It all started back as far as I can remember as a kid. Our family was huge. I did not have much, but I had a collie dog and of course her name was Lassie. That began a bond that would begin it all. I felt happiness that no human could give me, it was unconditional love. Later on I experienced the grief of  the death of my dog and it was something that sticks with you. After awhile animals attracted to me like a kid wanting candy. I went thru trials of finding animals on our farm many times. They would be injured and sick and I would cry because I could not save them. And, I would always say I am through with this cause it hurts too badly. I promised myself to not help another one, but I did it again and again. All those years, I felt helpless. 

It carried on up into my marriage and then with my daughter. Later on down the road, the number of animals we took in was expanding and so were the loans to save them. The name “Freedom’s Last Chance” came to me back in 2007 one day while at the local pound when I was down stairs visiting with the cats.  I had went to see what I could do to help as a human being. What would it take to save these cats and dogs? Here was all these beautiful cats reaching out from behind the bars and crying to me for help. I could see the stress in their eyes and feel their fear of the unknowing of what was to happen to them. When I took each one out, they would cling to me and hold on tight. I imagined if it was me in that tiny cage, being taken away from all I ever knew. What did I do to deserve this and be here? Where was my owner? Why did they abandon me? This is what I could feel coming from these cats and all of a sudden I felt like I had the biggest rock on my shoulder I ever had. It was a message given to me from God. I broke down and cried that day.  My heart bled for these poor souls.  They did not deserve this cause I knew if I left them they would most likely die. It then hit me. I knew that I was their Last Chance at Freedom. That was it, the name “Freedoms Last Chance”, a chance for them to live free until they found a home. After that I meet and formed a board.  We began a quest looking for property to build a Sanctuary on to house and save hundreds that are in line to be euthanized, that could get another chance only if there was a place for them to go.   

Roxanne Harvey