Our Purpose
Respect, Protect, and Spread the Pura Vida to help others in the process to be the change we want to see in this amazing World! One beautiful soul at the time.
Paradise equal for all
Costa Rica is known for being a natural paradise, with protected areas throughout its extension, where hunting is prohibited and its rich biodiversity is valuable for the ecosystems of the region. But this is not paradise for everyone equally.
The lack of awareness and the struggle of a large part of its population to reach an economic model for which the middle and lower classes were not prepared has led domestic animals to an enormous neglect where they do not reach the top of the priority lists of a large part of the population.
With very basic laws to prevent and punish animal abuse, collective negligence allows animals to be seen wandering in precarious conditions on all the country's roads. In the communities in need, domestic animals reproduce without control, although castration campaigns do their best are often not enough.
Every day dogs and cats are killed in the roads in the eyesight of people, many others painfully die of injuries and infections due to malnutrition, inclement weather, high temperatures, relentless humidity, lack of water sources and diseases that are acquired by wandering around looking for a little corner of shade or shelter, they leave as a result deaths that no one gets to cry, of innocent souls who did not ask to come and disturb humans but who would have wanted to have a home to illuminate.
Fortunately, there is still hope and many small organizations do everything possible to collect some of these animals, heal them and give them another chance.
At Pura Vida Foundation
We faithfully believe in doing our part to be the change we want to see in the world, one community at a time, one of these beautiful souls at a time.
Taking Action Through the creation of our Pura Vida Sanctuary we will be able to collect several of these innocent beings from the streets, take care of them, neuter, heal and recover them and then find them a forever home where they and their new families will complement each other with the love that only a rescued animal can offer.
Our work department will be committed to placing these restored animals and helping their future human angels with the necessary paperwork if the adopters are people from abroad who are fascinated by the experience of meeting their soulmates in this paradise and with accompaniment for the local adopters.
Those animals that don't get adopted will be protected and loved until the end of their days, which we will spend together surrounded by friends at the Pura Vida Sanctuary.
PREVENTION IS KEY
We are convinced that every family in need that we have helped neuter their animals means a large number of animals that will not roam the roads, will not be victims of suffering and will not cause even more stray animals. That is why we also want to continue carrying out neuter campaigns where families in need can rest assured that their pets will have a better quality of life and these families will move away from the metrics where animals suffer because of us.Pura Vida Foundation will help the small organizations that are fighting for the same cause; Together we will reach bigger goals.
FARM FRIENDS
Despite the fact that many people are being tempted by Vegetarianism and Veganism, the population of this country is mostly carnivorous, and all around the country there are farms of all kinds, of which many animals are discarded every day for not complying with the product standard (as they are seen), for being of an unnecessary gender for production (male chicks in egg farms, male calves in dairy farms, and piglets and calves of inappropriate size or with some unfavorable condition for production, etc.)
By approaching local farmers we can save the lives of some of these animals, change their fate as waste products and protect them in our Pura Vida Sanctuary and find homes for them with Vegan families with room and possibilities to welcome a Farm Friend as part of their family to give them another chance to make this a paradise equal for all.
WE ALL WILL LIVE TOGETHER IN PURA VIDA SANCTUARY
As part of this self-sustaining model, we will create an eco-friendly complex with villas for families and individuals who are in the process of taking the big step towards respecting animals and those enthusiasts who want to have the experience of a very fulfilling vacation where they can absorb the unconditional love of our rescued friends. Pura Vida Sanctuary will be a refuge for inmates who come to support this project with their hands and their love for animals.
The Pura Vida Sanctuary Staff will be committed to guiding our guests along with the animals with an experience full of knowledge where we will teach different courses from homemade Vegan cooking in our Restaurant, Yoga in our palapas, Surfing for all levels and even help to raise awareness to our loved ones to respect animals. Our Sanctuary will be full of spaces of love and respect where our visitors will be able to absorb all the beauty of this project in one of the most beautiful Beaches of Costa Rican Pacific coast where every corner will remind them of our purpose and why we do this; For the love of animals.
TEAM
Our team is a passionate, creative, dedicated and determined group of individuals fully committed to the Pura Vida Sanctuary mission.
Serial business entrepreneur; world-traveller, ocean-loving surfer, and musician with a great love for animals, people and the planet.
Joe Liebke
President / Co-Founder
Karma-coins collector; Loves and respects all the animals; talks to every creature she comes across with, carefully takes alacranes, cockroaches and snakes outside and relocates if found in her house. Artist, writer and enchantress.
Lois Solano
Executive Director / Co-Founder
Chris Chaves
Field Manager
