and add more shade. The lady working there had developed a close bond with the animals. She was interacting with them in positive ways and the animals looked happy and safe.
I am recently retired and new to the Palm Harbor, Fl area. I visited the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary, fell in love and decided to Volunteer. The sanctuary is basically a retirement home for its residents.
Each of these animals has its own story and history and is provided constant love and attention by the volunteer caregivers.
Initially, I thought I was volunteering to help the sanctuary. I did not realize what a, personally, rewarding and enriching experience this was going to be for me.
Cathy
https://www.peta.org/blog/beware-word-sanctuary/
Theres what pita said. Heres what I said before I read their report.
The cages are not safe. The door is a dead fall closed with chains and a padlock. I'd you can lift that so can a chimo. To lock it takes like 1 min for them to lift if takes 1 second. A volunteer or worker not sure went into the cage to clean up and the chimp just opened the door flowed her in and attacked her. Biting her only though despite the fact it could have easily killed her. To try and stop him they sprayed him with a hose cuz "monkeys dont like water" moronic. It didnt effect anything at all. She ran out the cage door but couldn't close it behind her so the chimp ran after her onto the grounds totally free and out of control and in attack more. She managed to get into a bathroom which was not safe because I chimp can rip off that door like you can open a sofa can. The handler comes and somehow by the grace of god manages to calm it down without it killing her roo with was what was the 90% chance outcome. Then the mauled women needs medical attention and it took 30 min, 30 min for them to get there. If a child got bit or she got got attacked fully and not just bitten which is more like a warning everyone would be dead. She was shocked at how strong it was. How did they allow her to work with an aniaml she didnt realize could rip her limbs off without thinking twice. Then theres the fact that these animals have no habitats and cannot be the aniamls they were ment to be. No trees for monkeys to swing in. No shade or protection from the elements. No food or water bowls. Just a dirt cage super small and isolated. If it grabs a lida arm the kid will loose an arm. If it gets your hair or clothes people will be mauled like their employee was. Chain line inst safe and they encourage people to feed these animals. They are evil. All aniamls are cute and all aniamls deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. They didnt rescue them they need to be rescued from them.
The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary has been serving the Tampa Bay area for many years. As a child (now 73), our family would visit my grandmother who lived in Ozona and we would pass this center every week. As we went by, we would say, "that's where the monkey's live". We (us children) go so excited each time we would pass.
My family knew some of the owners' family and knew the primates received the best of care. The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary is a huge asset to our communty.
It has been quite a while since I have "passed by" and will plan to make a Sunday visit to the sanctuary once more to bring back old memories.
My name is Robert Kettler a few years back me and my significant other Rhonda Kurtz found out one of our two monkeys ( Joey ) was sold to us without the proper state permits in which caused him to be taken by the state of Kentucky from us in which they planned on having him put down within 48 hrs.
We emailed over 100 Sanctuary's and Zoos and explained our situation the ONLY one to contact us back was The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary and Debbie Cobb and the staff of the sanctuary cared enough for Debbie to drive to our home and in Kentucky from Fla so he could be turned over to Debbie Cobb so he could live at the Sanctuary where is is loved and cared for by a Wonderful group of Volunteers.
We also ended up turning our little girl over to the Sanctuary also we then moved to Fla to be close to our boy and girl . The Sanctuary bent over backwards to keep us informed of how they were doing and letting us spend time with them after a year and a half until we could get them back we took them and moved with both of them to Indiana we did end up taking the boy back to the Sanctuary he picked up a couple bad habits so we did what was best for him and took him back where he was happy even though we did not want to lose him again but we know he is cared for and loved as well as the many many more primates and animals that call the Sanctuary home are.
I did get to Volunteer at the Sanctuary and never saw one thing that would make me hesitate on leaving someone I love very much to Happily live out the rest of his life Debbie Cobb and the sanctuary are my Hero's they stepped up and showed me there is someone who cares about something but them selves which in this world we live in is few and far between even to this day we are very much part of Joeys life Thanks to the Sanctuary and Debbie Cobb keeping us informed and updated with an occasional photo sent to us or a phone call.
If you are considering visiting please do you will not be disappointment the place is wonderful and the staff friendly and eager to answer questions,
If you are considering a tax deductible donation PLEASE do the are a non profit and I am sure could use your help especially at this time when the area had a hurricane come thru a few weeks ago. in my opinion 5 star all the way
I was a volunteer, about two years ago (small primate caregiver), and am back again now, 2014. It is a great place to volunteer if you love animals, especially monkeys. The volunteers work as a team, or even a family. Many have been here 10 or more years. The sanctuary offers a great home for primates that could either not be taken care of anymore by their owners, or were part of a research department of a university. The sanctuary is the better option of living out a full life, rather than the alternative, euthenizing, which the research organizations can legally do. We, as volunteers love to provide a safe and caring place for our monkey family.