| Critter Camp is a Not-For-Profit Registered Charitable 501c3 Tax Exempt Corporation Critter Camp is a 100% NO-Kill Shelter/Sanctuary Operated by Volunteers All income supports the rescued animals |
| Come meet them all! Schedule a tour today! Contact Us: 815-266-1342 info@crittercamp.biz 824 Church Street, German Valley, IL 61039 |
| Check out our first You Tube listing- "How Quagmire the Bearded Dragon got his name" Here Quag is doing his mating dance because he sees Fiona the female Beardie nearby. They are housed separately and not in each others' view so they can relax & not be agitated. |
| About Us |
| Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary |
| We did not set out to create a shelter or sanctuary in the beginning. I am a single mom who was homeschooling my two gifted daughters and my son with special needs while incorporating our pets into the lessons. We had the usual pets, a dog, cats, hamsters, & gerbils. However we decided to add ferrets and ended up taking in a rescued ferret and his cousin. Then came the hedgehog, another gerbil and parakeet. Before long word got out & people were bringing us their unwanted animals. We used these opportunities to learn about the new animals in all subject areas - reading, writing, math, geography, science, etc. When we had nearly 30 animals we decided we had to either stop accepting the homeless critters or make it a full time endeavor and become a licensed shelter. We have grown to care for over 200 animals of 30 different species, utilizing about a dozen volunteers, and becoming a registered 501c3 non-profit organization. Volunteers from Pecatonica, Freeport, Leaf River, Davis, Janesville (WI), German Valley and Rockford come to help us at Critter Camp. They help clean cages, build enclosures, exercise, feed and play with the animals. We believe that: At a certain point re-homing pets, particularly the unusual and exotic ones, at all costs often serves only to make the people involved feel better about themselves, irregardless of the stability and continuity of care the elderly, abused or ill animal, actually needs. Euthanizing such animals brings the rescuer down to the universally despised level of “puppy-mills” in that if an animal is no longer useful to humans it must be killed. This is incredibly heartbreaking. Again, people bred every one of these pet animals for human enjoyment and/or profit, therefore we as humans have an obligation to provide quality care for these animals for their entire lives whether or not they are “pet quality.” The current batch of critters living here include: Phoebe the miniature Dachshund, Chi Chi the poochon (poodle & bichon mix); Zeke the border collie/retriever/whatever mix; Senya, Angel, Tiger, Rascal, Sam, Sabrina and Junecat the cats (Momma & 5 kittens - fostering!); New Bunny, Jack Rabbit, Lola, Cutie, Babies, Lilo, Morgan, Bumper Bunny, Chopper, Hef, Snicker, Cocoa, Sizzle, Comet, Bloo, Brownie, Charcoal, Buster,Joey, Dandelion, Chocolate, Sweetie, Smokey, Lionel, Mickey, Yin & Yang the rabbits; Midnight & Spaz, dwarf hamsters, Lucci, Casper, Snowball (boy), Ruby, Blossom, Rose-A-Belle, Blackie, Flash, Brownie (girl), Ginger,Spotty, Coca Bean, Joey, Millie, Henny Penny, Ruff,Piglet, Precious, Mama, Niblet, Caramel, Choco, Peanut, Butter, Jelly, Diva, Minnie, Miss Piggy, Oscar, Precious, Walter, Milton, Brownie (boy), Dennis the Menace, Stripe, Patch, Friskie, Henry, Punkin, Missy, Sam, Whiskey, Oreo, Twix, Ginger, Snowball, Princess and Baby the guinea pigs and ; Suzy & Remy ( girl), Kiwi, Smudge, Remy(boy), Punkindoodle, Sweetie, Baby, Twister, Otis, Hokey & Pokey the rats; Snowdrop, Blaze, Spooky, Michelle, Kahlua, Maple, Sam,Joe, Cocoa, Cutie, Pepsi, Crystal, Lily, Midnight, & Queenie the mice; Scamper, Fitness Girl, Suzy, Ping, Raf, Stumpy, Jerboa, Chewbaca, Nugget, Scruffy, Sara, Ruby, Tia, Lucy, Ethel, Hoppy, Popcorn & Emma Grace the degus ; Buddy, Ari, Raz, Bear, Felix, Oscar, PJ, Misty, Moonie, Stormy, Mellow, Bandit, Curly, Puddy, Dolomite, Karma, Sanchez, Smokey, Angel, Buffy, Storm, Snowball, Ferri & Anastasia the ferrets; Pepper, Christine, Wilma, Squirrel, Baby Harry, Fred & Barney, Electra & Lucy, Killer, Logan, Timothy, Nut & Butterscotch, and 11 new young adoptable Gerbils, Long Body the ball python; Phoenix, Blonde D and Quagmire the bearded dragons; Hedges, PJ, Nicky, Hans & Prickleball the hedgehogs; Alberta, Abby, Irma and Millie the box turtles, Zeus the Golden Greek tortoise, Scream the iguana, Germ the fire belly toad; Hair the tarantula; Peter the Quaker Parrot, Madam Mim, Parro & Tweety the parakeets; Shadow the Arctic Marble Fox, Gizmo & Flash the Fennec foxes, Guinness and Meeko the Kinkajous, Peaches, Cream, Raven & Tweety the canaries, Jackson the Green Wing Macaw, Verde the Yellow Naped Amazon Parrot, Ringo the ring neck dove, Skyler the Cockatiel, Dolce, Leno & Chili the chinchillas, and Bert & Ernie, Punch & Judy, Cole, Princess, Speedie, & Baby Junior the sugar gliders. Read more here about Life at Critter Camp! |
| Animal statistics 2007: 113 taken in 52 animals left us - 43 Died & 9 Found New Homes Adoptions arranged: 7 ferrets, 1 iguana, 2 gliders, 1 beardie These animals never came in here, we arranged adoptions between pet owners needing to re-home their pet and prospective owners. |
| ANIMAL PLANET is developing a new show around the theme “My House is a Zoo,” and….. a producer called us here at Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary to see if we would be interested!!!!! How incredibly exciting is that!!??!!! Anyway, we are definitely in the running to be featured on ANIMAL PLANET!!!! This very nice, animal loving producer is also looking for other families that have a lot of animals at their home to consider as well. Here is her press release: CASTING CALL: Is your life literally going to the dogs...and cats...and bunnies...and lizards? Do you have ducks in the bathtub and spiders in the chandelier? Do you mix up your kids' names with your pets? Are your kids actually goats? Animal Planet is developing a new series about families where the pets outnumber the humans, where the daily business of raising a family includes dealing with the whole animal kingdom. If your house is one where any species would feel at home, we'd like to know more. Please send a short introductory email about your family to MyHouseIsaZoo.too@gmail.com . Include a link to your website if you can. Emails with attachments will not be opened. Please contact her if you have any other nominations for such a series, and especially to tell her that you would love to see Critter Camp Exotic Pet Sanctuary on Animal Planet!!! If you have been here or had us come to your place, brought us an animal, or taken one in, or just know us from the internet PLEASE help us get on Animal Planet! We would certainly be able to build our sanctuary building with that kind of publicity!! Think of the hundreds of critters that would have a safe home! Having us or another home based rescue can serve a dual purpose by helping care for unwanted animals rather than just spotlight a family that has lots of pets, or maybe they can do two shows! Maybe they can do a contest type show where viewers can vote on who they want to be profiled or they can highlight lots of families, who knows! Send her your suggestions, comments and/or endorsements now! |
