The Quiet Side of Sanctuary: Holding Space for Loss and Heartache

River and Pablo loved their new "Duck Condo" so much. They spent many days swimming in their new pool, relaxing in their home and staring at beautiful sunsets.

There is an unspoken promise that comes with opening your heart and home to sanctuary life: you promise to love deeply, to protect fiercely, and to offer safety for as long as an animal needs it. Folded inside that promise is a quieter, heavier truth. Loving this deeply means one day carrying the immense weight of saying goodbye.

Lately, the sanctuary has felt a little quieter, and our hearts have felt a lot heavier.

It has taken time to gather the strength to put these words down. We haven't been ready to share until now, but we recently said goodbye to River, who lost his battle with cancer, as well as Pablo, attacked by who we think was a a coyote. Our two cherished ducks, gone.

The Reality of Compound Loss

When you lose one soul, the grief is profound. When you lose multiple sweet lives in a short period, the sorrow feels overwhelming. It knocks the wind out of you.

• Honoring River: Facing a diagnosis like cancer is never easy. Watching River fight with strength and grace, while doing everything in our power to keep them comfortable and cherished, made the final goodbye no less painful.

• Remembering Pablo: Their vibrant energy, gentle quacks, and daily presence brought a distinct light and warmth to the farm every single morning. Walking past the spots where they used to waddle together is a quiet reminder of just how deeply they are missed.

  
  

In sanctuary work, people often see the triumphs, the rescues, and the joyful moments. Grief, however, is just as much a part of this sacred space.

Feeling Every Emotion

Grief isn't linear even for our furry friends. Some days it looks like quiet tears while doing morning chores; other days it feels like a heavy, dull ache or a sudden wave of anger at how unfair life can be. We are feeling all of it: the heart-wrenching sadness, the exhaustion, and the profound void left behind.

It is easy to question everything when heartbreak stacks up like this. If there is one thing River and Pablo taught us, it is that every moment of comfort, safety, and love they experienced here was worth every ounce of sorrow we carry now.

Carrying Their Memory Forward

To everyone who supports our work, visits, and holds space for this sanctuary, thank you for walking alongside us not just in our moments of celebration, but in our darkest days of sorrow.

We are giving ourselves the grace and space to grieve. We will honor River and Pablo by continuing to love every single animal under our care with the same fierce, soft, and devoted hearts.

Rest peacefully, sweet friends. You were deeply loved, and you will never be forgotten.