Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Visitors with two or four legs welcome at rescue ranch

Rick Monroe

Special to the Village News

People are beginning to find out about the Right Layne Foundation, a rescue ranch on 5.5 acres not far from the fire station on Olive Hill Road in Bonsall.

However, Candace Abreu pleads for people not to just drop off animals in front of their gate. Several chickens were left that way and one died, with others nearly perishing from the heat.

"Call first," she said. "We're able to welcome most animals, but if you call first, we'll give you the gate code and have a new home ready."

Abrea has lived on the property for two years, after previously living for 13 years in Vista. Just recently, her vision for the property became a place to rescue, adopt, foster and rehabilitate animals.

The foundation is named after Abrea's grandson Layne, who enjoys his time on the property, helping in his own way.

Abreu does most of the work – feeding animals, cleaning out the stalls, and a multitude of other tasks.

During a visit to the ranch the day before Thanksgiving, she had to break up a confrontation between two male tortoises who would crash into one another. There is also a female tortoise on the grounds.

Later, one of her dogs snatched a rabbit that escaped from its enclosure. Abreu was quick enough to intervene and the rabbit survived.

"That's life on the ranch," she said afterwards. "It's a lot of work, including making ends meet."

Her husband works as an electrician, and she earns some money from selling animals she breeds, as well as some from boarding horses.

She plans a petting farm that will operate by invitation only, with payment by donation to the nonprofit foundation. Abreu said it's now ready for visitors, but that she hasn't collected any gate receipts yet.

In addition to the tortoises and a dozen or so rabbits, the property is home to four dogs, a score of guinea pigs, three alpaca, three pot belly pigs and a Juliana pig with litter, one peacock, one mule, two ponies, four goats, three "senior" thoroughbred horses and another horse, two cows and a drop calf.

The thoroughbred horses – Cash, Cowboy and Trigger – roam in the main corral. When Abreu received them, they were aged, abused and neglected, with serious weight loss. However, each is returning to normal. She estimates the age of each to be 17-18 years, definitely in the senior category.

"Taking care of horses costs a hunk of money," she said, "but they really needed a home."

Abreu said she recently had a volunteer from Hope International University at the ranch, cleaning out pens, and would like to get more students interested in community service hours, as well as home school students and others who would be interested in helping.

Dogs help protect the animals from coyotes and other dangers, she said. One of the alpacas is sometimes a nuisance by seeking attention from visitors. "She was raised by humans and bottle fed," Abreu said. "The others were raised by their mother and have better manners!"

Abreu said she grew up in Santa Monica in a lower income family surrounded by rich folks. She experienced abuse and neglect growing up, then struggled with addiction and homelessness, but proudly said she has been clean and sober 31 years.

While in Los Angeles, she got started in her first animal rescue outreach by capturing feral cats which she would later release. She also fostered dogs, and found animals were so therapeutic for her and others.

Abreu said she likes to work with vets now, and partners with other organizations to help those with needs.

"The suicide rate is so high, and Camp Pendleton is so close," she said. "Many of the Marines or former Marines are from farms in the Midwest, and visits to our ranch can make a difference."

Abreu said she works with the mental health community in letting people find solace at the ranch and, on Dec. 8, the foundation will host a special event with Love on the Ground, a Carlsbad program focused on creating a safe and sustainable community to assist people get off the streets.

She's worked with Falcon Ridge Equine Rescue in Valley Center and the Fallbrook Animal Sanctuary.

Right Layne Foundation is located at 5768 Olive Hill Road, Bonsall. For information about volunteering, donating or scheduling a visit, call 310-780-0502.

 

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