Tallahassee, Fla. (WTXL)--The long dirt roads in Quitman can take you off the beaten path an on an exotic adventure, leading you to the wild side of Brooks County.
Tiger Stripes Exotic Animal Sanctuary hosts a variety of exotic animals including, tigers, goats, monkeys and cougars.
"In 2009 my husband was diagnosed with cancer, breast cancer out of all cancers and with all of his treatments and all that he went through he got a second chance so he decided to open up a sanctuary to give animals a second chance, Kimberly Kilpatrick".
The Kilpatricks take in retired show animals, surplus animals from zoos or parks along with abused and neglected animals.
So while owning an exotic animal is the fantasy for some, Tiger Stripes says caring for them takes a lot of time and TLC.
"One of our bears was very badly abused when we got her. And it took my husband almost a year for her to trust him to go in with her and now shes his best friend and he can go in there and sit and she just loves on him", says Kilpatrick.
Love is something that the sanctuary works to instill in young kids as they often hosts schools as a way to teach students the importance of preserving earth's exotic species.
The Kilpatricks say though caring for animals is a lot of work, it pays off when they see them thriving.
"Kimberly Kilpatrick:It just brings joy to our hearts knowing we're doing something for an animal that is defenseless that can't help themselves...we love these animals like they're family".
