Martine Colette was an animal welfare activist who founded Wildlife Waystation, a Los Angeles-area sanctuary for wild and exotic animals.
- Died: January 23, 2022 (Who else died on January 23?)
- Details of death: Died at a hospital in Lake Havasu, Arizona of lung cancer at the age of 79.
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Wildlife Waystation
Colette was working as a costume designer in Hollywood when she rescued her first animal, a mountain lion that was being exhibited in an animal show. She took pity on the animal’s plight in a small cage and brought it to her own home. As Colette began rescuing more animals, her home and yard couldn’t contain them anymore, so she founded Wildlife Waystation in 1976. Located in the Angeles National Forest, the sanctuary was one of the first facilities of its kind, a home to a wide variety of animals including lions, chimpanzees, deer, wolves, and many more. Some had been ill-advised pets, while others were rescued from roadside zoos or unable to survive in the wild. Wildlife Waystation became a favorite cause of some Hollywood celebrities, who helped support its operating costs. In 2017, the sanctuary was damaged in the Creek Wildfire, and floods further damaged it two years later. Colette was unable to continue maintaining Wildlife Waystation, and it closed in 2019.
Notable quote
“Of course, I am firm and direct, sometimes difficult. Some people don’t like that. But what kind of woman do you think it takes to build a place like this?” —from an interview for the Los Angeles Times
Tributes to Martine Colette
Full obituary: Los Angeles Times