We are a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Scruffy Sanctuary, dedicated to promoting education while also focusing on animal adoption initiatives. Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome animals, providing essential resources to underprivileged communities. Join us in our mission to create a better future for all.
Every great mission begins with one life that changes everything.
For us, that life was a homeless tomcat named Scruffy.
Before the devastating 2018 Camp Fire destroyed Paradise, California, Scruffy quietly lived in our neighborhood. We believe he was left behind after an elderly woman across the street passed away. She had cared for many cats, and although we thought they had all been taken, Scruffy somehow remained.
We couldn't bear the thought of him going hungry.
So we put out food.
What we didn't know was that one simple act of kindness would forever change our lives.
Scruffy began bringing other cats to us—mothers with tiny kittens, frightened strays, hungry feral cats, and those with nowhere else to turn. One by one they arrived, as if Scruffy knew our yard was a place where they would be safe.
He trusted us long before we ever realized he was teaching us our life's purpose.
Scruffy wasn't just another stray.
He was a protector.
A father.
A guardian.
He watched over generations of cats, defending them with unwavering courage. At every meal, he stood back and waited until every kitten, every mother, and every member of his family had eaten before taking a bite himself.
He always put everyone else first.
Then, on November 8, 2018, everything changed.
The Camp Fire—the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history at the time—consumed our town in just hours. Homes disappeared. Families were separated. Thousands of animals were left behind.
Scruffy lost almost everything.
Many of the cats he had spent years protecting never made it home.
Yet somehow...
Scruffy survived.
For 52 days, through ash-covered ruins, freezing nights, smoke, hunger, and unimaginable devastation, he remained in the burn zone.
We believe he stayed because he was waiting.
Waiting for his family.
Waiting for anyone who might still need him.
Waiting to know that his beloved Cali-Girl was safe.
When rescuers finally found him and we were able to bring him home in December 2018, he was exhausted. His body was failing, but his spirit had never broken.
For the first time in his life, Scruffy had a real home.
A warm bed.
Regular meals.
People who loved him.
Most importantly, he had Megan.
The bond between Scruffy and my daughter was immediate. It was as though they had been waiting for each other. He followed her everywhere, stole food whenever he thought no one was looking, curled up beside her for endless naps, and discovered that life as an indoor cat was everything he had deserved all along.
After years of surviving outside alone, he finally knew what it felt like to belong.
He spent the next two and a half years surrounded by love, comfort, and peace.
On April 10, 2021, Scruffy crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
Although our hearts were broken, his legacy had already been written.
Scruffy showed us that love isn't measured by what we have.
It's measured by what we're willing to give.
He gave everything he had to cats that weren't his responsibility.
He protected the forgotten.
He cared for the abandoned.
He loved the unwanted.
He never asked for anything in return.
That is why Scruffy's Sanctuary Inc. exists.
We believe every animal deserves what Scruffy finally found—a safe place, a full belly, compassionate care, and someone who refuses to give up on them.
Our mission extends beyond rescuing cats.
We are building a future where stray, feral, abandoned, neglected, and unwanted animals can heal physically, emotionally, and spiritually. A place where frightened animals learn to trust again. Where the forgotten become family. Where every life is treated with dignity, compassion, and unconditional love.
Every cat we feed...
Every kitten we save...
Every frightened animal we comfort...
Every life we change...
...is a continuation of Scruffy's legacy.
He taught us that one act of kindness can save a life.
One life can inspire a mission.
And one homeless cat can change the world.
Scruffy may no longer walk beside us, but his heart lives on in every animal we rescue.
This sanctuary bears his name because every life we save is another chapter in the story he began.
Scruffy taught us that love is not measured by what we receive, but by what we give.
He gave everything he had to protect the forgotten.
Now, through Scruffy's Sanctuary, we promise to do the same.
For every stray. Every feral. Every abandoned. Every unwanted animal still waiting for someone to care.
This is his legacy. This is our promise ♥️
"The animals we serve cannot ask for help themselves. Through compassion, community support, and responsible action, we can give them the care and protection they deserve. Together, we can build a safer future for the animals who depend on us."
Thank you for supporting Scruffy's Sanctuary Inc. and helping us create lasting change for animals in our community. ❤️🐾
Scruffy’s Sanctuary Inc. is dedicated to animal adoption, focusing on saving, rehabilitating, and caring for animals in need while engaging the community through education and outreach. Our sustainable financial model and long-term sanctuary care program ensure that no animal is left behind as we work to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome each one. Through strategic growth and compassionate leadership, we aim to be a pillar of animal welfare in Butte County and beyond.
Welcome to Scruffy Sanctuary!
We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to making a positive impact in our community and helping those who need it most, particularly in the realm of animal adoption.
We are proud to be officially recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization, which means our organization operates for charitable purposes and donations may be tax-deductible.
Our mission is simple: to create meaningful change and serve our community through programs, outreach, and support focused on rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome efforts for animals in need.
Here’s how you can get involved:
• Follow our page to stay updated
• Share our mission with others
• Volunteer your time
• Support our work through donations
Every person who joins our community helps us grow our impact on animal adoption and the lives we touch.
Thank you for being here and supporting our mission.
All were TNR'd, tamed & adopted. Without our help these kittens would multiply several times a year.
We are a recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Scruffy Sanctuary, dedicated to promoting education while also focusing on animal adoption initiatives. Our mission is to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome animals, providing essential resources to underprivileged communities. Join us in our mission to create a better future for all.
Animal shelters and rescues across Butte County and Northern California work incredibly hard to save as many animals as possible through animal adoption initiatives. However, many animals fall into categories that make placement extremely difficult, such as senior animals, those with medical needs, abuse survivors, animals with behavioral trauma, and owner surrenders with nowhere to go. These animals often require something more than just temporary shelter; they need a sanctuary like Scruffy Sanctuary, where they can be rescued, rehabilitated, and rehomed.
$25 feeds a rescue animal for a week at Scruffy Sanctuary, where we focus on animal adoption and finding loving homes. $50 provides essential vaccines for a rescued animal, ensuring they are healthy and ready for rehoming. $100 helps cover spay/neuter surgery, an important step in our mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome animals. $250 aids in rescuing an animal from a high-risk situation, giving them a chance at a better life. $500 supports emergency veterinary care, crucial for the well-being of our rescued animals.
Scruffy’s Sanctuary Inc. is dedicated to animal adoption, focusing on saving, rehabilitating, and caring for animals in need while engaging the community through education and outreach. Our sustainable financial model and long-term sanctuary care program ensure that no animal is left behind as we work to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome each one. Through strategic growth and compassionate leadership, we aim to be a pillar of animal welfare in Butte County and beyond.
You can support Scruffy Sanctuary by:
🐾 Donating to help with our animal adoption efforts
🐾 Sponsoring a sanctuary animal as part of our mission to rescue, rehabilitate, and rehome
🐾 Volunteering your time to assist with our programs
🐾 Fostering animals in need until they find their forever homes
🐾 Sharing our mission with others to spread awareness
Together, we can build a future where no animal is forgotten.
