About the Pictures
The Pictures seen on this website are a small portion of the animals who came through our doors. We have worked tirelessly to save over 500 animals in addition to the countless number we have helped through networking. Once considered trash by others, these animals thrived in their new environments bringing joy and companionship to their new people. Others offered profound lessons for many to learn. Here are some of their stories..
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Suzie
Left abandoned in a wire crate on a stranger's doorstep, half-starved, wet and shivering, we were called in to find an emergency foster and permanent home for this little girl. Her new person says a day hasn't gone by where Suzie's quirky antics haven't made her laugh.
Homer
Having been rescued by a no-kill rescue, living for over a year in a small kennel took
it's toll on Homer who had turned aggressive toward anyone who would come near. He had stopped eating, hoping to end his own misery. We brought Homer to our sanctuary where he would make a full recovery. He was featured in Cats Magazine when he rescued one of his kitties who had escaped out of a broken window during the Landers earthquake.
Brody
At seventeen years of age, Brody was being left behind to fend for himself on a horse ranch when the owners decided to sell. We were able to save and place a brood mare slated for euthanasia and this old guy, declawed, his face and ears badly infected from fly bites. After undergoing radio-active iodine treatments to resolve his hyperthyroidism, he stayed with us until the ripe old age of twenty.
Cholla
Having been rescued from neglect, her coat covered in spine from the cholla cactus, this beautiful girl spent the next three years living at a large rescue facility with no hopes of finding a home due to her fearful nature. She came here to live with us. It would take nearly two weeks to get near her, but once she trusted us, she became an incredible sweet, loving girl.
Ellie May
Taken from a hoarder, the worst case of animal abuse in Riverside County, CA, this old girl would have been euthanized, but she was needed for court evidence. She made national headlines on ABC's 20/20 when she was seen being carried out by Animal Control. Expected to live for only three months, she stayed with us for over a year. We learned profound lessons from Ellie May. Despite all she had been through, she relished each moment of her new life with us.
Chester
Chester had the great misfortune of having lived with the same hoarder as Ellie May. He was one 43 dogs found on the property tied on short chains in the hot desert sun given no food and water. The physical wounds quickly healed and Chester refused to leave the sanctuary living with us to the ripe old age of 17.
Diva
Tortured as a young, feral kitten, her tail was so badly burned from acid that her tail had to be removed. The psychological damage was so severe that she refused to accept human companionship. She came to our sactuary to live out her life in her own happy way. Still distrustful of people, she does enjoy interacting with the other cats.
Sadie
Sadie's story can be seen in our continuing care section. Here she is after acupuncture treatments to correct a ruptured disc, enjoying her physical therapy.
Benson
Found still alive after being hit by a car, Benson came here for rehabilitation before finding a new home. The sudden passing of his person returned Benson to us under our continuing care program. He is currently undergoing laser treatments to help his arthritis caused by his earlier trauma.
Tigger
Found near death as a stray, she overcame pnuemonia and waited patiently for us to find her a great home in Long Beach, CA. Tigger and her person are still together now living in Minnesota.
Flipper.
We pulled over 100 ticks off this little girl when she arrived from Arizona living under a shed abandoned by her owners. Despite the ordeal, she just wanted our attention, regardless of what we did to her. Born with a deformed front leg, nothing stopped this little girl. She was devastated to leave our sanctuary, but quickly adjusted when she arrived at her new home.
Bandit & Marvin
Their eyes yet to open, Bandit and Marvin were among four kittens in a litter that was simply thrown away in a dumpster and left to die. We handraised this litter and EVERYONE survived. These two inseparable siblings were lucky enough to find a home together.
Alex
His rehabilitation went quickly after we found him running loose in the desert. An extremely friendly dog, we found him the perfect match. He has become a certified, pet assisted therapy dog and loves anyone he meets!
Amber
Seen here nuzzling with Odo, the cat, we rescued this purebred golden retriever from a city shelter. She stayed at our sanctuary for a few weeks before going to her new home in Santa Barbara over two hundred miles away.
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The Girls
Enjoying their first taste of freedom, we were asked to pull a dog from a city shelter. When we got there, both these girls fit the description, so we pulled them both. They did not get to stay together, but each one was fortunate enough to find a forever home.
Harry
Dumped in the desert to fend for himself, Harry came to us is good shape. He found his forever home living on a small horse ranch in the high desert.
Cori
Sent to the shelter after her person died, Cori never quite overcame her grief. She did find comfort in becoming a pet assisted therapy dog working with elderly patients. An anuerism eventually reunited her with the person she so greatly missed.
Reno
Left alone in a small laundry room with no human contact, his owner was trying to strangle with the electrical cord he had chewed. We pulled him out of his neglectful home, contacted the authorities and began his rehabilitation. Poor boy did not know how to walk, only crawl. He quckly responded to therapy, forgot his past to become a strong, happy dog very much loved in his new forever home.
Jomba
The shelter staff loved him, but his time was up. Finding a home for a senior cat isn't easy. Yet through networking we found him a person willing to bring in this old gentleman. It took a team of people to pull and transport him nearly 125 miles to his new home where he now enjoys his leisurely retirement.
Odo and Kira
As kittens, they were put in a box and left on the sidewalk. Odo (the siamese mix) is quite the friendly boy and inseparable from his sister who prefers other animals to people. Their lives continue together as brother and sister enjoy healthy and happy lives in their forever home.
Mika
At 12 weeks of age, Mika survived the night being tied to the fence at rural town dump. Friendly, loving and in good health, she quickly found what she so desperately wanted -- a family to love her!
Duke
Seized by Animal Control due to neglect, Duke required extensive training and surgery to correct his badly deformed and painful eyelids. At 130 lbs, he loved to run and appreciated what life can be like living in a loving, caring home.
Sera
What a long way this girl came, from being abandoned in a chicken coop on a country road in New England when she was less than 4 months old to enjoying her 13th birthday party in California.
Coco, U.D.
She started life with a breeder in Florida who died suddenly. Flown out to California when she was six months of age, she was petrified of people. Her training sparked new interest in her person and changed her direction in life. Coco went on to be a top competitor, holding an AKC Utility degree as well as over 150 awards including a state championship and dog world, national recognition for excellence in competition. If that wasn't enough, Coco LOVED her pet assisted therapy work, especially working with disabled children.
Lily
Brought into the Emergency Clinic by Animal Control, this tiny stray wasn't expected to survive,. We were there at the time and something said to give her a try. Lost and cold, her blood sugar crashed from lack of food. She made a full recovery, was adopted by her foster mom and now has her own kitty to play with.
Joshua
The only kitten still alive when the box they had been placed in was found in a trash barrel, he was rushed to the vet. Less than two weeks old, we were called to see if we could help. Needless to say, he survived and went on to live in a wonderful home he so deserved.
The Terriers
One of our more grueling and expensive rescues, the pups were ten minutes away from their final trip when we arrived at the shelter working on another case. They had been completely neglected, dehydrated with bellies swollen from starvation. One pup had already been euthanized and seven remained. Despite their weakness, the bright sparkle in their eyes told us they wanted to be saved and we pulled all seven. What we didn't know at the time was that they had contracted a new and more virulent strain of parvo. Unfortunately, Dingo did not survive the ordeal, but the rest of the litter pulled through. Two pups went on to find new homes. But (from left to right) Robyn, Batman, Daisy and Percy stayed at our sanctuary. A sample from Batman was sent to Fort Dodge to be tested to make certain their vaccine could battle this new strain.