About Us
About Our Sanctuary
Gulf Winds Wildlife Sanctuary is a 501C-3 organization that focuses on the conservation, preservation, and education of endangered wildlife and livestock. We also offer permanent housing for animals that are in need. Once an animal joins GWWS it will live out the rest of its days with us.
Our History
We originally started out on a 5 acres facility in 2011, we then moved to our current facility in 2014. The Gulf Coast Native sheep are the first species that we actively started to work with conserving back in 2018. Since then we have only grown, and gotten more dedicated to our mission
From 2007-2010 the founder of GWWS worked as a veterinary assistant for a large animal vet at the local horse race track, Tampa Bay Downs, and noticed the need for a place for the retired racehorses to go for rehabilitation. In 2010 she started to take in some of the off the racetrack thoroughbreds that were needing to retire and be rehabilitated and brought them to her facility that will eventually become GWWS. Once the horses were rehabilitated they were then able to be placed into permanent, loving homes with the condition that they would return to GWWS if the new owners were unable to ever care for them. A few of these horses still remain with GWWS where they will live out the rest of their lives.
Since then we have ventured out and have been able to offerer many unique animals a chance of a new beginning with us. Thanks to our supporters and donors, we have been able to offer all animals that arrive at GWWS a permanent and loving home where they are able to receive the vet care, attention, and environment to make them thrive.
Our Conservation Efforts
We are currently working with the following critically endangered breeds; New Guinea Singing dogs, Gulf Coast Native sheep, Nankin chickens, Jacob Sheep, Blanc De Hotot rabbits, and Belgium Hare rabbits. In the upcoming years, we will be not only working with our current flock of Gulf Coast Native sheep, but we will also be working with the original heritage lines of GCN sheep that dates back to the 1700. We currently have 3 of the 9 original lines of GCN sheep at our sanctuary that we are working with.
