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The Cows
Bos taurusEst. 2022 · 501(c)(3) · Riceville, Tennessee
A forever homefor the oneswho had nowhere else.
52 rescued animals. 9 species. Thirty-two acres in the hills of East Tennessee. Once they arrive at Soft Landing, they never have to leave again.
Cows
Horses
Donkeys
Sheep
Pigs
Dogs
Cats
Chickens
52
In total · today
Field Note · The Water Problem
Right now, our entire water system
runs on garden hoses.
Every trough on 32 acres is fed by a web of hoses snaking out from the house. In summer they kink. In winter they freeze. We’re raising funds to run permanent water lines to all six pastures.
The Ask
Permanent lines to six pastures.
Frost-free hydrants, buried PEX, one automatic float valve per pasture. This is the single most urgent infrastructure need for 52 animals.
$0 raisedgoal · $12,000
0% funded
Ch. 01 · The Residents
9 species. 52 lives.
Every one a permanent resident.
Browse by species below, or scroll down to see every face on the farm. None of them will ever be rehomed, sold, or returned. This is their address for life.
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The Horses
Equus caballus…
The Donkeys
Equus asinus…
The Sheep
Ovis aries…
The Pot-bellies
Sus scrofa domesticus…
The Dogs
Canis familiaris…
The Cats
Felis catus…
The 24
Gallus gallus domesticus…
The Opossum
Didelphis virginianaIndividual profiles · still writing...
View every animal →The Yearbook
Every face, every name.
Hover over anyone. They’ll tell you what they go by.
52 portraitsthe chicken senate is hard to photograph →
Ch. 02 · Their Stories
Told properly. On YouTube.
Every animal here has a story worth telling. We narrate them with heart, humor, and a deep appreciation for just how much personality a single pig can have.
We started the channel because the stories we were telling around the kitchen table deserved more than a caption. Every episode is narrated by Tracy — warm, honest, and occasionally about Ralphie escaping.
A letter from the founders
We didn’t plan any of this.
In 2019 we left Utah and drove across the country to 32 acres we'd never seen in person. We didn't plan to start a sanctuary. The animals just kept finding us.
Cows. Horses. Donkeys. Sheep. Pigs. Dogs. Cats. Chickens. Each one arrived with a story, and each time we said yes. There are fifty-two of them now, and not one of them will ever be rehomed, returned, or left behind.
We made them a promise. That promise does not have an expiration date.
— Tracy
Tracy Howard-Nichols · Founder
The Land · 32 acres
Where everyone lives.
A rough sketch of the farm. Pastures, barns, and who you’ll find where.
Ralphie · Jethro
Horses
Donkeys · 4
The 24
Pigs · 5
Sheep · 3
Animal residence Water source Barn / shelter
Ch. 03 · How you can help
We’ve funded this sanctuary
out of pocket since day one.
Every dollar turns directly into hay, grain, fencing, vet bills, and water lines. Here’s what specific amounts do.
Ch. 04 · Come visit
Or come help.
There is always work to be done, and the animals love the company.
Volunteer
A few hours or a whole weekend.
Feeding, fence repair, social-media help, or just sitting with the donkeys. Tell us what you’re good at.
- Morning / evening feed rounds
- Pasture upkeep & shelter cleaning
- Filming for YouTube stories
- Weekend stays welcome
Get in touch
Riceville, Tennessee · by email first.
We don’t publish our physical address. We’ve had people tie animals to our gate in the middle of the night, and we simply don’t have the capacity to take in every animal that arrives that way — no matter how much we’d like to.
If you need our mailing address for a donation or a legitimate visit, write to us and we’ll send it over. Everyone is welcome — just not unannounced.
info@softlandinganimalsanctuary.org
Riceville, Tennessee
501(c)(3) · EIN 92-0384084