"It's the wildest old age home in Florida,” says Sandy O'Grady under a shady hammock.

The welcome mat is out at the Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary in Punta Gorda.

"We don't buy, sell or breed,” Sandy says of the 38-year-old sanctuary who rescues unwanted and neglected exotic animals.

"We found them in a development behind Sam's Club in Port Charlotte,” she says standing next to an enclosure belonging to Tigers.

The retired tug boat captain, who later laid the bedrock for Interstate 95 among other careers is paving forward with compassion.

"We take the animals that have been abused, neglected and mistreated, and we try to make them as healthy and as happy as we can, for as long a life as they can possibly live,” Sandy says of Octagon’s mission.

"Hey Ross. Hey, How are you?” she gently asks of a monkey.

The Charlotte County sanctuary rescues exotic animals from circus's and abusive homes. A hyena, purchased as a pet by a male stripper, was saved from his 5th floor Miami condo. A tiger used as a prop for photography never had it’s bones formed properly. And then there is Teddy, the one-eyed bobcat.

"His eye got infected,” Sandy says.

The unwanted here are given a forever home. While federal agencies will call upon Sandy, Octagon receives no financial support from the government.

"We have no glitter or glamour around here,” Sandy says of the open-air facility that meets national and state regulations governing how bears, lions and tigers are cared for. In fact, some have televisions.

"He doesn't like building shows or there's certain cooking shows he doesn't like,” Sandy says of a monkey who does not like certain TV programs.

The animals eat twice a week and have their homes cleaned by a volunteer workforce.

"It's our duty, as people, to take care of God's creatures until he wants them,” Sandy concludes.

NOTE: The Octagon Wildlife Sanctuary in Punta Gorda is open weekends from 11a.m. — 4 p.m.  Weekday visits are by appointment only in the mornings.  The afternoons are reserved for feeding, cleaning and animal rest.

Tankful on Television

You can catch new Florida on a Tankful stories each Thursday and Saturday on News 13 and Bay News 9. New editions play at the end of each hour starting at 6 a.m. Classic Florida on a Tankful stories can be found each Friday and Sunday on Bay News 9 and News 13 at the end of each hour starting at 6 a.m.

Tankful on Demand

Catch Florida on a Tankful with Scott Fais on your time, now on Bright House Local On Demand, Channel 999. Use your remote to scroll to the right to the Travel category. Then scroll down to Tankful.

Scott Fais joins Travel Monthly

Catch our own Scott Fais as the Florida Correspondent on the On Demand travel magazine, Travel Monthly. Each month, Scott joins other travel reporters from across the United States as they showcase a wide variety of attractions, diners, parks and landmarks from across America. See Travel Monthly nationally on Time Warner Cable channel 411.  And here at home on Channel 999.