Anita's dream, from the ground up
Founder Anita St Lewis walks through the training and decompression space — and explains why the sanctuary started as a foster-based rescue instead of waiting on a finished property.
News & updates
Sanctuary Journal.
Stories of healing, updates on our mission, and news from the heart of Southern California.
Behind the scenes
From shelter to foster
Clips from Anita and the team, showing exactly what happens between a shelter pull and a foster home.
What you'll find here
Sanctuary Updates
Grants, milestones and progress toward our permanent site — published once every detail is confirmed, never before.
Bee Rescue
Safe swarm response, pollinator education, and Anita St Lewis's hands-on work protecting bees.
Animal Rescue News
Community resources, welfare information and rescue developments we can verify and stand behind.
How a story makes it here
1
A development happens
A grant lands, a rescue wraps up, or a community need comes up that's worth sharing.
2
We confirm the details
Funder, dates, outcomes and names are verified before anything goes live — no guessing, no rounding up.
3
It's published here
Confirmed updates post to the journal and go out in the newsletter below.
Where we're headed
From foster network to permanent sanctuary
Four stages between where we are today and the sanctuary we're building — what we're doing at each one, and what it takes to move to the next.
A foster network across SoCal
What we're doing
- Pulling at-risk dogs and cats from local shelters and placing them directly into vetted foster homes
- Running every animal through a decompression period, a full vet check, and an evaluation before matching them with a foster
- Keeping a supply room stocked with beds, crates and food so we can say yes the moment a shelter calls
- Tabling at community events with QR-code flyers so anyone can foster, adopt or give on the spot
What it takes to get there
- More foster homes, especially for dogs and litters
- Recurring donors to cover food and veterinary costs while we operate at foster capacity
- Volunteers to help at intake, transport and events
Securing the land
What we're doing
- Actively searching Southern California for roughly 3 acres, zoned for equine, within about 30 minutes of Costa Mesa
- Talking with landowners about a long-term lease, a shared-use arrangement, or an outright donation of property
- Building the Land Fund with every donation earmarked toward this milestone
What it takes to get there
- An introduction to landowners with idle or underused acreage
- A real estate partner who can help us evaluate zoning and water access
- Continued Land Fund donations — this is the milestone every other phase depends on
Breaking ground on the sanctuary
What we're doing
- Pulling permits for animal housing, fencing and a medical clinic
- Designing kennel runs, pasture space and a pollinator garden on the property
- Transitioning select animals from foster care into on-site housing as facilities come online
What it takes to get there
- Construction and in-kind contractor support
- Grant funding earmarked for permits and buildout
- Equipment and material donations — fencing, kennels, water systems
A permanent home, for good
What we're doing
- Horses, dogs and cats living on one property instead of split across foster homes
- A welcome center for visitors, volunteers and adoption events
- An apiary and meditation garden where people heal alongside the animals
What it takes to get there
- An endowment or reserve fund to keep daily operations running without relying on the next single gift
- A steady volunteer base for daily care once animals are on-site
- Ongoing community partnerships — vets, businesses and neighbors invested in keeping it going
Never miss an update
Our grant update explains which details are still being confirmed.
Read our bee safety guide for an introduction to pollinator stewardship.
Our rescue news roundup brings together topics for future verified updates.
New rescue stories, sanctuary progress, and ways to help — straight to your inbox.