New law puts Predators of the Heart animals at risk

Robert LeCompte Jul 6, 2025

Feb 6, 2018

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                <h1>New law puts Predators of the Heart animals at risk</h1>
                <h2><p>For almost 14 years, Dave Colburn has run Skagit County-based Predators of the Heart, an unofficial wildlife sanctuary to 17 wolves, a cougar, a few bobcats and an alligator, among others. This past year, according to KOMO News, the county added wolves, foxes, cougars and venomous snakes to its list</p></h2>
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               <p>By <a href="/author/robert-lecompte-crosscut-com/">Robert LeCompte</a></p> 
              <p><time datetime="2025-02-04T05:00:00-08:00">Feb 6, 2018</time></p>
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            <p>For almost 14 years, Dave Colburn has run Skagit County-based Predators of the Heart, an unofficial wildlife sanctuary to 17 wolves, a cougar, a few bobcats and an alligator, among others. This past year, according to <a href="http://www.komonews.com/news/local/New-law-means-dozens-of-exotic-animals-may-be-killed-304348591.html?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">KOMO News</a>, the county added wolves, foxes, cougars and venomous snakes to its list of animals residents can't keep, and filed suit against Colburn. His options? Pay $2,000 a day per prohibited animal (that's $50,000 a day for Colburn), or euthanize them all. Colburn says he doesn't have the money to pay the fine, fight the lawsuit or put his animals in a zoo. If you're moved to help, Predators of the Heart has a <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/82rvgw?ref=dev.cascadepbs.org">donation page</a>."They're not hurting anybody, they haven't hurt anybody," Colburn told KOMO.</p>
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For almost 14 years, Dave Colburn has run Skagit County-based Predators of the Heart, an unofficial wildlife sanctuary to 17 wolves, a cougar, a few bobcats and an alligator, among others. This past year, according to KOMO News, the county added wolves, foxes, cougars and venomous snakes to its list of animals residents can't keep, and filed suit against Colburn. His options? Pay $2,000 a day per prohibited animal (that's $50,000 a day for Colburn), or euthanize them all. Colburn says he doesn't have the money to pay the fine, fight the lawsuit or put his animals in a zoo. If you're moved to help, Predators of the Heart has a donation page."They're not hurting anybody, they haven't hurt anybody," Colburn told KOMO.

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By Robert LeCompte

Robert LeCompte is an editorial intern at Crosscut. He studies communications and film at The Evergreen State College where he recently transferred from Maryland. When not working, he can usually be f