“As many of you have recently learned, RASTA has made a very big, very difficult, and life-changing announcement about moving all of the animals from our current Sanctuary location in Chemainus and merging assets with A Home for Hooves Farm Sanctuary which is currently in the process of securing a vastly larger property on southern Vancouver Island.

As previously mentioned, by combining assets and resources such as lumber, infrastructure, animal supplies, volunteers, etc of both sanctuaries ensures the sustainability and secures the future of the RASTA animals, those of HfH, as well as many more future rescues to come, and not to mention that they will all have approximately twenty times more space and environmental enrichment to enjoy their lives than they currently have now. For the animals, this is a massive win.

In addition to this enormous benefit to the animals, having a substantially larger property will also enable HfH to embark on a variety of sustainable programs and explore various business opportunities to help fund their Sanctuary, and thereby further solidifying a secure future, financial and otherwise.

In terms of what happens to RASTA’s barn that we’ve been working so hard to build for almost a year now, the money from its sale will stay with the animals to help secure their future and assist HfH with their operational costs.

As to what’s happening with RASTA, the organization itself will remain intact but will take some time to reorganize and restructure in its continued mission to help animals. I don’t have all the details of what exactly that all looks like at this moment, but will be sure to keep you all posted.

So why is this all happening?

I’m deeply saddened to share that I have some serious personal health issues which are prohibiting me from continuing in the capacity I have for so long. Everyone who knows me personally knows that I have always put the animals and their needs ahead of my own and often at the detriment to my own health and well-being which unfortunately has now materialized into a serious health condition that I can no longer continue to ignore.

For those who don’t know RASTA’s story, the organization has been in operation for over 20 years now, it was the first official farm sanctuary in all of Alberta and the Prairie provinces thereby pioneering a groundbreaking movement, and then in 2015 after a monumental move through the Rocky Mountains and across the ocean, became Vancouver Island’s very first farm sanctuary, once again inspiring a movement from which A Home for Hooves was officially born.

I personally founded RASTA in 2001 and have very much been the everyday backbone of the organization ever since. I have poured my heart and soul into every aspect of the rescue, education, and advocacy work of the Sanctuary which has very much been a 7 day a week commitment, often 18 hours a day or more, for over two decades now. I love the animals more than anything in the world which is why I’ve devoted my entire life to helping them. However I’m deeply saddened to announce that due to my declining health I am now being forced to take a step back.

Having met with my friend Michelle Singleton from A Home for Hooves a few weeks ago, I shared my personal situation with her at which time she shared her big news of HfH exciting plans to purchase a very large piece of property and expand their operations. We discussed the idea of RASTA’s animals joining the HfH family along with RASTA’s assets, monetary and otherwise, to help facilitate HfH new dream, and ultimately how this agreement would be mutually beneficial for both charities.

Upon having met with Michelle I shared the news with RASTA’s board about the serendipitous encounter to which everyone was very pleased to hear and one member in particular astutely commented that this was a tremendous gift and the Universe’s way of saying “Thank you for your service Lucie” – to which I obviously cried.

I’d like to assure everyone that this has in no way been an easy decision for me to make as I’ve been struggling with it for some time now and quite literally feel like it’s tearing me in half. The animals are my life, my entire life, and this decision is the single most difficult one I’ve ever had to make in my entire lifetime on this Earth. It has taken me a very long time to write this post because with each word that makes this new direction a reality it cuts like a knife to my very core and the tears never stop flowing.

However, the most important individuals in this situation are the animals and the consideration for their future and well-being. That being said, having their lives improve greatly by moving them to a significantly larger home with actual pastures to graze, acres upon acres to roam, and potentially even natural ponds and lakes to swim in has given me the peace and hope in my aching heart that I so desperately need right now.

I’m deeply sorry to everyone who is disappointed in me as I’ve read the nasty comments on our initial announcement post, as well as elsewhere, and I’ve seen the haters to which all I can say is that I’m sorry, and that I’ve truly done my absolute best for as long as I could.

To those of you who understand and have chosen to be compassionate during this very difficult, yet exciting time, I thank you as your support truly means the world to me, and all of us here at RASTA Sanctuary.

I’d like to thank everyone who has most kindly supported Rescue And Sanctuary for Threatened Animals (R.A.S.T.A.) over these past 20 years enabling us to save thousands of animals, change countess hearts and minds, and ultimately accomplish amazing (often deemed to be impossible) things, and hope that you will consider following our journey as the organization evolves on to the next chapter in life.”

– Lucie Cerny

Founder of RASTA