A 33-year-old woman who saved mistreated or abandoned animals now has 200 pets, including alpacas, ferrets, pigs, and cows.
Adri Rachelle from Athens, Georgia says she spends around $50,000 a year to make sure the animals ‘thrive, not just survive.’
She also turned her home into a menagerie for her pets and founded the Wild Things Sanctuary, according to Bored Panda.
After spending years rescuing animals that need help, Adri realized that it was no longer a hobby but a calling.
She then started running the rescue company and credits her supportive parents, Cynthia Selby, a retired nurse, and Larry Jacobs, a retired natural resources specialist, for her animal-loving nature.
“Animals that are broken and in danger have always seemed to cross my path,” she told the publication.
“Knowing that I’m offering them a safe place to heal gives my life a purpose and that reward far outweighs all of the time, money, and sadness running an animal sanctuary can bring,” Adri added.
Adri does not take vacations as she cares for animals every day but she “loves every minute of it.”
The kindhearted woman explained what when animals first come to the sanctuary, they may feel scared but they eventually learn that they are safe with her.
“A dog may be terrified of me at first, but it learns form the others here that this home is safe, and takes comfort and joy from the other dogs. A feral pig doesn’t have to face its fear of humans, it gets its social needs completely fulfilled by the other pigs,” Adri said.
“The parrots can spend an entire day conversing and interacting with other parrots, which is really more fulfilling of their natural needs.”
Adri further said: “It’s my heaven on Earth… but it is technically very demanding. This is especially true because the residents are generally either neglected, seniors, unhealthy or unhandled.”
Despite having around 200 animals, she said that she will not open her sanctuary to the public as it will be stressful for the animals.
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