The animals just kept finding us. And we kept saying yes.
52
Permanent Residents
32
Acres · East Tennessee
0
Animals Ever Rehomed
2022
501(c)(3) Since
Ch. 01 · How It Started
A cross-country move, 32 acres of East Tennessee farmland, and a series of animals who needed somewhere to go.
2019
Tracy and Shad Nichols left Utah and drove across the country to 32 acres in Riceville, Tennessee — McMinn County, tucked in the hills of East Tennessee. They weren’t looking to build a sanctuary. They were looking for a different life. They found it.
The First Few
A cow who had nowhere to go. Then a horse. Then donkeys. Each one arrived with a story — neglect, circumstance, or simply a family that couldn’t keep them. Tracy and Shad said yes every time. Not because they had a plan, but because the animals needed them to.
The Promise
At some point the number stopped mattering. What mattered was the promise: once an animal arrives at Soft Landing, they never have to leave. No rehoming. No returns. No deadlines. This is their home for the rest of their life, no matter what.
October 2022
The IRS recognized what Tracy and Shad had been doing all along: Soft Landing Animal Sanctuary became a federally recognized 501(c)(3) public charity. Every dollar donated is now tax-deductible — and every dollar goes directly to the animals.
Today
52permanent residents. Every species. Every story. The sanctuary runs every day — feeding, care, fence repair, veterinary visits — fueled largely by Shad’s full-time paycheck and the generosity of people like you. That is what we are working to change.
no plan — just yes, every time.
What We Stand For
Everything we do comes back to one commitment: these animals are home, and they are staying.
Every animal at Soft Landing is a permanent resident. We don’t adopt out, rehome, or return animals. When they arrive, they are home. Full stop.
Our residents receive veterinary care, proper nutrition, appropriate shelter, and the dignity of being known — by name, by personality, by story.
We are a 501(c)(3) public charity. Our finances, our operations, and our needs are an open book. Every dollar you give is accounted for.
We won’t pretend everything is easy. Running a sanctuary is hard. We talk openly about our infrastructure gaps, our funding needs, and where we’re headed.
Ch. 02 · The People
No paid staff. No corporate hierarchy. Three people and a whole lot of animals.
Co-Founder · Executive Director
Tracy is the heart of Soft Landing. She coordinates daily care for all 52 residents, manages donor relationships, handles compliance, and somehow still finds time to sit with Ralphie when he's had a difficult day. Tracy built this from nothing and refuses to let it be anything less than extraordinary.
Co-Founder · Operations
Shad works a full-time job and still comes home to fences that need mending, water lines that need running, and 52 animals who need feeding. He has directed tens of thousands of dollars of his own salary into the sanctuary. The mission of Soft Landing is, in part, to give that money back.
Resident Volunteer
Tom is a military veteran who lives on the property and contributes daily to the care of the animals. His consistency and dedication make it possible to maintain the level of care the residents deserve. He is as much a part of this place as any of the animals.
The Land
Remote, quiet, and exactly the kind of place a cow, a pig, or a donkey should spend their life.
Soft Landing sits on 32 acres in rural McMinn County, Tennessee — approximately 12 acres of forest and the rest open pasture. It is remote and exactly the kind of place a cow, a pig, or a donkey should spend their life.
The property includes pasture rotations for the large animals, a dedicated Chicken Castle for our 24 hens, separate enclosures for pigs and dogs, and the kind of deeply worn paths you only get when animals have been walking the same ground for years.
Location
Riceville, Tennessee · McMinn County
About an hour south of Knoxville.
Ch. 03 · The Residents
Every species. Every size. Every story.
“Every animal who arrives at Soft Landing stays for life. We do not adopt out, return, or rehome. This is not a stepping stone. This is the destination.”
Tracy Howard-Nichols · Founder
The Honest Part
Running a sanctuary on love and determination is real. So is the gap between what we have and what the animals deserve.
Right now, we water 52 animals across 32 acres using garden hoses. In summer that is exhausting. In Tennessee winters, when hoses freeze solid, it is a crisis. An in-ground, freeze-proof water system is our single most urgent infrastructure need.
Estimated cost $12,000+ · Grant applications in progress
We know plenty of nonprofits put only their best face forward. We think that’s a disservice to the people who are considering giving their money.
The truth is: Shad works a full-time job and has directed tens of thousands of dollars of his own paycheck into this sanctuary. That is not a sustainable model. We are actively building the infrastructure — grants, sponsorships, recurring donors — to change that.
When you donate to Soft Landing, you are not just feeding an animal today. You are helping build the system that keeps all 52of them fed, watered, and cared for — permanently.
Help build this →Legal Standing
We are a federally recognized 501(c)(3) public charity. Your donations are tax-deductible, our finances are auditable, and we file annually with the IRS.
IRS Determination — 501(c)(3) Public Charity
Soft Landing Animal Sanctuary has been a federally recognized nonprofit since October 14, 2022. Contributions are tax-deductible to the full extent allowed by law. We file Form 990 annually. We have never missed a filing.
Questions about our financials? Email us anytime.
Ch. 04 · Get Involved
There are three ways you can help right now. Every one of them matters.
Every dollar goes directly to the animals. Monthly giving is the most valuable — it lets us plan, not scramble.
Give today →From Ralphie the escape artist to our one extremely lucky opossum — sponsor a resident and we’ll keep you personally updated.
Sponsor a resident →Weekdays, weekends, one day or one season — the animals are always here and there is always work to do.
Get involved →