About Liz
Elizabeth Ratcliffe changed the course of Sanctuary Rescue back in 2013 when she donated $1,000 to a very tiny, very poor, completely unknown little rescue in Virginia. At the time, that was by far the biggest donation Sanctuary Rescue had ever received, and we were stunned to see it arrive from a virtual stranger in New York City. We didn't know it then, but that was only the beginning of many more years of Elizabeth inspiring us with her generosity. It turns out Elizabeth, an avid animal lover, wanted to donate to a dog cause and asked her beloved dog sitter whom she recommended. Lucky for Sanctuary Rescue, Elizabeth's dog sitter just happened to be a board member of that tiny little rescue in Virginia. After that introduction, Elizabeth fell in love with Sanctuary Rescue, and Sanctuary Rescue fell in love with Elizabeth. She became a dear friend, our greatest cheerleader, a bright light of positivity and frequent supplier of I-believe-in-yous. Rescue is full of high highs and low lows, and we loved celebrating the highs with Liz and surviving the lows with her encouragement and support.
Elizabeth had many loves: her family, the ocean, helping people and animals, fashion, and beagles, to name a few. She has always been Ella Super Beagle's biggest fan since the moment we rescued her in 2014. Not all heroes wear capes, some wear Yves Saint Laurent and are comfortable working in the background to make a difference and cheering on those in the forefront. Through her friendship, encouragement, undying belief in our mission, and constant love and generosity, Elizabeth played a big part in Sanctuary Rescue's growth and successes over the past decade.
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Elizabeth passed away in April of 2022, and it was like losing a chunk of the rescue's heart. How can we go on without our biggest fan and her constant you-can-do-its? Grief is a strange companion, both painful and inspiring. Elizabeth's bright light lives on through Liz's Place and has inspired us to keep going, only bigger, better, to save more dogs and touch more lives. Since her passing, Elizabeth's family has done a beautiful job of filling her shoes as dedicated, loving, and fierce supporters of Sanctuary Rescue. They have helped bring Liz's Place to life and honored Elizabeth's love for animals in a way that we all know has her smiling down from heaven. While we miss our friend, we are so proud to be able to continue to be inspired by her light.