About Us
About The Sanctuary
At Bear Den Sanctuary, we believe that every cat deserves the chance to thrive, and our purposeful facilities are a testament to our unwavering commitment to their well-being.
Meaning of Our Name
The name of the sanctuary has a deep meaning to our founder. Bear was Blake’s most beloved cat. After Bear got out one night, Blake put up flyers, made phone calls, mailed postcards and investigated all of the resulting leads to find her.
She got many calls from people saying that they possibly had found her cat but unfortunately, it was never Bear… she was never found.
During this ordeal, Blake realized how big of a problem there is with homeless cats and needed to help them in some way.
The sanctuary is an idyllic place for cats who are not adoptable but are still in need of a refuge. All cats are saved in honor of sweet Bear.
Location
Nestled on a sprawling 3-acre expanse of land, Bear Den Sanctuary is located in South Texas.
Established
Established in 2021 with a heartfelt mission, our sanctuary boasts a robust 6-foot enclosure, purposefully designed to provide safety and sanctuary to our feline residents while keeping predators at bay.
The Residents
Currently, our loving haven is home to 128 cats and one fortunate dog. 26 of these cats have been pulled from the kill list at Animal Control Services in San Antonio.
The Buildings
Our cat enclosures include:
- 6 feral cat homes
- 3 sturdy brick-and-mortar enclosures
- 5 cozy little homes
- 4 roofed decks
- 1 kitten home
A Word From Our Founder
I’m Blake Feuge, CEO and founder of Bear Den Sanctuary. My dream for the sanctuary started over 25 years ago. I was in a staff meeting in Tyler, Texas when my boss handed each employee a little toy treasure box and asked us to write down our life dream.
Last year, as I was packing up to move out to the country to start Bear Den Sanctuary, I found this little treasure box.
I opened the box and pulled out the slip of paper inside and it read: “create a sanctuary for domestic animals”. What started as a dream over 25 years ago has now become a reality.
Bear Den Sanctuary exists to provide homeless and feral cats with permanent homes, veterinary care, love, and support while spaying and neutering them all.
Our BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) is to work with other rescue groups across the state and across the country to ultimately end the problem of homeless cats in the United States.
Thank you for joining me on this journey. Whether you love or merely tolerate cats…I appreciate your support. Ending animal suffering is a task that takes a village and I’m glad you’re on our team!
Our Dedicated Team
At the Bear Den Cat Sanctuary, the people who work there, both employees and volunteers, are amazing. They really love and take good care of the cats. They make sure the cats have food, medicine when they need it, and a cozy place to live. Thanks to their hard work and love, the cats are happy and healthy. The Bear Den Cat Sanctuary is a special place where cats get the care and attention they need, all thanks to these wonderful people.
Blake Feuge
Founder and CEO
Patrick Lang
CFO
Shelley Susanka
Feeder & Volunteer Trainer
Aurin Rahman
Colony Feeder
Our resident Dog
Meet Dog! Yep, that’s her name, because she’s the only dog you’ll find on this cat ranch – and she fits right in! Sometimes we even wonder if she thinks she’s a cat.
She hangs out with the cats, plays with the cats, eats with the cats, and sleeps with the cats!
We know what you’re thinking… why is there a dog living at a cat sanctuary? Dog showed up about a year and a half ago alone, hungry, and scared.
After (unsuccessfully) searching for a home for her, it became clear that Dog had been dumped and that she belonged at Bear Den Sanctuary. Founder Blake decided to take her in and has never looked back. Dog ended up being a true blessing.
Believe it or not, the cats actually adore her and she loves them right back – even breaking up cat fights and being the best guard dog for the Bear Den kitty crew.
We hope you’ll sign up to volunteer and meet Dog – one of our absolute favorite volunteers!
