Martine Colette (1942–2022), exotic animal rescuer with Wildlife Waystation
Martine Colette was an animal welfare activist who founded Wildlife Waystation, a Los Angeles-area sanctuary for wild and exotic animals.Colette was working as a costume designer in Hollywood when she rescued her first animal, a mountain lion that was being exhibited in an animal show. She took pity on the animal’s plight in a small cage and brought it to her own home. As Colette began rescuing more animals, her home and yard couldn’t contain them anymore, so she founded Wildlife Waystation in 1976.