AMELIA

Adopted October 9, 2018

DOB July 2018

Usually it’s women who contact us about animals in need. So when we got an email in October 2018 from a man we were a little surprised. This man asked us to consider adopting a baby pig his family was fostering. They had been asked to take this “runt” home to fatten her up. But they soon realized if they returned this baby to the “petting zoo” type facility…once she grew into an adult she would be slaughtered. The man asked for our help because, in his words, he didn’t want the hearts of his two teenage daughters to break. The family also offered to help pay for the spay surgery, which is very expensive, but absolutely necessary to prevent pregnancy and also uterine tumors later in life. We said “Yes!” and then we drove to several hours to pick up our new little girl. We took her straight to the Vet Hospital at University of California Davis. Her surgery went great and when we brought her home her unique personality began to emerge.

We named her AMELIA (after Amelia Earhart) because she is brave and knows her own mind. She is also sweet and friendly and immediately bonded with our other baby pig, Bandit. Amelia is a treasured member of our LFAS family and we are very grateful to the Kuhns family for saving her.

BANDIT

Adopted August 12, 2018

DOB April 2018

We named him BANDIT because he steals hearts. He stole ours before we ever laid eyes on him because of the story of his lonely beginning. Bandit was just a baby when he was spotted wandering alone in the burned-out hills following a Southern California wildfire. He had fended for himself for the first months of his life. When he was finally captured by a Los Angeles County Animal Control Officer, Bandit was quite emaciated. And yet, he was friendly.

We got a phone call from a concerned volunteer about this baby pig because he was temporarily housed at a County dog and cat shelter. The staff cared about him but they were not going to keep him forever. Farmed animals at County Shelters usually don’t have a lot of time before their situation becomes perilous. Bandit badly needed a forever home so we said yes! From the day we picked Bandit up in our horse trailer he has been easygoing, loving and grateful. We are so glad we became his family. He and his adopted piggy sibling, Amelia, are devoted to each other and still sleep cuddled together. And now Bandit will never be alone again! 

CAMILLA

Adopted April 10, 2022

DOB January 2022

A compassionate teenager named Mia (pictured) joined a Future Farmers of America (FFA) animal program at her high school. Her “project” was this adorable piggy we have named CAMILLA.

As soon as she met Camilla Mia told her mother she did not want to complete the FFA animal program. It would mean allowing her beloved pig to be auctioned at the County Fair and then most likely...slaughtered. Her mother immediately started researching how to save her daughter’s baby pig.

Kat (Mia's mother) contacted us. We agreed to rescue this piggy to save her life and also to honor Mia’s courage. Mia bravely stood up to peer pressure and the teachers and administrators in the FFA program to save the life of her beloved piggy.

On 4/10/22 Bill and I drove with our horse trailer 2 hours to pick up Camilla at the FFA facility on Mia’s high school campus. We needed to take Camilla to UCDavis Vet Hospital for spay surgery. Camilla's wonderful human family helped us load up Camilla. All of us shed some happy tears and then Bill and I headed to UCDavis with our new adoptee. Camilla had spay surgery the next day (an absolute necessity for all female pigs) and she recovered beautifully.

Camilla is now living her "best life" at LFAS. We introduced her to our little pot belly pig, Gus, and they were instantly smitten! They spend all day (along with Fiona and Isa) romping, napping, and then exploring, and then more napping. We love that they are so happy together. They were snuggle buddies from Day One. Welcome to your forever home Camilla! We love you!

Photo credit: Kat Garcia

DAISY AND DARWIN

Adopted March 23, 2023

DOB January 10, 2023

Adorable Kune Kune siblings DAISY AND DARWIN were rescued them from a dog and cat shelter. Their mother was dumped at the shelter…probably because she couldn’t produce milk for them. An kind woman took them home to save their lives and, happily, she was successful. But her landlord said she couldn’t keep them. So she reached out to potential adopters for several weeks hoping to find a safe forever home…but to no avail. The only people who responded either wanted to EAT these babies, BREED them, or keep them TEMPORARILY until they got bigger…and the novelty had worn off. 

But then this foster mom found Loving Farm Animal Sanctuary on Instagram and got a “good feeling” about us. She had worked tirelessly to do all of the right things. We felt she needed our help. Sometimes we help people who care about animals in need...as much as we help the animals! 

So she drove 10 hours to get the piglets to LFAS and they have been an absolute joy. For the first few weeks they slept in the laundry room in our house but now they sleep in their own little barn at night with their best friends, Pot Belly sisters, Lea and Lexi. During the day they all have their own paddock with palm trees, a pond surrounded by beach sand, and a palapa. We call it Playa de Piggy. They have a big, happy life at LFAS! We are so glad we rescued Daisy and Darwin!

FIONA

Adopted January 26, 2022

DOB January 28, 2021

FIONA spent the first year of her life being tested on in a medical lab. Millions (yes millions) of animals are severely confined and tortured in labs all over the United States every year. This is cruel, unnecessary, and rarely obtains the information needed to benefit humans. Animal testing should be illegal. It is animal cruelty.

 Fiona is one of the lucky test subjects who was legally released to a safe foster home. We were told when Fiona arrived at ther foster home she was too scared to come out of the travel crate. She just sat and trembled. But after a few hours Fiona realized nothing bad was going to happen to her and she sprang into action! She ran. She played. She sunbathed. She thrived!

 Fiona came to LFAS from foster care in January 2022. From the moment she arrived she has been cheerful and full of life. We are so glad we could offer her the forever home she deserves. She gets to choose how she spends her days and nights and she has lots of piggy friends. Welcome Fiona! You are safe and loved!

GUS

Adopted July 20, 2021

DOB September 2020

We were “overfull” the summer of 2021 but we took in this little pig for two reasons.

1. He needed us and…

2. Because of the human who impulsively saved this tiny pig (who was being marketed as “meat”) at a feed store.

That compassionate human had felt guilty about a 4H pig she raised many years ago. The innocent, defenseless pig that adults forced her into selling...to be slaughtered. Her heart had ached for a long time and she wanted to make up for the loss of her 4H pig. She broke my heart when she started sobbing...SOBBING...on the phone about the years of guilt. So I said yes...this tiny pig could come to us. He would have acres of space to run and play with piggy friends. And he would be loved and protected for his whole life.

She named him GUS but his formal name is “Good Choice Gus” because his foster mom said he always made good choices. We usually rescue only “The Bigs.” The "farm" pigs. The “commercial” industry pigs who grow to about 400-500 pounds. But I could not say no to a human whose heart needed so badly to heal. She had suffered long enough.💔

Gus is very happy to be loved and living at LFAS. He has piggy girlfriends named Camilla, Fiona and Isa! We are very glad we made room for Gus. He loves us and we love him right back!

IRIS

Adopted September 10, 2024

DOB January 2024

IRIS (and her best friend Lily) were surrendered from the 4H program to a dog and cat shelter in Southern California. As often happens, the shelter wasn’t set up to take care of pigs long term. This happens more often than people realize…pigs landing in dog and cat shelters where their futures are not guaranteed. But luckily that shelter reached out to us and asked us to give this bonded pair of girls a forever home.

Initially (and regretfully) we said no even though we love to adopt animals who are bonded as a pair. But, any time we are contacted about an animal in need we must be pragmatic. This means we review our budget, our shelters and paddocks, and our volunteer work force. But the dog and cat shelter persisted. They offered to give LFAS a grant to help with Iris and Lily’s spays and they would transport them to UCDavis Vet Hospital for their surgeries. Plus, one of our Members stepped up and offered to be their Sponsor!

So these girls got very very lucky! It really does “take a village” to save lives and that’s what happened for Iris and Lily! We nicknamed them the “Flower Girls.” These girls were high energy, super friendly, and yes…a lot like puppies!

Note: Sadly, we lost Lily in 2026. Animals bred at factory farms often come to us with hidden health issues. Lily’s death was very hard on all of us…humans and our other pigs. Iris grieved for Lily but our other pigs helped Iris get through it. She is now a happy, healthy piggy and she has lots of friends!

Note: We believe Iris and Lily were biological sisters but we will never know for sure. They were definitely a bonded pair. That’s another reason we adopted them. We try very hard to keep bonded pairs and families together because farmed animals don’t get to stay with their friends and families in the Animal Agriculture industry. It’s very cruel to separate animals who have a relationship.

ISA

Adopted December 15, 2021

DOB October 2021

Late one night an unidentified woman brought two tiny piglets into a vet clinic and dropped them off. They were only a few hours old. The woman left no information other than she didn’t want them. The piglets were probably from a breeding facility and this woman felt some degree of compassion for them.

The vet clinic contacted an expert in neonatal care…of kittens. But this “angel for animals,” named Hannah, also loves pigs. She did everything possible to save both tiny babies but, sadly, the boy did not survive.

ISA is a Yorkshire pig so when Hannah realized this tiny pink piglet was probably going to weigh over 400 pounds she contacted us. We “specialize” in and adore the “bigs.” We said yes because at the time we had space so we were happy to give Isa the forever home she deserves. 

Isa is now integrated with one of our smallest pigs, Gus, our “hairless” pig, Fiona, and another Yorkshire piggy named Camilla. They are all devoted to each other and spend every minute of the day and night together. None of these piggies care about their size difference. We are super happy these piggies will get to stay together for life and we are thrilled they are living their best lives!

LEA AND LEXI

Adopted January 26, 2023

DOB April 22, 2022

LEA AND LEXI are Pot Belly sisters whose pregnant mother was rescued by animal activists (just in time) from a high kill shelter. They lived their first months in safety at a wonderful farmed animal sanctuary in Southern California but that sanctuary, because of overcrowding, needed to find them forever homes.

When we learned that one of these darling piggies is completely deaf (Lexi) we knew that LFAS would be the right forever home for her. And since she is very bonded with her sister, Lea, we adopted both!

Lexi and Lea are completely devoted to each other and always together. Surprisingly, Lexi is the braver of the two girls and the leader! Both of them are friendly, curious, and adorable. We are so glad we could give them a life of safety where they will always be together. And now they are a bonded family with our 2 Kune Kune piggies named Daisy and Darwin. They all live in a paddock we call Playa de Piggy and they have their own cozy barn painted in bright tropical colors!

We adopted Lea and Lexi even though we normally specialize in the big pigs, the farm pigs, aka commercial pigs. It's important to know that lots of pigs end up in companion animal shelters but they are still not safe. Their time in shelters can be very short and they are still at high risk of euthanasia. Most open admission shelters are overfull and they are set up to house dogs and cats…not pigs.

Please don't ever support pig breeders by buying from them. If you want to adopt a pig first do your research about their needs and whether or not you have enough land and also if your city and county allow pigs. Then, as with all animals...adopt don't shop!

LUNA

Adopted July 27, 2019

DOB January 2019

Sometimes a human being is a true hero for an animal. LUNA was saved by a teenage hero named Catherine who was in the FFA (Future Farmers of America) program at a public high school in Los Angeles County. Catherine and her family contacted us because they had pulled Luna out of the FFA animal program to save her life. They met with strong resistance from the FFA teacher but they persevered and got Luna to their home.

FFA claims to teach young people positive ideas. In fact, in their animal programs, they teach kids to pay for an animal and to raise and bond with that animal. Sounds great right? Except, in the end, the kids must take that animal to a County Fair to be auctioned and probably slaughtered. As you can imagine, some kids are traumatized as the date gets closer to their animal friends being killed. Catherine was one of the kids who stood up to the teachers and FFA management. She was willing to do anything to save Luna’s life.

Luna has been safe at Loving Farm since July 2019. She was only about 6 months old when she was saved by Catherine. Now she lives the way we wish all pigs could live…loved, eating healthy food, and exploring lots of safe fenced acres with her pig buddies. Luna also has human parents (Tracey and Bill) who will do anything to protect her.

To us, the definition of agriculture is (or it should be) plant crops…not animal “crops.” If organizations such as FFA would teach their students and participants optimal ways to grow fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains there would be enough food for all humans. By growing “animal crops,” (who need to be fed plant crops) we are creating a middle category that is destroying our planet and making a lot of people sick and leaving a lot of people hungry. Going vegan will save many, many lives!

Read more about Luna’s story from the young woman who’s life was changed by an FFA pig.

VINCENT

Adopted July 15, 2021

DOB January 2021

VINCENT! We chose this name for this kind hearted boy because it means VICTORIOUS! Vincent was victorious because he defeated the fate that was planned for him by Future Farmers of America. Vincent will NOT be slaughtered.

This sweet and gentle pig got very lucky because the teenager who was responsible for him (in the FFA program) loved him and saved him. Truly SAVED him! She asked us to adopt him into our LFAS forever family before he could be sold at the County Fair in the summer of 2021. Note: Most (if not all) of the farmed animals at County Fairs will be sold and go to slaughter as soon as the fairs end. (Visitors at these Fairs are rarely if ever told the truth about what happens after the Fair.) Vincent's teenage caretaker stood up to peer pressure and forfeited the money she would have been paid for Vincent's life. She is brave and kind and we are very grateful to her!

At LFAS Vincent gets to hang out with his piggy buddies day and night on grass and dirt. This is a far cry from the filthy concrete he lived on the first months of his life. He has a comfy indoor stall at night, and during the day, he gets to run and play with his friends and then nap under shady oak trees. When we first met Vincent he was confined alone in a concrete FFA “jail cell” lying in his own waste. Now he is happy and thriving at Loving Farm! Welcome home Vincent!

ZACHARY

Adopted August 31, 2019

DOB February 2019

The Summer of 2019, ZACHARY wandered out of the bushes and onto a horse farm not far from the Santa Barbara County Fairgrounds. He was just a baby...maybe 6 months old. That’s the age pigs in 4H and FFA (Future Farmers of America) programs go to the County Fairs and most of them are forced onto slaughter trucks at the end of the fair. We suspect Zachary was either abandoned after the Santa Barbara County Fair or he escaped. Either way no one came looking for him. If pigs don’t “make weight” at the Fair sometimes the family responsible for them “dumps” them rather than take of them. It’s heartbreaking.

We were contacted by a kind mother and daughter (named Concetta and Moorea) who knew Zachary was in a precarious location and could still be slaughtered. They overheard the people at the horse farm “joking” about eating him! So Bill and I hooked up our horse trailer and went to get this friendly, sweet boy. After Zachary was quarantined at LFAS (we keep new adoptees separate from their own species for 30 days) he bonded quickly with our new girl pig, Luna. Luna was the same age and she was saved from FFA before she could be slaughtered. Zachary and Luna are still the cutest couple. They are best friends but they also happily hang out all day with our other pigs.

We hope Animal Ambassadors like Zachary will help people “open their hearts to compassion” and the breeding and eating of animals will become a thing of the past very soon.

ZUMI

Adopted October 24, 2021

DOB February 2020

A very kind family took in a one week old "farm" pig to save his life. This was a compassionate but somewhat impulsive rescue.

But then they did all of the right things. They got him settled in their home and yard. They got him neutered because that is vitally important and (unfortunately) very few pig “owners” spay and neuter their pigs. They loved him and spent time with him. They took very good care of him. They truly thought of him as a member of their family…just like their dogs.

They gave him the name ZUMI (pronounced Zoomie) because he loved zooming around their yard with their dogs.

But he got bigger and he got noisy (making happy noises) and the neighbors started complaining. The family became afraid their beloved pig would be confiscated by the authorities. So, heartbroken, the family contacted every farmed animal sanctuary they could find...including us. For two months we told them “we are at capacity” and “we do not have it in our budget.” Note: Lifetime care for a pig can be $10,000 to $20,000 depending on how many years he/she lives and if they ever need critical but expensive vet care above and beyond health maintenance.

This human family then did more things right. They joined our LFAS Monthly Member Program. They committed to regular volunteer shifts. (Happily, they live in our county.) They never gave up. They persisted in asking us to take in Zumi. And...they stayed nice about it.

We are very glad we brought Zumi to his forever home. He is a sweet and funny guy who makes us smile every day. And, because of Zumi, we have gained a wonderful family who continues to volunteer because they love Zumi and they want him to stay in their lives. We are very happy for all of us!

MATILDA

Adopted June 24, 2021

DOB 2018

Leghorn chickens are hilarious. They are very busy. They are always happy. They have lots of activities like dust bathing, pecking in the grass and dirt, running and playing with their friends, lying in the sun, and napping in their nesting boxes. We are enchanted by everything these unique little individuals do.

Sadly, over the years we have lost several of our Leghorn family members to reproductive issues that are common in egg-laying breeds. Because they are bred to lay many more eggs than their bodies can handle, they often die young from reproductive cancers, egg-yolk peritonitis, egg binding, and inflammation of the oviduct. We take our girls to the vet at the first sign of illness, but often they die without warning. Even so, they usually have many months, and sometimes years, of freedom and happiness with us at LFAS. That makes our hearts soar. Rest in peace sweet girls we have lost, you were so very loved, and we miss you every day.

Currently, we only have one Leghorn. Her name is MATILDA. She is very happy with our red hen, Gertrude, and Felipe plus 3 of the “J Hens.” Matilda truly lives in the moment and delights in being alive. Each day she is with us we consider to be a wonderful gift.

Note: The best way to help egg hens is by not buying or eating eggs. We hope more people will “open their hearts to compassion” when it comes to chickens. Chickens are some of the most exploited and mistreated animals on Earth. BILLIONS are slaughtered every year.

SuzieQ

Adopted May 23, 2026

DOB sometime in 2024-2025

She is the smallest chicken we have every rescued! She weighed 1.6 pounds when we adopted her…and she is full grown! We gave her the sanctuary name of SuzieQ. If you know the song made famous by Creedence Clearwater you will know why we gave her this name! “Oh SuzieQ baby I love you!”

Normally LFAS does not take “owner surrenders” because we need to be prepared to rescue animals in danger of being slaughtered but…we were persistently contacted by a military family. Their itty bitty hen had been alone (after her best friend died) for quite a while and now the family was getting transferred to the East Coast. They were desperate to find SuzieQ a safe forever home here in California.

We agreed to take SuzieQ sight unseen but when she arrived we discovered she is much smaller than any hen or rooster we have ever rescued. So this presented a few challenges to keep her safe and contained during her quarantine. We needed to build her an enclosure with smaller holes in the fence wire because she is so tiny. And…when it’s time to integrate her into our flock it may not work because of her diminutive size. But we will figure it out!

SuzieQ has gained a little weight and is enjoying her outdoor play area and her bird barn “bedroom.” At night she sleeps in the enclosure next to our large rooster, Cornelius. They are clearly smitten with each other but he is way too large to be alone with her! Welcome home SuzieQ! We do love you!

FERNANDA

Adopted December 7, 2018

DOB October 2018

We adopted 5 turkeys shortly after Thanksgiving of 2018. They were part of a large rescue in Utah where a slaughterhouse relinquished 100 of their turkeys (destined to be Thanksgiving dinners) to activists as a gesture of good will. Did you know an estimated 46 million turkeys are killed each year in the United States just for Thanksgiving alone? That horrifically large number does not even count the turkeys killed year-round worldwide for human consumption.

Sadly, we have lost 4 of our turkey girls from this original group but FERNANDA is happy and healthy. Fernanda never needs to worry about being intentionally harmed. Fernanda has bonded with our younger turkey, Paulina. They spend their days happily exploring their large outdoor enclosure and then sleeping snug and cozy in their own “bedroom” safe from predators. We will always love and protect these quirky characters. Turkeys are awesome!

We wish more people would see turkeys as intelligent, loving, and curious individuals who deserve respect and protection. Please eat plants…not turkeys!

PAULINA

Adopted March 31, 2022

DOB January 14, 2022

On March 31, 2022 we brought 3 precious (10 week old) baby turkeys home to LFAS to live “happily ever after!” They had been rescued by another sanctuary from a factory farm. At the factory farm they would have suffered every day and then been slaughtered at a few months of age.

We named the new girls Paulina, Pearl and Penelope. Sadly, Pearl and Penelope have gone to Animal Heaven but PAULINA is alive and well and bonded with our older turkey, Fernanda. During the day they get to run and explore and eat delicious food. At night they have a secure cozy house to keep them safe from coyotes and other predators.

But their favorite activity (besides eating) is following humans around. Turkeys are very similar to dogs...they want to be around people...well...nice people who don't want to eat them!

We hope Paulina lives many more years protected and happy here at Loving Farm Animal Sanctuary!

DEXTER

Adopted July 26, 2024

DOB January 2024

 Sweet DEXTER is a Boer goat. This breed of wonderfully friendly goats is bred to be “meat.” But this darling boy got very lucky even though he was a “project” in the Future Farmers of America program. The FFA program teaches children to raise and bond with baby farmed animals with the cruel goal of taking them to Fairs to be auctioned off for slaughter. 

But Dexter’s teenage caretaker had a compassionate heart. She did not want to go along with the “program.” Instead, she surrendered Dexter to activists who then got him safely to LFAS. 

 Note: Unfortunately, very few animals are surrendered out of the FFA and 4H programs. When we are contacted by these kids who want to save the lives of their animals we do everything we can to help them. They are young heroes.

Dexter is a very friendly and goofy boy. He assumes everyone loves him and guess what…he’s right! Dexter spends all day running and playing in a large paddock with his goat and sheep family. Then at night he snuggles in a cozy house with his goatie girlfriend, Violet.

Dexter will be protected by LFAS and loved his whole life. He will get to live a natural lifespan…and sad to say…that is very rare for animals born to become “food.”

BENNETT, BEAU AND BRODY

Adopted April 29, 2024

Bennett: Probably born in 2022

Beau and Brody: Probably born in 2023

A biological Father and his 2 sons got their forever home!

Bill and I are big believers in keeping bonded pairs and families together. So, when we were asked to give a forever home to a Dad and his 2 biological sons (who were in a risky hoarding situation) we said “Yes!”

We call this beautiful family the ‘B Boys’ because they are Babydoll Sheep and we gave them all names that start with the letter B. BENNETT, BEAU AND BRODY. They have settled in wonderfully with our other 3 sheep…making a happy sheep family of six! They love spending their days together exploring their large paddock, taking naps in the shade, and hanging out with their other interspecies friends.

In the Animal Ag Industry animals almost never get to stay with their families. The “Industry” does not care if hearts get broken when they are separated from their loved ones. So Bill and I are honored to give this fortunate family a loving FOREVER home. They will live out their natural lifespans…together!

FAITH AND JOY

Adopted May 12, 2019

Faith: DOB probably Spring 2018

Joy: DOB probably Spring 2019

On Mother’s Day 2019, we brought FAITH AND JOY to their forever home at Loving Farm. It made an extra special Mother’s Day because these two cuties are biological mother and daughter. Faith (mother) and Joy (2 months old at the time) had been released into the Los Angeles County Shelter system. An Animal Control Officer had responded to a cruelty call because a sheep breeder did not want to get Faith much needed medical care after giving birth to Joy. (She has made a full recovery!)

Farmed animals in the shelter system often don’t get enough time to find safe homes before they are euthanized…or worse. We were overjoyed to have room at our sanctuary, and in our budget, to welcome Faith and Joy to our family. These girls have brought us so much pleasure…just by being themselves. They are gentle and sweet and are always amusing us with their jumping and playing.

Faith and Joy are “hair sheep” so they naturally shed their coats every spring. Hair sheep are bred solely to become “meat” so we are very glad we could save them from that fate! Faith and Joy sleep snuggled together in the barn they share with Kismet to be safe from predators. During the day they go out into our big paddocks where they graze and play with our 4 wool sheep and 3 goats. They also have our cows and horses to keep them company. We are happily providing a peaceful interspecies haven for everybody!

JOEY

Adopted June 24, 2021

DOB February 2021

JOEY was a homeless puppy trying to survive on the streets of La Paz, Mexico. We have never before adopted a dog from another country but Joey's story really got to us.

Joey was picked up by a dog rescuer from the US. This organization gathers up stray dogs, gets them vaccinated, spayed and neutered, lovingly socializes them and then looks for forever homes...usually in the United States. We saw Joey's picture posted by a rescue in Sonoma County, California. Well...Joey's big ears (and "old soul" eyes) really grabbed our attention and that was that! We knew this sweet baby was going to join our family.

We named her Joey because her ears reminded us of a baby kangaroo! She can also jump high and runs fast…very fast! Joey is remarkably intelligent, and very clever, but she also wants to please. As soon as our vet told us Joey was old enough we transitioned her to being vegan. She is a very healthy, happy, adored and super friendly vegan! We are so glad Joey was saved from a short life filled with misery living on the streets. She's definitely a lucky girl and we are very lucky to be her family!

MAX

Adopted February 9, 2026

DOB June 2024

When we lost our beloved senior dog, Abby, the summer of 2025, our one remaining dog, Joey, needed a new “wing man.” When we arranged play dates for MAX and Joey they hit it off right away!

Max is smart and very cute but we were also drawn to him because he had already suffered disappointment. Max had been returned to a shelter and that usually narrows the chance of adoption. (Sometimes people don’t have the compassion or commitment to meet the needs of an animal so they return them.) But then Max got very lucky! He was fostered by a wonderful friend of ours and that’s how we met him. With us he gets A LOT of attention and exercise and he and Joey can run and play while safely fenced. Max has found his forever home...as if there was ever any doubt!

A few suggestions when adopting a new family member:

1. New animals (of any species) need time and patience to settle in. Don’t ever quit on an animal. It’s never their fault. Trainers and information are available. 

2. Adopt don’t shop. Every dog purchased from a breeder means a shelter dog in need did not get a home. 

3. Spay and neuter. Dog and cat overpopulation is 100% preventable. Be responsible. 

4. Adopting a dog or cat (or a bonded pair) can change your own life in wonderful ways you never imagined. Plus…you may be saving a life!

Note: Literally millions of wonderful dogs and cats are waiting in shelters, and at rescues, for their forever homes. Please adopt, don’t ever buy from a breeder, or consider fostering. Fostering saves lives!

FROGGY

Adopted July 26, 2022

DOB April 2022

In July of 2022 a tiny barely alive scrap of fuzz was found by 2 wonderful guys (named Randy and Tom) from the sound crew of a rock band. They contacted us, and begged us, to take her in because the band was appearing in Canada soon…so they couldn’t take her with them. We agreed to meet these 2 Good Samaritans at our vet clinic. 

She was so tiny and emaciated our vet estimated she was only 4 weeks old. She weighed less than a pound and her eye was so infected our vet thought she might need to have it surgically removed. But our fantastic vets not only saved her life they saved her eye! She is now a big, fluffy, sweet natured feline member of our family. We named her Frog and nicknamed her FROGGY.

Froggy loves her life with her “chosen" brother Toad (his story is below) and our Hana Kitty has become Frog's adoring adopted mother. We love giving animals the opportunity to form friendships and families. It’s so important for their health and well-being.😻😻😻

Froggy got very lucky because two very kind men saved her when most people would have walked right past her. Millions of stray cats will never feel safe or loved. Stray cats are everywhere. It’s a huge, heartbreaking problem. Please help them and/or adopt shelter cats, or foster, volunteer, donate, or get involved with your local TNR (trap neuter return) program.

Froggy says thank you!

HANA (pronounced HAH-na after the town on Maui)

Adopted November 17, 2019

DOB May 2019

HANA has a tipped ear because she was first rescued in a TNR (Trap Neuter Return) Program. She was spayed and vaccinated and then returned to her feral colony. But then she was picked up again and landed in a “high kill” shelter. Sadly, that shelter’s policy was to euthanize any feral cats (and kittens) who were picked up more than once. So even though Hana was a kitten she was very close to getting euthanized.

A wonderful woman would go into shelters and pull out cats who were on the “short list” to be euthanized. She contacted us and we were happy to adopt Hana. We were told she had no health issues but when we took her to our own vet she tested positive for FELV (Feline Leukemia Virus) This diagnosis took our breath away because FELV is sometimes thought of as a “ death sentence” and it can be highly contagious to other cats. As a precaution we got all of our other cats vaccinated against FELV. Our vet then did an additional blood test which told us Hana had the LEAST contagious FELV and she might NEVER become symptomatic. Great news!

Coincidentally, around the same time, Tracey had plans to go on a “working visit” to see our mentors at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah. Best Friends has an entire building and “catio” dedicated to their much loved 40+ FELV cats. They have staff and volunteers who are devoted to FELV cats and they have studied FELV for years. Their advice: 1. Feed good quality food 2. Give Lysine as a supplement. 3. Always provide clean fresh water to keep them hydrated. 4. Provide a low stress environment 5. Love them, love them, and love them more. So that’s easy! This surprise FELV diagnosis was a shock but we were now prepared with lots of accurate and hopeful information! We chose to face the future with realism…and optimism.

And then a MIRACLE happened! When Hana got a little older we had Hana re-tested for FELV and she tested negative! Hana has been healthy ever since, continues to test negative for FELV, and she is thriving. She is a beloved member of our family and has adopted our Froggy Kitty as her chosen child. They are inseparable and will be safe and loved for their whole lives!

SAMMY

Adopted August 2018

DOB June 2018

A Good Samaritan found SAMMY by the side of a road. His jaw was broken and hanging to the side. He had probably been hit by a car. Luckily for this tiny kitten he was taken to our local vet clinic. They got him healthy and his jaw healed beautifully. We had recently lost our two most senior cats, Eddie and Norman, so at the time we only had one cat, Gracie. One cat! How could this be?!? Usually we adopt adult cats (and dogs) but when we met little Sammy it was “love at first sight.” We felt such a connection to this kitten who had survived and thrived against such odds. So we adopted him and brought him home.

But very soon Sammy began to show signs of illness. After many tests and trips back to the vet Sammy was diagnosed with toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is a disease caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which can be found in garden soil and raw meat. Because Sammy had been a stray he had probably fended for himself and eaten whatever he could find. Sammy was lethargic and not eating and we were concerned we might lose him. After everything he had been through and now this! But our vet got Sammy on the right medications and he bounced back quickly. Sammy had a very rough first year so we are especially grateful he is now a big, strong, super friendly and loving member of our family. He loves his life with us and we love him! 

TOAD

Adopted July 9, 2022

DOB March 2022

We adopted this "mini panther" from Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in July 2022. They gave him a weird and wonderful name…it’s TOAD! Toad is such a unique and hilarious name (just like him) that we kept it! He has become the best buddy of our kitty named Frog. Toad and Frog...together forever!

Bill and I normally have at least one black cat in our LFAS family but it had been awhile since our last precious black kitty, Norman, died. We believe in adopting black cats (and dogs) because they are the ones most often overlooked in shelters. So Toad's timing was perfect. We needed some happy in our lives and Toad was doing everything he could to supply it! He literally attached himself to Tracey at the Best Friends Welcome Center and that was that! Toad was coming to LFAS! He has been a delightful “greeter” whenever someone comes into our home. Toad is a lot like a dog…friendly and fearless!

Please consider adopting a cat or dog from a shelter or rescue. Many furry friends need forever homes and the black ones are often the ones who wait the longest! Toad says yes please! Black cats are awesome!