Carivintas Tasting Room, 476 First St, Solvang

Saturday, Feb 11 2:00-4:00pm

Lompoc Petco, 717 North H St, Lompoc

Adoptable Pit Bull Puppies

Sunday, Feb 12 11:30am – 1:30pm

This incredible place serves as a safety net to the most vulnerable shelter dogs – the lost and lonely grey muzzled seniors and the feared and misunderstood pit bulls. Here they all get love and a 2nd chance.

Today, we are at a major turning point. One which will determine whether this seed we planted will grow and flourish, or wither and die. The land we are leasing is for sale and we have very little time to raise the down payment. We’ve come a long way, but we have a long way to go.  What would you give to see a sanctuary grow?

The sanctuary has been a miracle for so many dogs out of time and out of hope. Now the sanctuary needs a miracle. We have one shot to make this happen and that shot is now.  Please make a contribution today.

There has never been a time when we needed you more.

Diesel and Shadow were found on a rural road trying to survive after they were abandoned. A passerby found them and took them home. They were malnourished and dehydrated, but could not have been any sweeter. This brother and sister pair are short and stocky, sweet and cuddly, playful and fun.

Diesel, the male, is about 70 lbs and loves playing fetch.

Shadow, the female, is about 60 lbs and wants nothing more than to nap by your side.

This adorable brother/sister pair needs a loving home where they can stay together. They are great with kids, walk well on leash, good with other dogs and are very affectionate. These pups have been through a lot and deserve the comfort of a warm bed and the love of a family. Please consider keeping this canine family together and get twice as much of the wiggles, kisses and smiles that only a pit bull can give. Contact us at (805) 735-3165 or info@shadowsfund.org to meet Diesel and Shadow.

Meet the rest of our adoptable dogs. 

Former Bait Dogs and Brothers Lucky and Rugby are Safe.

A couple of weeks ago Shadow’s Fund received a plea to help a pit bull in a local shelter. He was badly beaten up and the tape marks on his muzzle and bite wounds all over his body told the story of this traumatized dog’s cruel past. This beautiful, golden colored boy with a gentle temperament was likely used as a bait dog. Dog fighters will tape the muzzle and often hogtie the legs of dogs that don’t show a will to fight and use them to train other fighting dogs. Defenseless and terrified they are attacked repeatedly.

When we called to inquire we learned that the sad looking dog in the plea had a matter of hours to live. He was to be euthanized at the end of the day. We were able to rally enough support to get this dog, now called Lucky, out of the shelter into a loving foster home.  But there was a surprise waiting at the shelter.

When our transporter arrived to pick up Lucky she was told by shelter officials that he had been brought in with his brother, who was in even worse shape. Unwilling to leave his brother behind, we went back for the sweet, scared brown and white pit bull now called ‘Rugby”. Rugby was taken straight to DAWG in Santa Barbara where their generous and compassionate staff kindly watched over him for us until we could arrange a foster home for him. During his stay, Rugby became a favorite of all who met him. Craving affection and comfort, Rugby would climb up into laps and yearn to be petted and held. Perhaps the first kindness he had every experienced . . .

It has two weeks since the brothers were pulled out of the shelter. Both are in loving foster homes, have received medical attention and are learning what it is like to be loved and cared for. Soon they will go to their forever homes where they will spend the rest of their days enjoying the comforts of a family and a home.

Shadow’s Fund would like to thank everyone who helped with these very special dogs. So many people took time to visit them, walk them, give them affection . . . thank you! Your kindness has started them on the road to recovery. We ‘d like to send a very special thank you to Angela Adan, Tracy Green, Rita Wyngarden, Ian and Kellyn, Deann Turner, The Heigl Foundation and especially to DAWG for being so incredibly supportive.

2nd Saturdays every month at Carivintas
476 First St
Solvang, CA 93463
(805) 693-4331

Sundays at Petco
717 North H Street
Lompoc, CA 93436
(805) 735-6436

When Cody and I created the concept of the Sheltering Oak Sanctuary, it was meant to provide a much needed safety net for hard to place shelter dogs, and to become a place of hope and healing for all animals and people. In addition to our rescued pit bulls and senior dogs, locally rescued horses enjoy their freedom in our large pastures and adorable piglets romp in their pens by day and sleep snuggly in their hand built cottages at night.  The horses and pigs are safe and happy and add to the richness and diversity of our rescued dogs’ daily lives.

The oak covered hills that frame the sanctuary are also home to an abundance of native wildlife, including deer, fox, bobcats, mountain lions, hawks, quail, various species of snakes and much more. We respect their habitat and enjoy sharing the sanctuary with our wild friends. Future plans include hiking trails through the hillsides for visitors and volunteers to enjoy and perhaps catch a glimpse of a fox, doe or snake.

Volunteers have commented that the sanctuary is a retreat and a haven for them every bit as much as it is for the animals.

“I have found a place that I can go to take care of me physically and mentally. The dogs give me such joy. My life has so much meaning now. Thank you to Shadow’s Fund for saving me!”
 - Denise Reese, Volunteer

“The Sheltering Oak Sanctuary is a beautiful place for hope and healing for all god’s creatures. As we walk the dogs we encounter all the other rescued animals: the rooster, the potbelly pigs, Miss Lucy (the 600 lb farm pig) and the two adorable piglets. . . .further on the horse corals and the sheep (that thinks it’s a horse). Sometimes you see a snake on the path, or deer crossing or even a fox in the distance. The dogs are infatuated with the numerous lizards and squirrels. What a rare and special place because all life on this sanctuary is safe from harm.”
 - Bea Rains, Volunteer

Though it may seem like a bit of a funny farm something about it works. It works for the animals and it works for the people. Come visit us at the sanctuary and walk a dog, scratch a piglet’s belly or just sit on the hillside and enjoy all of the beauty and wonder of the natural world around us.

Jill Anderson
Co-Founder, Shadow’s Fund