“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
-Gandhi

Toni Faragalli


Toni, Maxi and Spanky

In late December 2012, I took a huge leap of faith by embarking on a journey to start a sanctuary for Boxers and other dogs with special needs. After a year of searching, with the help of Stephen Hidey, I found and purchased a large 2.5 acre property in Agua Dulce This spacious property met our goal for creating a truly peaceful place for these dogs to live the remainder of their lives in safety and peace.

The mountains are far from the hustle and bustle of urban and industrial environments and provide the perfect backdrop for the country living and true freedom we aspire to give these deserving  animals; one that allows them to live with us and their pack family. Nothing will ever be perfect since the ultimate desire for any dog is to curl up next to their beloved human family members, but our goal is to get as close as we can to creating a special place for them here.

My passion to provide such a sanctuary originated from the experiences I gained through the blessings of sharing my life with three of the most incredible Boxers.  Maxi was the first to start me on my current path.  She touched my heart and gave me the desire to want to give back.

Because of her, I began to volunteer at a local Boxer Rescue.  But Spanky, even after her passing, continues to provide me with the most profound guidance.  Her spirit is very much alive for me and I continue to feel incredibly supported and loved by her.  She is always there for me! 

I initially took her in to my home because she had lost her will to live.  As we built a trusting and loving relationship, she began to heal, regain her enthusiasm for life, and blossomed. In turn she gave me a way to better connect with my own life and deal with painful issues I’d not yet been able to resolve.  She gave me a way to understand my life and my past. This came about by me helping her work through her discontent with life.  We had three wonderful years together – but sadly there’s never enough time on earth for such a beautiful soul as hers!!!

Sweet Boy, KO

Finally, it was KO, my love and protector, who gave me the strength to face and overcome my fears, and to embrace the right to feel safe and live without fear!  He was the impetus for me setting my mind on this specific journey; to accept the challenge to help the ones that needed this sanctuary! 

I am deeply committed to honoring Maxi’s, Spanky’s and KO’s legacy by honoring their gifts of love, laughter, compassion and understanding which they gave so freely and selflessly.  I can think of no better way to do that then to protect the wonderful Boxers currently in my care and persevere in building and maintaining this sanctuary for them and others in the future.  I hope individuals who have had similar experiences with Boxers or other breeds of dogs which have touched their lives will feel the same and help support me, Stephen and Joe in our efforts.

Paw Prints