About Our Founders

PAWS’ Co-Founders: Ed Stewart and Pat Derby

The Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) was established in 1984 by co-founders Ed Stewart and his late partner, Pat Derby, to rescue and care for animals exploited for entertainment.

As Pat often shared, she and Ed never planned to run a non-profit organization – much less a sanctuary. But necessity led them to create PAWS, engage in pioneering advocacy work for captive wild animals, and develop the landmark ARK 2000 sanctuary in San Andreas, California.

Early Years

Before founding PAWS, Pat had a storied career as an animal trainer, working with exotic animals on popular films and television shows throughout the 1970s, including Flipper, Daktari, Gunsmoke, Lassie, and Gentle Ben. She was also the trainer and spokesperson for the famous “Sign of the Cat” car commercials for Lincoln Mercury, which featured cougars Chauncey and Christopher.

While refining her training methods based on trust and compassion rather than fear, Pat became increasingly alarmed by the widespread neglect and abuse within the animal training industry. She published her tell-all memoir, The Lady and Her Tiger (Dutton, 1976), which exposed the harsh training methods and poor care typical of the profession at the time.

It was during this period that Pat met Ed, who was assigned to “take care of” her and her cougar at a car show in Ohio. Their partnership would last until Pat’s passing on February 15, 2013, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Together, Pat and Ed began advocating on behalf of captive wildlife, pushing for improved standards of care and legislation to protect these animals. Pat frequently appeared on national radio and television, raising public awareness about the need to protect wild habitats and end the captivity of exotic animals.

Legislative Work and the First Sanctuary

In 1984, Pat and Ed partnered with California Assemblymember Sam Farr on AB 1620, a groundbreaking bill that set standards for the care and handling of captive wildlife. The bill became law in 1985, marking a significant milestone in animal welfare.

Pat continued her advocacy work through additional legislation, including bills in Washington, D.C., while Ed’s investigative work brought attention to the brutal realities of circus animal cruelty.

That same year, Pat and Ed opened what would become their first sanctuary in Galt, California. Initially intended as a home for Pat’s retired performing animals, the facility quickly became a refuge for displaced lions, wolves, and other wild animals.

Thus, PAWS was formed in 1984, with the Galt sanctuary as its foundation. In 1997, Pat and Ed expanded their work by opening the Amanda Blake Memorial Wildlife Refuge, a 100-acre sanctuary in Herald, California, dedicated to exotic antelope. The refuge was named in honor of their friend and benefactor, famed Gunsmoke actress Amanda Blake.

In 2002, Pat and Ed opened the 2,300-acre ARK 2000 sanctuary, providing a permanent home for elephants, big cats, bears, monkeys and other wild species. In 2023, all of PAWS’ animals were brought together at ARK 2000.

The Legacy

Today, Ed continues as co-founder and president of PAWS’ board of directors, leading the organization into the future. While Pat is no longer with us, her fierce commitment to ending the suffering of captive wild animals lives on through PAWS’ ongoing mission of rescue, sanctuary, advocacy, and education.