Animal Haven of Asheville

Imagine savoring a delicious, juicy persimmon! Yum! But now, imagine months later, you’re struck with the worst tummy ache imaginable. That’s exactly what happened to our sweet Wilma, one of our beloved pigs, part of group we lovingly refer to as The Three Little Pigs. Poor Wilma suffered a major obstruction caused by the persimmon skin she had eaten. Who knew that could happen?

Wilma was rushed to our amazing large animal vet, Dr. Justin, who discovered the obstruction and performed emergency surgery to save her. Despite her nervous nature, Wilma proved to be incredibly brave and resilient throughout her recovery!

Our dedicated team, led by our fearless leader Trina and committed volunteer Jill, spent countless hours by Wilma’s side, offering her alll her favorite treats to help regain her trust and appetite. We are blessed to have a dedicated group of volunteers that work hard to provide care and love to all of our rescues every single day! We are committed to helping animals, especially our rescued residents like Wilma.

Wilma’s friend, Bubbles, provided much-needed emotional support in the recovery area next door. Coincidentally, Bubbles was also undergoing surgery that day to be spayed. Between Wilma's life-saving surgery and Bubbles' procedure, our veterinary bill totaled $2000.

We believe every animal's life is precious and will always go the extra mile to ensure their well-being. However, we rely on the generosity of our supporters to continue our mission.

Would you be able to help by donating to Wilma and Bubbles' recovery fund? Your donation will directly cover their veterinary bill and support their ongoing care, post- operative care and feeding. Every contribution, no matter the size, is deeply appreciated and will be used exclusively for their needs.

Thank you for your support and love. Let's come together to help Wilma and Bubbles continue to thrive!

During the early hours of Thursday, February 9th the Animal Haven of Asheville was burglarized. Fortunately, no one, including the animals, was harmed, however, the thrift store and our farm’s truck were targeted. Many valuable items were stolen, including cash and thrift donations, a computer tablet, a part of the truck engine and a general sense of security. As most of you know, we are a non-profit sanctuary 100% funded by donations which are used exclusively to support our rescued farm animals. We will not let this loss bring us down nor stop the good we accomplish.

We are calling on our community for aid. If you have the means to donate, any bit helps. Donations will not only help to make up for the significant losses but will also offset the cost of increasing security measures and signage to deter future theft. Together we can turn this negative into a positive for the animals. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for your support.

Dear Friends, Family, and Animal Lovers,

Animal Haven has recently faced one of its greatest challenges. We sustained significant damage from the creek flooding: our bridge was washed away, trees fell on our fences, and power lines are down. With no water or electricity, caring for the animals and ensuring they have enough water has become a real challenge. Thankfully, all of our animals are safe, but the storm has forced us to cancel our annual fall fundraiser, which is critical for the sanctuary's operations.

We are asking for your help to recover and continue caring for our beloved pigs, goats, chickens, and other residents. Your support will also allow us to build the Barbara Bellows Memorial Barn, honoring our late founder’s legacy and providing shelter for current and future rescues.

All funds will go toward:

- Repairing storm damage

- Ongoing care, watering and feeding of our animals

- Building a sturdier memorial barn and other updates around the farm for future security

We’re grateful for any donation or for sharing this message. With a $20,000 matching anonymous offer, your contribution will go even further in helping us rebuild and continue our mission. Thank you for standing by us during this challenging time as our community and sanctuary forges on! In the words of our founder, if it doesn’t break you, it makes you stronger! #ashevillestrong #sanctuarystrong #WNCstrong

With gratitude,

The Animal Haven of Asheville Family

PS: Our sanctuary and thrift store will remain closed until road and property repairs are complete. Stay tuned and please stay safe!