10/26/2026
Meet Sara Villa — Board Member & Rescue Coordinator
I’m Sara Villa, a board member at Mending Spirits Animal Rescue, where I wear many hats, including dog foster coordinator, appointment scheduler, transport coordinator, mentor, and director of application and adoption processing. Essentially, if there’s a way I can help, I’m there!
My journey with animal rescue began long before Mending Spirits. I’ve loved animals, especially dogs, for as long as I can remember. I can’t explain what drew me to them at such a young age, but despite never having a dog growing up because I was told I had severe allergies, I always dreamed of becoming a veterinarian.
After high school, I became an active volunteer with what was then Secondhand Hounds, helping with everything from letting dogs out to providing transportation. For the first time, I felt like I had found a place where I belonged. Dogs have always amazed me with their resilience, their capacity to love, and their ability to give so much of themselves, even after everything they’ve been through.
When I went to college, I gradually stepped away from rescue. But after having my second son in 2019, I experienced severe postpartum depression and struggled with loneliness. As I began working on myself and searching for something more, I stumbled across Mending Spirits Animal Rescue. Although it wasn’t a physical shelter where I could volunteer, I quickly realized it was something even more meaningful: a community of people who shared my passion, compassion, and drive to help animals.
I still remember sitting at my very first Mending Spirits event and meeting Calista. We spent the entire event talking about her story, the rescue, and everything it had taken to build it. By the end of that conversation, I knew I had found where I was meant to be.
It wasn’t long before I convinced my then-husband that we should foster our first dog, Chevy. He was a bit of a wildcard, but he taught me so much. He helped me get back on track physically and mentally, and fostering him made me feel like I had finally found a missing piece of myself. My children loved him, I loved him, and watching him form an instant connection with the person who would become his adoptive dad was one of the most heartwarming experiences of my life.
That first year, we fostered 22 dogs. Some tested my patience more than others, but nothing compared to the feeling of watching a dog find their family and thrive in a home where they were truly loved. Every adoption reminded me why rescue mattered so much.
So, when I was asked to become one of the dog coordinators helping with HASRA intakes, I couldn’t say no. Over the years, my love for rescue has only grown, along with my appreciation for the incredible people who make this work possible.
Today, between being a single mom to three boys, working full-time, and often spending more than 40 hours a week on rescue-related responsibilities, life can be overwhelming. There are late-night intake preparations, emergency situations, endless coordination, and plenty of moments when there simply aren’t enough hours in the day. But even through the chaos, I can honestly say this is the happiest I’ve been in a long time.
The past few years have brought significant personal challenges, and Mending Spirits has been a constant source of purpose, connection, and support. The people I’ve met, the friendships I’ve built, and the relationships I’ve formed throughout the rescue community are things I will cherish forever. I’m incredibly grateful for our volunteers, fosters, and my fellow board members, and I hope to continue being part of this amazing organization for years to come.
And, of course, there’s Pepper, my wonderful Mending Spirits alum and foster number 26. She’s my biggest cheerleader, my constant companion, and my one and only foster fail. ❤️
I’ve helped save countless dogs through rescue, but what I’ve come to realize is that rescue has given just as much back to me. Every dog who comes through our doors, every foster who opens their home, and every person who steps up to help reminds me why this work is so important.
I may have helped change the lives of countless dogs, but in so many ways, they—and the people who love them—have helped change mine, too. I wouldn’t have it any other way.
