About the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch

©2006 Walter Larrimore Horses graze peacefully in the grasslands at the ranch.

The Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch is a world-renowned animal sanctuary in Murchison, Texas.

Its nearly 1,300 acres are home to more than 1,200 domestic and exotic animals, many of whom have been rescued from near-death situations such as slaughterhouses, biomedical research laboratories, and trophy hunting ranches. Others are discards from circuses or roadside zoos, or were former victims of the exotic pet trade. Still others have come from public lands where they were threatened with extermination by the federal government.

Bison and cattle, horses and burros, antelope and apes, camels and llamas, all have permanent, safe homes at the ranch, which was founded in 1979 by Cleveland Amory, author and animal advocate.

The ranch is not a zoo and is not open for regular public visitation. Amory's vision was that it "would be a place where animals are looked after, not looked at."

• Watch the Video
  Take a trip to the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch by watching this new video. Just over five minutes long, the video succinctly highlights the ranch and the rescued animals who live here.

• About Cleveland Amory, a Lifetime Leader for Animals
  Cleveland Amory, a prominent author and television personality, founded The Fund for Animals in 1967 and Black Beauty Ranch in 1979. He served as president of The Fund until his death in 1998.
• Making Burros Fly: Author Captures Essence of Fund Founder
  Author Julie Hoffman Marshall highlights The Fund for Animals' founder, Cleveland Amory, in his life's efforts to save animals, establish the Black Beauty Ranch, and play an active role in the animal welfare movement. Her book, Making Burros Fly, is available at Amazon.com
• Renaming Black Beauty Ranch
  Marion Probst, Chair of the Fund for Animals' Board of Directors, describes the origins and the renaming of the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch, a permanent home where animals are "not to be looked at...[but] looked after."
• Directions to the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch
  Driving directions to The Fund for Animals' Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison, Texas. The ranch is open to visitors on special occasions only. 
• Contact Us
  Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch mailing address, phone number, and email address.