The roots of our zoological training center go back to the early 1990s, when Cat Tales Wildlife Center started offering a volunteer program focused on safe and professional animal care in a big cat rescue center. As the center grew and matured, we saw many of our trained volunteers leave to pursue paid positions in the zoo industry.

Encouraged by our peers in the field, we took a bold step in 1997 and applied for licensing as a vocational school with the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board (WTB). Since then, we have been committed to providing high-quality, hands-on training programs that equip our students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed for success in the field of zoological care and management.

Today, we are proud to be recognized as a leading institution in the field, with a strong legacy of excellence and a bright future ahead.

“The experience and knowledge I gained at Cat Tales prepared me for working with exotics better than any other course or program I’ve gone through.”

Kristi Sipe