Miranda Sanders

     From my earliest memories, I have always harbored a deep affection for animals. As a child, I would often spend time outdoors, befriending local wildlife and playfully imitating various creatures. As I grew older, my passion for rescuing animals flourished, and with the unwavering support of my parents, I began to provide a home for abandoned cats and dogs. By the age of 14, I had taken in an assortment of animals that I either found or was contacted about, quickly becoming the go-to person for any animal-related concerns among my peers.

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     Over the years, my interest in exotic animals grew, and at the age of 13, I adopted my first pet snake. This ignited a love for reptiles, which I shared with friends, eventually taking care of their snakes when they could no longer do so. For my 16th birthday, I persuaded my parents to let me adopt a skunk named Stella, who I cared for until I was 18. When I became pregnant, I decided to rehome Stella to a skunk rescue in North Florida. The exceptional work done by the rescue facility left a lasting impression on me.

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      At 24, and now a mother of two, I found myself in a reptile store when I learned that my partner had put a deposit on a sugar glider as a surprise. However, I was captivated by the idea of adopting a ring-tailed lemur and persuaded my partner to switch the deposit. Shortly after welcoming Rupert, our lemur baby, into our family, I became pregnant again.

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     My experience with Rupert was far from the "easy" journey I was led to believe. Adapting our home to accommodate Rupert's needs was a considerable challenge, and I felt compelled to share my insights on the complexities of caring for lemurs. As Rupert matured, he displayed aggression towards anyone outside of our immediate family, leading us to make further sacrifices in our social lives.

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     Our dedication to Rupert's well-being evolved into abroader mission to raise awareness and advocate for exotic animals. As we gained recognition, we began receiving calls from people unable to care for their exotics due to the challenges we had spoken about. This inspired us to transition into a non-profit rescue organization. Since then, my children and I have devoted ourselves to providing the best possible care for these misunderstood animals.

 

     Our dream is to secure sufficient funding to acquire our own property, allowing us to expand our rescue efforts and make an even greater difference in the lives of animals. Our unwavering commitment to this mission is driven by our belief that we were destined to embark on this extraordinary journey