Shanti's Heart Sanctuary
Shanti's Heart Sanctuary is named after Shanti, one of Meredith's first rescued goats. Shanti was rescued in 2013 from a neglect situation with her mom, Lakshmi. Both Shanti and Lakshmi had a non-curable condition called CAE. Lakshmi passed away a year after rescue but Shanti was a fighter and stayed relatively healthy with the help of holisitic medicine, veterinary care, and a whole lot of love until her passing in June of 2018. Shanti is the inspiration behind Shanti's Heart Sanctuary. Shanti's Heart Sanctuary is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization in the state of Washington.
Meredith Wetherell
Founder, Executive Director
Board President
Meredith has always had a love of animals and was best friends with her kitties and dog growing up. As an empath and with sensitivities toward the experience of animals, Meredith quit eating large animals at the age of 12, later becoming a vegetarian, and then vegan. Meredith has been an advocate for animal welfare for 20 years and first volunteered at a farm sanctuary in 2009, thus igniting her dream of starting one herself. Meredith rescued her first goats, Shanti and Lakshmi, in 2013, and started Shanti's Heart Sanctuary in July 2019. In addition to sanctuary work, Meredith enjoys hiking, swimming, nature, painting, and spirtual practice. Meredith works full time as a special education teacher.
Karin Hedlund
Board Secretary
Hello! I am honored to serve as a board member with Shanti’s Heart. Like many, I am a lifelong lover of animals! From an early age I was basically obsessed with pigs. Their undeniable intelligence, beautifully shaped bodies, and hilariously adorable noises hooked me. One of my best friends (Shanti’s Heart founder Meredith!) helped me find an outlet for this love by introducing me to a farm sanctuary north of Seattle where I volunteered for over 10 years. I have volunteered for farm sanctuaries and participated in animal advocacy ever since. As a kindergarten teacher, raising awareness and a sense of agency in our youngest community members is fundamental to my practice: animals are uniquely able to give, and therefore teach, empathy and compassion to humans. In times of excitement, shyness, thoughtfulness, sadness, and play, animals may connect with humans like no other being–intuitively. Thank you for visiting Shanti’s Heart and helping us raise awareness and kindness in our world!
“People who care about animals tend to care about people. They don’t care about animals to the exclusion of people. Caring is not a finite resource and, even more than that, it’s like a muscle: the more you exercise it, the stronger it gets.”
— Jonathan Foer
Winter Riversong
Board Treasurer
Hello there! I am Winter. As a dedicated caretaker at Shanti's Heart Sanctuary, I wear many hats. I am not only a treasure to this sanctuary, but also a proud goat mom, a diligent cat feeder, and a provider of warm water during the winter months. I understand the importance of keeping our animal friends comfortable and healthy, especially in harsh weather conditions. Over the past year, I have also been actively involved in the construction of our Quarantine barn, ensuring a safe and secure space for our animals to recover and heal. It's a privilege to be part of Shanti's Heart Sanctuary, and I am committed to creating a loving and nurturing environment for all beings in our care.
Melanie Sears
Board Member
I began my journey into sanctuary work in 2007, when I visited SASHA Farm Animal Sanctuary in Manchester, MI for the first time. I was a lifetime animal lover and had been an animal activist since I was a young teen, but meeting Arnold the cow had a profound impact on me. In that moment I knew that this is what I want to do with my life! My course shifted towards that goal as I worked at and volunteered for several other sanctuaries and rescues around the country in a variety of capacities (board member, caregiver, foster , etc) until finally landing a place in Swanton, OH where I began Farley’s Farm Sanctuary in early spring 2022!