Mark ShellenbargerMelanie and Mark Shellenbarger never set out to become animal welfare advocates working to stop the captive wildlife crisis in its tracks. But on an April morning just a few years ago they gazed across the broad meadows and enormous habitats of The Wld Animal Sanctuary in Colorado and what they saw changed their lives. African lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards, grizzly bears, black bears, and other wild animals had been rescued from a hellish existence to this heaven on earth. Little did they know that the experience would inspire them to embark on an all-encompassing endeavor -- writing this book commemorating the forty-year history of The Wild Animal Sanctuary. Melanie is an architectural historian and retired faculty member of the Department of Architecture at the University of Colorado. Mark is a retired business executive who managed a variety of global operations with a British multinational company. They live in Denver, Colorado with their dog, Reo. Read More Read Less