The Riverside Press-Enterprise
Goat is latest rescue for Menifee sanctuary
Tinkerbell the goat was born on a Southern California ranch with badly deformed legs in early October. Any attempts at walking resulted in face planting. She also suffered from pneumonia and lice.
Such animals are usually euthanized because caring for them is so expensive and time-consuming.
It was in this state that she arrived at Viva Rescue Inc. in Menifee. She was just 3 days old, and her mother basically had rejected her, said Maya Benperlas, Viva’s executive director.
She was in such bad shape that surgery to help her was put off six weeks while other treatments were given.
Tinkerbell kept battling, developing an assertive personality as well because she had to fight so hard just to live.
Today, she gets around after that amputation surgery and has learned to walk.
“She was so proud of herself,” Benperlas said. “She can just stand there and ‘Hey, I actually feel like a goat could.’ ”
Tinkerbell is the latest success story for the nonprofit group, opened in 2019 by Benperlas and Kalli Quigg.
Since then, it has rescued more than 1,100 animals, including creatures saved after earthquakes and fires.
“All animals do deserve this type of care, and that’s what our mission is.” Benperlas said.
A message on the group’s website elaborates: “We believe in cultivating a world where all sentient beings, human and nonhuman, can feel confident to be who they are in peace and freedom.”
As idealistic as it sounds, Viva Rescue is making it happen.
Its Facebook page chronicles the effort. Postings several times a week highlight Bambi the lamb, Caroline the horse, Cleo and Calvin the birds and goats, goats and more goats. The photos and videos come with fundraising pleas, too.
“We spend thousands and thousands of dollars every single week on feed, medical care and more ensuring the BEST life possible for so many deserving animals,” notes one request.
The organization raised $150,000 last year, Benperlas said.
She and Quigg started the rescue organization on 2 acres in Sylmar in the Los Angeles area. While in high school, Benperlas rescued horses and Quigg worked with kittens at a shelter.
Both are now 21, and their passion to help animals is only stronger. In late 2020, they moved their operation to Menifee, where they use 5 acres, providing more room to roam for their creatures.
“It is definitely an adjustment,” shifting from the big city to a more country atmosphere, Benperlas said. “We like the rural atmosphere more.”
Their animals probably do, too.
Both live on-site and run the place with a part-time ranch hand and about 20 volunteers.
“We’ve very low administration costs,” Benperlas said. “Pretty much every penny goes directly to the animals.”
Tinkerbell is one of the star attractions. Viva Rescue put out a news release on her last month headlined, “Supersonic Baby Goat Receives Prosthetics.”
She was rescued along with her mom, named Mamma Moon, sister Alice and brother Dandy. The family will live out its lives at the sanctuary, the release states.
Benperlas said a goat typically lives about 15 years, and while there’s not much data on how long a goat rolling around in a wheelchair can survive — or one using a prosthetic — Tinkerbell is healthy so far.
“We are hopeful she will have a long, healthy life,” Benperlas said.
Another Facebook post (Tinkerbell appears there frequently) states, “We think that Tink is the cutest bionic goat ever … Who agrees?”
It’s hard to argue.