Living Free Animal Sanctuary

Living Free Animal Sanctuary A nonprofit sanctuary that rescues & finds homes for dogs & cats. We are also home to
(297)

If you are interested in adopting, please fill out an adoption application online on our website or you can schedule a private appointment through the Cattery (951) 491-1898 or the Kennel (951) 321-9982.

Every day, roughly 100 animals count on our small team of staff and volunteers for food, clean spaces, enrichment, exerc...
06/02/2026

Every day, roughly 100 animals count on our small team of staff and volunteers for food, clean spaces, enrichment, exercise, and love.

Volunteers are the reason so many of our animals get extra walks, extra playtime, extra socialization, and those quiet moments of connection that help them heal and prepare for their future homes. Whether you're walking dogs, spending time with cats, helping at events, or lending a hand around the sanctuary, your time makes a real difference.

Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeeTE-068Oh551MOoIFiK6zNK3XTR9U_3csEnDdOt8Glt-SEg/viewform?pli=1

If you've ever thought about volunteering, now is a great time to get involved. The animals are waiting, and there are plenty of wagging tails and purring cats ready to welcome you. Join us and help give homeless animals the care, attention, and second chances they deserve.

Make a difference here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeeTE-068Oh551MOoIFiK6zNK3XTR9U_3csEnDdOt8Glt-SEg/viewform?pli=1

Placing senior dogs isn’t easy.We don’t always know their past.Their time feels more limited.They may have a few more gr...
06/02/2026

Placing senior dogs isn’t easy.

We don’t always know their past.
Their time feels more limited.
They may have a few more gray hairs and a few more vet visits ahead of them.

At any given time, about 30–40% of our kennel population is made up of senior dogs—some who have aged into their golden years with us, and others we’ve taken in already there. They’re often the ones quietly overlooked.

And yet, the truth is this: seniors are usually wonderful dogs.

Many have lived in homes their whole lives. Their personalities are known. Their habits are predictable. They’ve seen the world, learned its rules, and now they just want connection, comfort, and someone to love with everything they have left to give.

What might be “just a few years” to us is their entire world.

If you’ve ever considered adoption or fostering, please consider a senior. Giving an older dog a soft place to land—whether for a lifetime or just a season—means more than words can ever explain.

There’s nothing quite like watching two dogs discover they’re instant best friends. Player and Winnifred had a little pl...
06/01/2026

There’s nothing quite like watching two dogs discover they’re instant best friends.

Player and Winnifred had a little playdate, and within minutes it was clear—they were having the best time together. Happy zoomies, playful wrestling, and two very good dogs just enjoying the moment.

Days like this make everything feel a little brighter. 🐾

Monet needs her person. Honestly, she needed them yesterday.She’s 6 years old now and has spent almost 3 years waiting a...
05/31/2026

Monet needs her person. Honestly, she needed them yesterday.

She’s 6 years old now and has spent almost 3 years waiting at the sanctuary. The longer dogs stay in shelter environments, the easier it becomes for people to pass them by, especially dogs like Monet who don’t immediately throw their whole heart at strangers in the first fifteen minutes. She can come across a little reserved at first. A little too focused. A little too busy taking everything in. But the people who spend real time with her get to see a completely different dog.

Monet is incredibly people-oriented, active, smart, and deeply engaging once she settles in. She loves having things to do, loves being included, and while she has energy, she also calms down significantly in a home environment where she can actually relax and feel secure. She’s not meant to spend year after year waiting in a kennel for someone to look past first impressions.

She is available for adoption, and we really want to see her find a home before she enters her senior years at the sanctuary. Monet has too much life left to live to keep being overlooked.

Thank you!Last week, we asked for help replacing the beds, blankets, toys, and cat trees in Kinship. Thanks to your incr...
05/31/2026

Thank you!

Last week, we asked for help replacing the beds, blankets, toys, and cat trees in Kinship. Thanks to your incredible generosity, the response was overwhelming. Kinship is now fully stocked with everything our cats could want, and the difference has been incredible to see.

Take a look through these photos and you'll see exactly what we mean. Happy cats stretched out in cozy beds, exploring new cat trees, playing with toys, and enjoying all the comforts your donations made possible.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to everyone who donated!

If you missed the chance to help the cats of Kinship, don't worry. We still have three other cat rooms that could use your support. Unlike Kinship, these rooms don't need a complete overhaul. They just need a few replacement cat trees to give their feline residents more places to climb, perch, and relax.

Check out our amazon wishlist here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3TYN1I8CUTGXI/ref=hz_ls_biz_ex

Meet Mabel 💕Yes, she’s smiling.Yes, she’s winking.No, she’s not flirting… probably. 😉Mabel is a small, senior, blind dog...
05/30/2026

Meet Mabel 💕
Yes, she’s smiling.
Yes, she’s winking.
No, she’s not flirting… probably. 😉

Mabel is a small, senior, blind dog who has been at Living Free Animal Sanctuary for over 4 months with zero interest — and we get it. She comes with a few “concerns,” so let’s talk about them.

👀 She’s blind.
Dogs are incredible at adapting to blindness, and Mabel is no exception. She’s likely newer to losing her sight, but she’s already compensating beautifully with her hearing and nose. She’s learning fast and navigating the world like a pro.

🎂 She’s a senior.
Small dogs tend to live longer than big dogs, and while nothing is guaranteed, Mabel likely has 5–6 good years ahead of her — years full of love, play, and adventure.

⚡ Slow and boring? Absolutely not.
Mabel is packed with s***k and spice. She’ll play all day with you, your kids, and your dogs, and will do her best to convince you she’s ready for a hike. She loves engagement and activity — but also knows when it’s time to curl up and relax.

🦵 And yes… she’s kinda weird-looking.
She’s lanky. She’s wacky. She looks like someone stretched a photo the wrong way. And honestly? Those long, awkward legs grow on you fast — especially once her personality steals your heart.

If you’re interested in adopting Mabel, we’d love to talk with you.
📞 Call our kennel at 951-321-9982 or fill out an application to learn more.
https://www.shelterluv.com/embed/animal/LFCA-A-1051

Mabel may not be perfect on paper — but she might just be perfect for you. 💛

Big progress is happening in our cattery renovation project!We’ve officially completed demo and are now nearing the fini...
05/29/2026

Big progress is happening in our cattery renovation project!

We’ve officially completed demo and are now nearing the finishing stages of the new epoxy flooring. We also installed a new door that allows volunteers and adopters direct access to our cattios so they can spend more time outside connecting with the cats in a calm, comfortable space.

It’s incredibly exciting to see the space transforming into something cleaner, safer, and easier to maintain for the cats who call Living Free home.

This project has been made possible entirely through the generosity of donors, especially our wonderful project benefactors, Cubby & Joey Z, two California cats that love Living Free. Their support is helping us create a better environment for both current and future sanctuary residents, and we are deeply grateful.

Projects like this truly change the day-to-day lives of the animals in our care. If you or your business would ever like to help sponsor a future sanctuary project, we’d love to connect with you. Please email [email protected] for more information.

A dog raising their lip is communication, not “bad behavior.”People often see lip lifting and immediately assume a dog i...
05/29/2026

A dog raising their lip is communication, not “bad behavior.”

People often see lip lifting and immediately assume a dog is being aggressive or trying to dominate, but most of the time it’s something much simpler. It’s a dog trying to say they’re uncomfortable, unsure, or need a little space. It can be a warning, but it can also be part of a whole cluster of signals that show a dog is just trying to navigate a moment the best way they know how.

What matters is the full picture. Body posture, eyes, tension, context. A stiff body in a tight space tells a very different story than a relaxed dog in the middle of a sneeze or a stretch. Dogs are constantly communicating with us, and the lip lift is just one small piece of that language.

When we slow down enough to read the whole conversation, we usually realize they’ve been telling us exactly how they feel the entire time.

Disclaimer: The photo paired with this post is of Aquila. I happened to catch her right after a yawn, which is why her lips appear raised in that moment.

05/28/2026

There are moments that mean everything to us, and this is one of them.
Our kennel team is so happy to be walking Kova again now that his knee has fully healed after a long road to recovery. Watching him move comfortably and enjoy his walks again is something we don’t take for granted.

Thank you to everyone who donated, shared, and stood by us while we cared for our longest-stay canine resident. Kova’s healing is a reminder of what community and patience can make possible.

To our incredible Living Free community,We’re coming to you today with an ask that comes straight from the heart.Right n...
05/27/2026

To our incredible Living Free community,

We’re coming to you today with an ask that comes straight from the heart.

Right now, we are desperately seeking overnight fosters for three very special dogs who have been in our care for far too long and who are in real need of a break from kennel life. All three have been with us for over a year—two of them for nearly three years. While they are safe, loved, and well cared for here, kennel living can quietly wear on even the strongest spirits.

Our dogs are lucky to have large yards, comfortable bedrooms, and a small but deeply dedicated team. But with limited staff and volunteers, what we can’t always provide is consistent, quiet one-on-one human time—the kind that comes with a couch, a calm evening, and the simple comfort of being inside a home.

That’s why we’re asking: could you open your home for just one night?

One night away from the noise.
One night to exhale.
One night to remember what it feels like to be someone’s dog.

That single night can help a long-term resident decompress, reset, and carry a little more hope back with them.

While all of our available dogs are eligible for foster, these three need it the most right now:

🐾 Player
Player has been with us since he was just 11 months old. He’s now three and a half, and he’s grown into a truly good boy who loves people and gets along with most dogs. Player has joined us for events and outings and does wonderfully every time — he shines outside the kennel environment. He can be a little too interested in cats, so we do ask for a cat-free home. Right now, Player is showing significant signs of kennel stress and could truly benefit from a peaceful night away.

🐾 Aquila
Aquila is a senior German Shepherd with a gentle, kind soul. She’s sweet with people and may be a little timid at first, but it doesn’t take long for her warm personality to emerge. Aquila prefers to be the only dog in the home, though she is non-reactive as long as other dogs aren’t in her space. As a senior, she’s slowing down and feeling the strain of kennel life more each day. A quiet home and a soft place to rest could mean everything to her.

🐾 Monet
Monet has been with us for three years. She was briefly adopted and returned through no fault of her own — in fact, she did wonderfully in a home setting. Monet gets along with most dogs and tends to prefer male dog companions. She can be reactive toward cats, so we recommend a cat-free home. On leash, she can be a bit strong at times, but she thrives when given structure and a calmer environment.

A few common questions we hear:

Will just one night confuse or stress them when they return?
No. Dogs don’t process time or transitions that way. A night away allows them to decompress and mentally reset — the benefit far outweighs any temporary change.

Can I keep them longer than one night?
Yes. Please. You’re welcome to keep them as long as you’re able.

Will they behave?
Most likely — but we can’t make guarantees, especially for long-term residents under stress. We can provide a crate if needed, and we do recommend supervision to help prevent stress-related behaviors.

Why overnight fosters?
Because full-time fosters are hard to find right now. And because even one night can make a meaningful difference.

If you have questions, or if you’re interested in giving one of these dogs a doggie sleepover, please call our kennel at 951-321-9982.

Sometimes, changing a life doesn’t require forever — just one night of kindness. 💙

Address

54250 Keen Camp Road, PO Box 5
Mountain Center, CA
92561

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Living Free Animal Sanctuary posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Living Free Animal Sanctuary:

Share