My name is Laurie Kay and I wanted to tell you a little bit about us. I have always been involved in animal care and animal issues for as long as I can remember. A good friend of mine, Leslie Sanfilippo, had these same experiences, interests, and concerns. We decided that, together, we could make a positive impact in the lives of animals and in the lives of people. So, in 2004, Stardust Animal Sanctuary became our avenue of non-profit service.

From the very beginning, both of us were drawn to the “unadoptable” ones. These farm animals, dogs, cats, and horses were deemed "unadoptable" by their families, by agencies, and by rescues. They were in need, urgent, and for behavioral and/or medical reasons, they needed specialized lifetime care. Our focus was put to the test in 2005. Hurricane Katrina hit the coast of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Leslie and I drove down in a U-Haul to volunteer with Best Friends Animal Society. We immediately set our sights on helping all the animals in need but we excelled in working with the animals who had the most profound behavioral and medical issues. We knew we had found our true calling. We helped transport over a hundred dogs to safety during that staggering life-changing emergency.

We came back and rented a farm in Northern Illinois and began our work helping urgent horses, dogs, cats, and farm animals. We are now finally on our very own property in Richmond, Illinois. We are happy and honored to provide lifelong care to the “unadoptables”. These animals are thriving in our Sanctuary setting. We also provide on-the-ground positive, interactive experiences between our Sanctuary horses and people. The horses enjoy the attention and they offer non-judgmental and bonding experiences for people. If you would like to discuss our offerings or would like to arrange for a visit or would like to volunteer, please contact us.

Thank You!