ABOUT US

Safe Haven & Educational Adventures, Inc.

Can we donate online or by credit card?

Yes, you can donate through PayPal or JustGive.org just click on either button and they will walk you through the process.

What is considered an “exotic” animal?

An exotic animal is any animal that is not native to the United States and has not been domesticated. A domesticated animal is one that has been raised by humans for many generations (such as Llamas) and thrive in human care.

Where are you located?

We are located in Pickens County, SC.

Can I come visit your sanctuary?

We are not open to the public on a regular basis; however we do offer private tours and have open days two or three times a year. Keep checking our website for upcoming dates.

What happens to the animals you accept?

The animals we accept all become permanent residents.

Do you adopt any of your animals out?

No, we do not adopt any of our animals out. We do have an adopt-an-animal program where you can support an animal of your choice; however it remains in our care.

How can I help with your cause?

There are many ways to help our organization from donating time, goods or money. Please see our Help Us page for more information. If you have a special talent that you feel would be beneficial download our volunteer application form or contact us.

Where do your animals come from?

Our animals come from the general public and various organizations.

Do you confiscate animals?

No, we will assist government agencies that do confiscations with the handling of the animals but we have no authority to take an animal from someone.

I have an animal that I want to get rid of, will you take it?

If you have an animal that needs a new home, give us a call to discuss your specific situation.

What advice do you have for people wanting an exotic pet?

The first step before you do anything is research. We can not emphasize enough how important this is. Be sure you know exactly what the animal needs, what it’s typical behaviors are (all life stages), how long it will live and if there is a veterinarian in the area the specializes in that type of animal. Do not assume that if it does not work out that you can find a new home for it. Homes for exotic animals are very difficult to find and we do not guarantee that we will have space here. Remember that an animal may be cute and small in the beginning but once it’s fully grown it’s likely to be much more difficult to care for. Think long and hard about the commitment you are planning to undertake.

How do I find a good/reliable pet store?

Once you are certain that you know what animal you want, shop around for a supplier. Be sure you know exactly where that animal came from and that it has not been taken from the wild. Only purchase from those that give you accurate information about the animal you are about to purchase. If possible use a reliable local breeder.

How do we obtain information on animals that we’re interested in having as a pet?

Check a variety of sources for your animal information; such as the library or internet (but be careful of your source). Your local zoo is a great information source and we can answer most questions here at Safe Haven.

Can we bring our animal to you if it’s sick?
No, if you suspect that your animal is sick please take it to a veterinarian that specializes in that type of animal. You can give us a call for a reference if you don’t know of any.

My animal has behavioral problems, can you help?

If you are having behavioral problems with your animal the first step is to take it to a veterinarian to be sure it's healthy and that the problems are not brought on by some underlying issue. Once you are assured that the animal is in good health we can offer behavioral training consultations for you and your pet. Contact us for more information.

Are the snakes in my yard venomous?

Here in upstate South Carolina it is possible to have both venomous and “harmless” snakes but it is always safest to treat all snakes as if they are venomous and don’t try to handle them. In most cases they will go away on their own. Snakes are beneficial to the environment and are simply looking for mice and other food items to eat. You may observe them but do not interfere with them. Please remember that even if a venomous snake is dead, you can still be affected by the venom if it is not handled properly. When you are working in your yard, do not put your hands where you can’t see where you are reaching; such as under logs or in bushes. If you do get bitten by a venomous snake the most important thing to do is to get medical attention quickly. If you are concerned about a potentially venomous snake in your yard or home you may contact us to (humanely) remove it for you for a fee.

OUR STORY

Safe Haven & Educational Adventures, Inc. is a permanent refuge for rescued exotic wildlife that have either been abandoned, abused, lost their home through death of the owner, or found to be more than the owners can handle.

Many people fall in love with the beauty of a large bird, the intrigue of a reptile or even the playfulness of a monkey and then try to have that enjoyment in their own home. What they don’t realize until it’s too late is that this experience is not as enjoyable as they had expected. Either it’s too much work, too costly or the animal doesn’t behave as they had thought it would. These animals require a lot of special care and for that reason there are very few places that are willing to take them.

Safe Haven provides that high quality, stable, safe and permanent home for these animals. To provide the best care possible, we are governed by a board of directors and have close working relationships with local veterinarians. We take some of our animals, our experience and our knowledge into the community for an up-close educational encounter with children, young adults and adults. Our programs provide an understanding of the animal’s natural abilities and behaviors as well as responsible pet ownership, environmental issues, habitat diversity and endangered species. We are licensed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. We are recognized by the IRS as a tax exempt 501 (c) (3) organization.

ABOUT OUR FOUNDERS

S Nigel Platt

Executive Director

S. Nigel Platt was born in England where he grew up surrounded by nature and wildlife on National Trust estates and farms. He spent his teen years as a private breeder of reptiles while growing as an amateur herpetologist. He got his professional start at Cotswold Wildlife Park in Burford, England where he served as Reptile, Amphibian and Aquarium Curator for one of the United Kingdom’s leading animal institutions. As a curator of the third largest collection of reptiles in the UK, he was responsible for supervising the staff as well as establishing protocols for the safe handling and breeding programs of the animals in his care. In 1993 Nigel moved to the United States and took a job as a Herpetologist for the Toledo Zoo in Ohio. Three years later he took an advanced position as Animal Curator for the Mesker Park Zoo in Indiana. As Animal Curator he was responsible for the entire collection of animals and staff at the park. This included the coordination and training of an emergency response team as well as serving as liaison for the press and media.

Kim Chiswell

Director of Education

Kim Chiswell has had a career path that has been perfectly suited for her role at the sanctuary. She has had a combination of zoological education and animal care experience throughout her career which is unique to most zoologists. Kim completed a BS in Chemistry from Quinnipiac College in Connecticut in 3 ½ years but decided to follow her lifelong dream of working with animals.

Kim’s professional career began in 1993 at a privately owned zoo while she was completing college. Here she had the unique experience of hand raising many animals including leopards, tigers, wolves and bears (among others). In addition to feeding, cleaning and providing enrichment for chimpanzees, orangutans, baboons and other primates, she also presented live animal stage presentations and gave guided group tours.

Nigel moved to the Greenville, SC area in 2000 to take the position of General Curator at the Greenville Zoo. Responsible for the animal collection, Nigel introduced 10 different endangered species, including the Amur Leopard and Orangutans to the zoo. He also served as advisor and liaison for the education department and as institutional representative for several multi institutional conservation projects. Nigel’s appreciation of wildlife has taken him outside the boundaries of the zoo world to the native forests and other ecosystems. He is expert at identification of native animals and plants and enjoys guiding nature tours.

In 2007 Nigel returned to England for an excellent opportunity to establish a fully functioning, teaching zoo for Reaseheath College in Nantwich, England. In his year and a half term he was responsible for setting up the entire zoological collection including exhibit design, strategic planning, animal protocols, emergency protocols and all licensing requirements. Once the zoo was up and running, Nigel returned to Greenville to establish Safe Haven with Kim Chiswell.

Nigel has provided lectures for Reaseheath College, Oxford University, The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Veterinary Conference, Tri-County Veterinary Technician program and Furman University as well as leading a group of students on a teaching safari in South Africa. He has served as an accreditation inspector for The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). He has received a certificate of appreciation from Greenville County Enforcement Division for tutoring Animal Inspectors in the identification and safe handling of reptiles and from the Greenville Hospital System for teaching medical professionals about venomous bites and stings. As an Anti-Venin Index Coordinator for nearly 10 years, he had to be familiar with the location of all types of snake anti-venom and where they were located throughout the country. Nigel has served as a consultant for BBC (British Broadcasting Company) as an educational and scientific expert for wildlife documentaries and as an inspector for Her Majesty’s Custom & Excise in the United Kingdom. He has written numerous contributions to the Annual ASRA Journal of Herpetology in addition to “Reptile House Notes for Inspectors” and “Keeping Venomous Snakes”, both adopted by the Federation of British Zoological Gardens.

Nigel is also passionate about rugby and serves as both a coach and referee at the high school, collegiate and senior levels.

Add ext Hee...

In 1995, Kim set her sights on a new goal and moved to Florida to begin working for Walt Disney World ® Resorts. She started at Discovery Island ®, Disney’s original zoo, where she traveled by boat every day with the rest of the staff to an island that surrounded you with a tropical rainforest. Here she gained a deeper appreciation of birds and provided countless educational programs to kids of all ages. Later in her career at Disney, Kim was selected as one of Disney’s Animal Kingdom ® Theme Park opening team members. She started out learning the nutritional requirements for every animal in the park as well as preparing their daily diets. She later moved to an animal keeper position where she performed formal stage presentations as well as created individual guest interactions with the animals. She was not only responsible for the husbandry of the animals in her care but she also trained the animals for the presentations and conducted area inspections based on Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines. While at Disney, Kim completed courses in animal training and behavioral research and participated in management training.

Kim moved to North Carolina in 2000 to lead a team at the North Carolina Zoological Park. As a leader, she worked directly with other managers, curators and veterinarians and trained other staff members in animal husbandry, safety, animal training and the development of new educational programs. Kim moved to the Greenville area in 2001 to assist her father and brother in the start of their Engineering business. During that time, she began volunteering and consulting for the Greenville Zoo. She worked with the General Curator to establish a training program for their pair of orangutans and to teach the animal keepers proper training techniques. Kim worked with the Education Curator to run the docent (adult volunteer) program for many years. Safe Haven officially began in 2007 when Kim and S. Nigel Platt decided to turn a hobby and a dream into a reality. In order to help support the sanctuary, Kim worked at Sunrise Animal Hospital in Taylors, SC as a veterinary assistant.