Meet the Almquist Family
The Almquist family mission has been to protect and care for the wildlife community. Only a few years into their marriage, Joel and his wife Chemaine decided to build Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary, a place where abused or neglected animals can live in a peaceful and loving environment. Forever Wild provides a home for a variety of animals including, nine tigers, three sulcata tortoises, three parrots, 10 alligators, four servals, four Mexican beaded lizards, two Siberian lynx and one Egyptian cobra.

The Almquist family never wishes to turn away animals in need, but their monthly care expenses have become overwhelming, and they are unable to expand or improve their facilities. To maintain the sanctuary, Chemaine works tirelessly within their community, recruiting volunteers and donations, and Joel even holds a second job.

While the Almquist family has been busy creating a safe home for so many animals, their own home has nearly fallen apart. They live in a doublewide trailer that lacks heat or air conditioning, has leaking pipes and large gaping holes throughout the floors, and is held together by duct tape.

For all the dedication and hope the Almquist family provides for the wildlife community, it was time for Ty Pennington and his team of designers to build this deserving family their own sanctuary and a better state-of-the-art animal facility.

Photographs courtesy of A.P. Karbowski