ALL ABOUT LIVING FREE
Living Free Animal Sanctuary is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, animal rescue and home to War Horse Creek, a veteran transition assistance program. Living Free was founded by Emily Jo Beard in 1980 as one of the first privately funded, no-kill animal sanctuaries in the country. We have dedicated the past 40 years and counting to passionately serving those in need of a second chance.
OUR MISSION, VISION & VALUES
It is our mission to enhance the welfare of companion animals through individualized care and lifelong commitment, rescue and adoption, resources and education, and community partnerships.
Our vision is to be a recognized leader within a united local animal welfare community by working as a team of invested staff and volunteers to empower compassionate stewardship for thriving companion animals.
We value sustainability and accountability, compassion and respect, diversity and inclusion, leadership and teamwork, and supporter relationships and community engagement.
OUR ANIMALS
Living Free rescues, cares for and adopts out cats and dogs whose time is up at local shelters, with the mission of placing them in a home for life. Should a cat or dog not find their forever home, they will spend the rest of their days being loved by our Living Free team at the sanctuary.
We are not licensed to take animals from the civilian public. Our mission is to help animals that would otherwise be euthanized in local public shelters. Southern California, like many other regions in the United States, has a significant homeless pet population. The reasons for homelessness can vary from pet owners not being able to afford to keep their pets to pets being abandoned or lost. The lack of spaying or neutering programs also contributes to the problem of pet overpopulation.
According to data gathered by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, as of 2021 over 37,021 homeless dogs and cats were euthanized in the state of California. It is our goal to lower that number by rescuing as many of these “red-listed” animals as possible. Together, with other animal welfare organizations in Southern California, Living Free is working to reduce the number of homeless pets through spay/neuter programs, adoption events, and providing food and medical care for homeless animals in need.
In 2022, Living Free rescued 196 dogs and cats. We’ve developed relationships with rescues in Riverside, Hemet, and the Coachella Valley area to expand our reach in helping overcrowded shelters.
Further, Living Free has also opened a storefront called The Desert Outpost in Palm Desert. The store operates as a community outreach center and provides an opportunity to bring our mountain sanctuary down to the Coachella Valley. We offer adoption events and host educational talks to help in our mission of rescuing and adopting animals.
OUR LOCATION
Living Free Animal Sanctuary is located at 54250 Keep Camp Road, Mountain Center, CA 92561. We recently launched a series of funding campaigns to expand facilities for our veteran program, which will allow us to provide services to larger veteran groups.
LIVING FREE IN THE PRESS
Living Free Animal Sanctuary in need of help after snowstorm damage, KESQ News, Mar. 7, 2023
Idyllwild and nearby mountain communities seek to recover after damaging snowstorm, KESQ News, Mar. 2, 2023
Desert Charities January-February-March 2023 Men in Philanthropy, Desert Charities News, Dec. 29, 2022
Desert Charities Women in Philanthropy 2022, Desert Charities News, Sept. 21, 2022
Where Is Your Pet’s “Go-Bag?”, Pet Companion Magazine, Aug. 3, 2022
Bright Colors and Brews, Palm Springs Life, Aug. 11, 2022
July Coachella Valley Spotlight recipient: Living Free Animal Sanctuary, KESQ News, Jul. 20, 2022
Pets Facing Euthanasia Get Second Chance At RivCo Animal Sanctuary, Patch.com, Jul. 20, 2022
Local groups receive county funding, Idyllwild Town Crier, Jun. 28, 2022
Coachella Valley Horse Rescue hosting concert benefiting veterans’ programs Saturday, Palm Springs Desert Sun, Jun. 10, 2022
Living Free Opens War Horse Creek, Coachella Valley News, Apr. 6 2022
Dogs and Cats Seeking A Loving Home, Inland Empire News, Aug. 30 2021
Living Free Desert Outpost, Pet Companion Magazine, Aug. 7 2021
Summer Impact on Animal Welfare Organizations, Pet Companion Magazine, Jul. 27 2021
Living Free Sanctuary opens pop-up shop at local mall, KESQ, Jul. 14 2021
A welcome new way to help animals find homes, Desert Sun, Jun. 24 2021
Living Free animal sanctuary opens pop-up at Westfield Palm Desert mall, Desert Sun, Jun. 18 2021
Innovative Program Rescues Wild Mustangs for Veteran Transition Training, Global Newswire, Apr. 13 2021
Evacuations, road closures lifted as Bonita Fire near Mountain Center held to 715 acres; 30% contained, Desert Sun, Jan. 16 2021
The Perfect Visit To Charming Idyllwild, California, Travel Awaits, Jun. 26 2020
What the COVID-19 Pandemic Means for Animal Welfare Organizations, Pet Companion Magazine, Mar. 20 2020
Paul Rodgers and Simon Kirke of Bad Company Visit Living Free Animal Sanctuary with Their Wives Cynthia and Maria, Pet Companion Magazine, Coachella Valley Weekly, Feb. 12 2020
Inside the Living Free Animal Sanctuary, ABC News, Jun. 14. 2019
Care In A Crisis: Living Free Faces The Cranston Fire, Pet Companion Magazine, Sept. 16 2018
Living Free Animal Sanctuary describes evacuating animals during Cranston Fire, KESQ, Aug. 1 2018
Animal Aid renovations will help more animals, KOIN, Nov. 20 2017
Howl & Yowl concert to help pet rescue group, The Press-Enterprise, Sept. 28 2017
Dogs displaced by Hurricane Harvey recovering at Living Free, Idyllwild Town Crier, Sept. 26 2017
Coachella Valley rescues dogs impacted by Hurricane Harvey, KESQ, Sept. 20 2017
Animal Aid puts shelter pets first, gears up for Pop-Up Pub, MORE Good Day Oregon, Sept. 19 2017
Fourth ‘Howl and Yowl’ coming to Living Free, Idyllwild Town Crier, Sept. 19 2017
Meet Buddy of Living Free Animal Sanctuary, Pet Companion Magazine, Jun. 27 2017
Faith, hope and puppies at Empire Polo Club, Desert Sun, Mar. 5, 2016
Living Free opens doors to wild mustangs, too, Idyllwild Town Crier, Aug. 14 2015
New policies increase adoptions at Living Free, Idyllwild Town Crier, Mar. 5 2015
Art & Adoption Event For Living Free, Coachella Valley Weekly, Jan. 22 2014
It’s All About the Animals, CV Weekly, Coachella Valley Weekly, Sept. 25 2013
Melissa Etheridge Performs at Living Free Animal Sanctuary, PRweb, Sept. 27 2013
Living Free: A Mountain Haven for Animals, Coachella Valley Weekly, Jul. 31 2013
LeAnn Rimes headlines Living Free event, Idyllwild Town Crier, Oct. 10 2012
It’s all about the animals at Living Free, Idyllwild Town Crier, Oct. 5 2011
CONNECT WITH US
Additional information is available by request. Please email info@living-free.org.
Visit us online at www.living-free.org.
You can keep up with Living Free at living-free.org and through social media on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.