This post is the first in a series about local conservations organizations.

Interview with a Local Animal Rescue
Kelli Rockafellow, a former animal keeper at CuriOdyssey, owns and operates an animal sanctuary for animals that have no other home. Kelli along with her husband, Mike, provide their animals with a stable and loving environment, excellent nutrition and daily enrichment. The results of their efforts are incredible; animals that were formerly aggressive or overweight transform into healthier animals that are trusting of people. Kelli’s sanctuary, Sloppy Seconds Inc., is the last line of defense for unwanted, neglected or abandoned animals. We’ve asked Kelli about some of the ins and outs of running an animal sanctuary. Read on for more!

What’s the history of Sloppy Seconds, Inc? When and how did you get started?
I’ve wanted to rescue animals since I was about eight years old. I would bring home injured frogs or lizards and try to nurse them back to health before releasing them again. I even had a snail adoption agency! Throughout college I volunteered with animals, then got a job at the Humane Society, went to vet tech school, then finally became an Animal Keeper at CuriOdyssey. As incredible a job that was, my dreams of forming an animal sanctuary never went away. In 2011, my husband and I officially formed Sloppy Seconds, Inc. a 501(c)3 non-profit. We provide permanent homes for unwanted or neglected animals, as well as educate the public to avoid putting animals harms way.
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Tell us about what kinds of animals you house in your sanctuary.
Really, we focus on animals that people — often through lack of education — purchase as pets and can no longer care for.  We house animals that have nowhere else to turn to, and that we can provide a high level of care for. As of right now, that means we are housing four potbellied pigs and two green iguanas. In the future, we’d like to expand our facility to be able to help a larger number and greater variety of animals.

 What are the criteria for which animals you rescue?
Sloppy Seconds, Inc. is a last chance sanctuary.  When we are contacted about a new animal, we first work with the owner and other local rescues to try to find a home, either permanent or on the track to adoption.  Only when all other avenues have failed will Sloppy Seconds consider if we have the space/resources to provide a home for the animal. This means that the animals that Sloppy Seconds acquires are often considered unadoptable – either because of age, health, or behavioral issues.   Our current focus on pigs and iguanas is a reflection of the huge amounts of misinformation around, and the lack of organizations willing to work with the long-lived but high maintenance animals.

What are some of the difficulties your sanctuary faces?
Not enough space! Each week we get calls about turtles, snakes, pigs, birds, etc. that need homes. We try our best to reach out to other rescues and try to get these animals placed, but it’s difficult because most of us are at full capacity.
An other difficulty is getting the word out about having exotic animals as pets, animal conservation issues, and educating people in general. We’re such a small sanctuary, but we have so many messages to spread! Facebook and other social media pages help, but there are so many contradicting sites and opinions out there. It’s hard to be the voice that people listen to.  Because we only take last chance animals, we often don’t have the little piglets or baby adoptable animals that bring in the likes on Facebook. It is always a struggle to keep people interested.
Finally, raising funds is always an issue. Unfortunately we aren’t fundraising experts!

How can the community aid animal rescue efforts?
1. Adopt, don’t shop! Never buy an animal from a breeder. There are so many out there in rescues and shelters that need loving homes. Always do your research before adopting an animal. Find out everything you can about the animal’s lifespan, diet, health issues, grooming needs, zoning regulations, etc. before adopting.  Make sure that you find out information about your potential new pet from someone who is not trying to make money off of selling it to you. And, as much as we’d love to believe it, there is no such thing as teacup pigs!
2. Volunteer at your local shelter, rescue, zoo, or sanctuary. If you can’t donate your money, donate your time!
3. Reduce, reuse and recycle! Seriously, being a good steward of the environment will automatically help animals in the wild!
4. Make informed decisions. Read a lot.

What has been the most rewarding experience since starting your sanctuary?
Every time I teach someone something about animals, it is a wonderful feeling. Never gets old. Sometimes we give advice on enrichment for pet pigs, other times its proper handling techniques for iguanas, giving nail trims, teaching kids about diets and lifespans – it’s all good stuff!
It’s also very rewarding when one of your (formerly) aggressive animals begins to build a trusting relationship with you. Soon the aggression goes away, and you’re BFFs!  This has happened with both iguanas and one of our pigs.

[post by Carmen Sepetka, CuriOdyssey animal keeper]