The Big Cat Sanctuary Ltd
Analysis
The Big Cat Sanctuary Ltd is a registered charity in England and Wales, based in Smarden. It was registered in June 2004, 22 years ago. Its declared purposes cover education/training, animals and environment/conservation/heritage, which this site groups under animals. Legally it is a charitable company (Companies House number 04365977). It says it makes grants to organisations, provides human resources and sponsors or undertakes research.
In the financial year ending December 2025, The Big Cat Sanctuary Ltd reported income of £4.6m and spending of £4.5m, spending 99% of its income. Across the 5 years on record, from December 2021 to December 2025, income grew from £3.7m to £4.6m (+23%), an average of +5.3% a year. The sharpest change came in the year to December 2023, when income dropped by 31%. Over the whole period it spent 88% of the income it received.
Among 2,161 England and Wales charities whose main cause is animals and that reported income, The Big Cat Sanctuary Ltd sits at the 97th percentile: it is larger than about 97% of them. Against every charity in England and Wales with reported income it ranks in the 98th percentile. Charities of a similar size with the same main cause include Wildwood Trust (£4.4m), Global Canopy (£4.6m) and Celia Hammond Animal Trust (£4.1m).
In its latest detailed accounts, income came from charitable activities 76%, donations and legacies 16% and trading 7.3%. Gifts in wills alone brought in £298k. Charitable activities took 97% of spending and raising funds 2.8%. Reserves of £5.1m would cover about 14 months of spending at that rate. It employed 57 people.
Income and spending
Where the income comes from
- Donations 9.0%
- Legacies 6.5%
- Charitable activities 76%
- Trading 7.3%
- Other 1.1%
In the charity's own words
The Big Cat Sanctuary houses a diverse and genetically valuable collection of felids. TBCS is an active member of many European Breeding Programmes.The Sanctuary raises funds through photographic workshops, experiences, annual open days and events.Funds raised at TBCS are invested back into the Sanctuary for the welfare of our cats and used as contributions to our conservation work in the UK
Similar-sized charities, same cause
| Charity | Location | Income |
|---|---|---|
| Wildwood Trust | Kent | £4.4m |
| Global Canopy | Oxford | £4.6m |
| Celia Hammond Animal Trust | Wadhurst | £4.1m |
| Animals Asia Foundation | York | £4.7m |