The park was founded in 1997 by Francis and Shirley Schreibvogel of Springer Oklahoma, after a tragic accident involving a drunk driver killed their son, Garold Wayne (G.W.). The Schreibvogel's used their insurance money from the accident to purchase the land and open a memorial park in their son’s name, to take in and house unwanted exotic animals and provide others a place to help these beautiful creatures in memory of someone they have lost. T