LOS ANGELES — Martine Colette, an animal rights advocate who founded the sprawling Wildlife Waystation at the doorstep of the Angeles National Forest where thousands of rescued animals — lions, alligators, wolves, owls, pot-bellied pigs and chimpanzees — awaited new homes, has died at 79.
For years the 160-acre sanctuary stood as a model for rescuing exotic animals abandoned by impetuous owners, traveling roadside attractions and research labs, while Colette was its one-woman tour de force, leading rescue missions and charming Hollywood celebrities into supporting her cause.
Larger than many municipal zoos, the sanctuary was a way station for animals that had essentially been disposed of and Colette became a commanding voice for more robust legislation to regulate exotic animal ownership, particularly those inclined to bring in animals from the wild for their personal collections.
