Loma Rica sanctuary shelters unwanted animals

No need for a dinner bell at Piece of Peace Animal Sanctuary.

When Monty Mitchell swings open the large metal silo door, pigs come running and geese flap in from far reaches of the outer fields. They crowd around him, mouths gaping and tails wiggling as he calls each by name and gently places a handful of wet grain into the waiting maws.

"Kona, Otis, Jones, Jasper, Marty," Mitchell beckons during the bedtime snack ritual. "Janice, Adam, Kayla, Indy, here's some more."

Seven years after Mitchell and his partner Karen Meicht took over the Loma Rica sanctuary , they know all its creatures by name and habits. What once began as a rescue for potbelly and farm pigs now includes pairs of sheep, gaggles of geese and groups of goats, rabbits, chickens and other animals.

Most have a sob story to tell, whether abuse, neglect or abandonment preceded their arrival at Piece of Peace.

There is Falafel, the blind-in-one-eye rooster, and Hector, a one-winged pigeon. Honky, a deaf pot belly, was named after he was found running on a road ignoring cars blaring their horns.

Goats Dollar Bill and Tadpole were spotted near a burned-down house Meicht passed on her way to work. She continually stopped by, leaving notes and checking for food and water before officials helped her bring the hungry goats home, where they now clamber on boulders in the year-round stream and wander among pigs in a lush green field.

"Their needs are pretty basic - food, belly rubs, sunshine," Mitchell said.

Finding peace

Meicht and Mitchell took over the sanctuary in 2004, turning it into a nonprofit and fixing it up. Piece of Peace is volunteer operated, with the couple and occasional friend or family member doing most of the work.

Twice a year, they try to host volunteer days to enlist the help of neighbors, community members and others in the animal-rescue network to catch up with ongoing needs.

This Saturday, they're hoping volunteers will help cut fallen trees and mend fences crushed in the winter storms. They would like to also patch some housing and build new walls if possible, along with new stoops and door flaps for the pig barns.

"Each time, we just try to get cleaned up a little bit more and build something or fix something for the animals," Meicht said.

The couple, who met through friends in upstate New York, share a love of all creatures and were raised in families constantly rescuing animals, a commitment that resonates with both of them today.

"I was brought up in this extremely compassionate household where you wouldn't even kill a bug," Meicht said.

Both Meicht and Mitchell are vegans and stand against oppression or violence toward all beings. They hope their little "piece of peace" in the foothills will inspire others to choose compassion and selflessness over pain and selfishness.

"Doing this has simultaneously been the best and worst thing of my life," Mitchell said. "I'm doing a small part in making the world a better place, but I'm aware at what sacrifice."

Vacations and couple-time are rare, as they stagger their days off to care for the animals while maintaining their day jobs — Meicht at a veterinary clinic and Mitchell as a hotel bartender - and take care of their children, 21⁄2-year-old Jonah and 12-week-old Mandolin.

Balancing day jobs with the demands of running a sanctuary, they have little time for fundraising, outreach and website maintenance. Food costs alone run about $1,000 a month, with another $500 spent on bedding and medications. Vet bills, repairs and upkeep are all additional expenses.

"If anybody could find us a grant, we'd be forever grateful," he said.

Popular pigs

Potbelly pigs were once all the rage, with mail-order piglets and movies stars buying them for pets, Mitchell said. Then they realized adorable piglets grow into 100-, 150- or 200-pound pigs that can wreak havoc in a matter of minutes.

"People think 'Oh, what a cool unusual pet,' and they don't think about the long-term ramifications. How destructive they can be and how big they can get, or they just outgrow their cuteness," Mitchell said.

Oliver was rescued as a piglet from a fraternity house at U.C. Berkeley, where he had been tied to a dresser and turned destructive. Super skinny and with his skin growing around a too-small harness, the potbelly was brought to Piece of Peace, where he fattened up and befriended the dogs.

Potbellies are intelligent and make great pets, but only if someone understands what to expect from them, Mitchell said.

"Pigs don't really care so much about pleasing you," he said. "They still bond, but they aren't hungry for approval."

Some animals have been at Piece of Peace since the sanctuary opened nearly 20 years ago. Meicht and Mitchell are easing the population size by minimizing intake of new animals and instead networking to find new homes.

Most recently, it was for two pigs a woman was planning to shoot because she was dying of cancer. Their graves were dug, but Meicht scrambled and soon secured a new owner and transportation.

Were it not for sanctuaries, many animals would be needlessly killed or dumped, said Vallejo resident Bonnie Morgan. She has volunteered at the Loma Rica sanctuary since she adopted her second potbelly pig 13 years ago.

The animal rescue struck a chord with her and she visits several times a year to offer a helping hand. Morgan finds a lot of enjoyment and gratification in volunteering at Piece of Piece, "and they are just nice people," she said of Meicht and Mitchell.

"It's just beautiful, the land is beautiful, and the animals are happy and well cared for," she said. "Agencies like that can use all the help they can get from the community."

CONTACT reporter Ashley Gebb at 749-4783.