Born to Be Free, an animal sanctuary in Ventura County’s Frazier Park, has been fined $50,435 for housing 15 exotic animals without a permit, Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced on December 1, 2025.
The Ventura County Superior Court imposed the fine, along with a permanent injunction, civil penalties, and reimbursement of investigative costs to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), according to the statement.
“This judgment reinforces the importance of California’s restricted species requirements and the responsibility that comes with caring for exotic animals,” Nasarenko said in the statement.
Born to Be Free is now required to:
- Comply with a permanent injunction banning the possession of restricted animals without a valid Restricted Species Permit (RSP).
- Pay a civil penalty of $10,000.
- Reimburse CDFW $40,000 for investigative charges and relocation of the animals.
- Pay $435 as court filing fee.
All the animals were removed from the sanctuary on May 21 and 22, 2025, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the statement said.
The animals were relocated to several fully licensed and accredited sanctuaries across the country, many of which are certified by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.
Earlier this year, CDFW learned that Born to Be Free had several restricted species in its possession, including lions, leopards, a bear, and other carnivores, according to the statement.
Even before incorporating the business on March 3, 2025, owner Rhea Gardner had accepted the transfer of these animals from another organization. She later told investigators that she believed that the property’s former RSP allowed her to possess those animals, despite not having applied for a permit of her own.
RSPs are non-transferable, according to the statement.
Under California law, RSPs are mandatory for any person who imports, exports, transports, or possesses any restricted animal.
Permit qualifications ensure that caretakers have the required experience that meets safety standards, and that exotic animals do not endanger public safety, native wildlife, or agricultural interests, according to the statement.
On March 3, 2025, CDFW received several complaints about the restricted animals being housed at Born to Be Free without proper authorization.
Officials conducted a consent inspection on March 18 that confirmed that the sanctuary possessed 15 restricted species, including African lions, leopards, a leopard-tiger hybrid, a lion-tiger hybrid, warthogs, a serval, a fishing cat, a European brown bear, and a wolf-dog hybrid. The sanctuary failed to disclose a valid permit for any of these animals, the statement said.
CDFW Lieutenant Trevor Pell, a Restricted Species Investigative Specialist with the agency’s Special Operations Unit, completed the investigation and sent his observations to the District Attorney’s Office, according to the statement.
“California’s restricted species laws exist for a reason – these animals require specialized care, secure facilities, and experienced handlers,” Nathaniel Arnold, CDFW Deputy Director and Chief of Law Enforcement, said in the statement.
Having the necessary permits is essential to protect the public, safeguard native wildlife, and ensure the animals’ welfare, Arnold added.
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