Northwest Vegas sanctuary gives cast-off farm animals second chance

Rachel Roberts-Levi and her husband, Avi Levi, look proudly at mama goat Matilda walking around with her four kids.

Before entering the couple's One Family Animal Sanctuary, Matilda lived on a dairy farm. According to Rachel, the goat was used to produce milk for profit, and she would often have her babies taken away from her.

"Now look at her," Rachel said. "She is able to live peacefully and enjoy her four kids. They never leave her side."

The mission of the northwest Las Vegas sanctuary is to offer a lifetime refuge for farm animals that have been abused, neglected or have special needs. After searching for two years for the perfect location, the couple found their 2.5-acre property.

"Everyone is compassionate to dogs and cats, but when we look at pigs and goats, we see that they have the same feelings," Avi said. "Here, the animals don't see different breeds; they all just coexist together. This is their second chance at life."

The property includes separate living quarters for different animals and a large arena for horses to roam. Inside the sanctuary, there are approximately 50 animals, including goats, chickens, turkeys, a horse, ponies and a sheep originally headed for slaughter.

An outside observer may view them simply as animals, but after talking to the sanctuary's operators, it becomes clear that every creature here has their own backstory and personality.

There's curious-eyed Bugsy, who is three times the size of a normal chicken and was hatched and raised to be entertainment for a child's birthday. Then there's cautious Leo the pony, rescued from an owner who kept him tied up in the small backyard of a tract home.

Most of the animals that the couple take in are those that have no where else to go because they are too old, have too many other (now former) siblings, temperament issues, chronic illnesses or are handicapped. Many of the animals that they take in are referred by The Animal Foundation, while others are owner-surrenders. They also partner with animal organizations around the valley to help re-home or help animals in need that they cannot personally take in.

"You don't always know where they come from, but when you get the animal, you learn more of their story," Rachel said. "Some don't get a lot of human contact, so we'll be patient with them and wait for them to come around. We work closely with them to rehabilitate them."

Although the nonprofit is public, the sanctuary's facility is private and not open to the public — for good reason, the couple said.

"These animals have been through enough, and we want to give them their privacy," Rachel said. "Now, they get to live how they want."

The couple plan on opening the sanctuary to the public a couple of times a year for fundraising purposes, but no dates are yet set.

One thing that distinguishes the sanctuary from others like it is that Avi and Rachel are ethical vegans. Part of their mission is to change the public's attitude regarding animal consumption, and animals being used for testing or considered disposable. Instead, they said they want to show that every being is capable of living a quality life and should be cared for humanely.

In order to educate the public, the couple also provide meet-and-greets in school classrooms by request to educate youths on farm animal care, pet ownership, spay-and-neuter programs and reporting animal abuse. They also bring Ironman the rooster and Piggy Lu the pig along.

Animals were always a part of the couple's upbringing. Avi was raised in a small village in Israel, and Rachel grew up in a rural part of Alabama; they were each exposed to different types of animals during their childhoods.

Owning a sanctuary may be a dream for most vegans, but it requires a lot of drudgery and money. They worked 14 to 16 hours a day to put up the fencing and create shaded areas for the animals, Rachel said. They estimate that they spend between $2,500 and $3,000 a month in average expenses, such as food and grooming.

They also own a location of Design & Dine at 3175 N. Rainbow Blvd., which is a step-by-step painting studio paired with an in-house restaurant. They said it has helped make their dream of owning the animal sanctuary come true.

One Family Animal Sanctuary has an online store at onefamilylv.org that sells T-shirts, sweatshirts, cups, mugs and holistic dog treats. In addition, the couple are looking for people to sponsor animals and donate items. A wish list for the sanctuary can be found on the website.

Despite the hard work and the battle against Las Vegas' freezing or hot temperatures, the couple agree that it pays off.

"Just seeing the animals flourish makes it all worth it," Rachel said. "This is a safe house for them. We will provide them love and care for the rest of their life. That's why we're called ONE Family Sanctuary — we're one family. We're all living beings that want to live our life."

Donations can be sent to 3395 S. Jones Blvd., No. 484, Las Vegas, NV 89146. For more information, call 702-330-6256.

— To reach North View reporter Sandy Lopez, email slopez@viewnews.com or call 702-383-4686. Find her on Twitter: @JournalismSandy