Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch provides love and second chances to discarded, unwanted critters
MEDINA — When Nancy Parker-Simons was a little girl growing up in Fort Worth, she dreamed of living like Snow White, surrounded by animals and living in a log cabin in the woods. Fifty years later, her dreams came true.
In 1998, she and her husband, Tony Simons, and a longtime friend — author, singer-songwriter and statesman Kinky Friedman — founded the no-kill, nonprofit Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch. The five-acre sanctuary is tucked inside the 365-acre Echo Hill Ranch in Medina that has been in the Friedman family for more than 60 years.
Since then, the trio has provided sanctuary to thousands of animals, including dogs, cats, pigs, goats, horses, donkeys and turkeys — many of which would have been euthanized and forgotten. They’ve also found loving homes for countless animals.
“My first job was working in the children's zoo at the Fort Worth Zoo, caring for baby animals — feeding and cleaning up after fawns, baby elephants, wallabies, sheep, monkeys, piglets, parrots, goats, donkeys, ostrich and giant turtles,” said Parker-Simons, 62, and known by everyone as Cousin Nancy. “I loved that job and worked there for nearly three years.”
She and her husband live on site and serve as surrogate parents to 50 dogs, some cats, two pigs, turkey, three donkeys and some deer that wander through the acreage — “each of which has been named by Cousin Nancy,” Friedman said.
Among the critters that call the ranch home are Grace Kelly, Tom Landry, Bruce Springsteen, Donny and Marie Osmond, Dale Evans, Lois Lane, Tuesday Weld, Miranda Lambert, Willy Nelson, Mr. Rogers, Peggy Sue and Buddy Holly. And those are just some of the dogs.
“We take all kinds of animals, but there’s a limit to how many we can take only because there’s a limit that Tony and I can handle,” she said. “We want these animals to have good lives, and if we took on more than the two of us can handle, we couldn’t give each of them the attention they need and deserve. They’re like our children. They really are. We love each and every one of them.”
Five years ago, David and Desiree Farrar, owners of Trail’s End Guest House, adopted a wild hog named David Beckham from the ranch.
“He is such a sweetie, and he is huge now — more than 1,000 pounds, Desiree Farrar said. “We serve a large gourmet breakfast at the bed and breakfast, and he gets all the leftovers. He’s developed quite a palate.”
She said she considers the hog — which they renamed Wilber, in homage to the smart pig in “Charlotte’s Web” — to be a member of the family, “and that’s the way Nancy and Tony treated him when he was living there. If you’re a stray or abandoned animal, you couldn’t hope to wind up at a better place than Utopia.”
Friedman said the ranch is supported “by the kindness of strangers. We rely on donations, and every penny given to the ranch goes directly to the care of the animals.”
Friedman, who also lives on the ranch, shares his home with his three dogs, Winston Randolph Spencer Churchill Friedman, Sophie and Willie Nelson, and two cats, Blacky and Yellowy “and about a hundred hummingbirds.”
“We don’t have any bureaucracy here and no staff, just Cousin Nancy and Tony, who are paid a nominal salary, if you can even call it that,” he said. “We couldn’t do what we do here if it wasn’t for their sacrifice, because they really have devoted their lives to this peaceful kingdom and happy orphanage.”
A fundraiser for the ranch is set for 3:30 p.m. April 13 at the Kathleen C. Cailloux City Center for the Performing Arts, 910 Main St. Friedman’s longtime friends — nine-time Grammy winner Ray Benson and Asleep at the Wheel, honky tonk hero Billy Joe Shaver, Chet O’Keefe and Jesse Dayton — will perform. Friedman and radio host Gordon “Big G” Ames of radio station KERV-AM 1230’s Big G’s Texas Roadshow will co-host.
Tickets start at $45, and all proceeds support the Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch.
A family of volunteers
The sanctuary has a small legion of volunteers who come every Friday to walk the dogs, interact with them and take them to swim and frolic in the creek that flows through the property.
June Hartley was one of the rescue ranch’s first volunteers, and it was Hartley who recruited others to lend a hand — and open their hearts — to the mission of the sanctuary.
“This is just a magical place for me,” Hartley said. “These dogs are loved here, and if they don’t work out at their new home, they come back here, and they’re always happy to come back, because they know they’re loved and they have friends here. For me, there’s no place else like it. It’s so peaceful. When I come here, and I hear them barking, it’s not like they’re saying ‘take me, take me.’ They’re saying ‘Let’s play. Let’s go to the river.’”
Parker-Simons said the ranch wouldn’t be what it is “without these wonderful volunteers. When they come, it’s the dogs’ favorite day of the week. They just can’t wait to see the volunteers.”
Kristine Bobbitt, who has volunteered for more than a year, said she believes she gets more out of it than the dogs.
“It’s so peaceful and serene when you’re walking, and the dogs enjoy swimming in the river,” Bobbitt said, adding her favorite dog is a beagle named Buddy Holly, “a cuddle bug who reminds me of a dog I used to have.”
Bobbitt said the atmosphere is familial in nature, and she looks forward to Friday all week.
“It’s so great to know that you’re helping to create a better animal that will be an even better pet. I get my dog fix out here,” she said. “They’re all so different. Nancy and Tony are wonderful, and it’s a beautiful facility. It’s just different. It’s hard to explain. It’s a family.”
After the volunteers care for the animals, they join Parker-Simons and her husband for lunch at Medina Highpoint Resort. Friedman joins them when he’s in town and not on the campaign trail as part of his “Seeds of Change” run for the office of Texas Agricultural Commissioner.
“No one talks about politics or religion or anything else,” Bobbitt said. “We just all enjoy the dogs.”
Youths who live at the Arms of Hope Medina Children’s Home — a Christian program for single mothers and children whose parents cannot afford to take care of them — also volunteer at the sanctuary.
“The Medina Children’s Home comes out three times a week, usually with about three to five kids, to walk our dogs down to the creek for us. These fine kids have helped socialize our dogs to being used to people much younger than us, which is important, because we do not want our dogs believing that all people have white hair, wear glasses and speak loudly, because they are hard of hearing.”
In addition, the 30 youths involved in East Kerr 4-H Club also volunteer at the ranch.
“(Utopia) is such a great project to support. They take animals that have been found on the side of the road, dropped off at their gate, or have been in a shelter so long they may have to be euthanized,” said parent Gayla Fair, whose children, Taylor and Haley, are involved in the 4-H club. “They give animals a second chance at getting a forever family.”
Haley, who helped raise funds for the ranch at a March 22 bake sale at Plant Haus 2 — along with Scott, Mary and Sarah Muehlstein and Josh and Stacey Glosson — said working with the animals warms her heart.
“When I volunteer at Utopia Animal rescue, I get the satisfaction and joy that you get when you help something you love,” said Haley, who found her canine soul mate, a Chihuahua mix, at the ranch. “I love dogs, and I feel great when I can make them happier.”
Fair said two years ago, the group had arrived at Utopia to volunteer, and her daughter discovered two small dogs had been dropped off the day before.
“They did not have names yet, and Cousin Nancy let Haley name them,” Fair said. “She decided on the names Mary Ann and Gilligan. ... A week later Mary Ann found her forever home with us. She is the best dog. What is even better is we later found out who adopted Gilligan, and we are able to check on him from time to time.”
Friedman said the sanctuary and the people who step up to help — including local veterinarians W.H. Hoegemeyer, Lloyd Leifeste and James Lindstrom, who provide veterinary care, when needed — represent the goodness in humanity.
“I’ve lately come to believe that when you see a stray — whether it’s a two-legged stray or a four-legged stray — what you do is a really a measure of your humanity,” Friedman said. “It may be as close to God as we mortals get.”
Photo by Donna Hatch
The volunteers at Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch include, front row from left, June Hartley, pictured with Roxanne, and Dawn Maxwell,
pictured with Rufus, Jane Elliott, Utopia co-founder Nancy Parker-Simons, Kris Bobbitt, Bob Elliott, Eileen Gotke, Suzanne Solis, Jim
Bobbitt, Ellen Jackson, Jim McMahon and Kinky Friedman, co-founder.
Photo by Donna Hatch
Gabby Hays is one of three donkeys that call Utopia home.
Photo by Tony Simons
Nancy Parker-Simons, also known as “Cousin Nancy” but
who is no relation to Kinky Friedman, and Roy Rogers relax on the
front porch of the cabin at Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch.
Photo by Donna Hatch
Kinky Friedman, co-founder at Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, spends much of his time rescuing
stray animals, like Sophie, a cocker Spaniel.
Photo by Donna Hatch
Kristine Bobbitt, a volunteer at Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, is pictured with Peggy Sue, a
beagle, and Buddy Holly, a mixed breed. The canine pair are best friends.
Photo by Nancy Parker-Simons
Roscoe, a Labrador-mix
pup, plays with his toys.
Fundraiser
➤ What: Concert for Utopia
➤ When: 3:30 p.m. April 13
➤ Where: Kathleen C.
Cailloux City Center for the
Performing Arts,
910 Main St.
➤ Details: The concert
features Ray Benson and
Asleep at the Wheel, honky
tonk hero Billy Joe Shaver,
Jesse Dayton and Chet
O’Keefe
➤ Tickets: Start at $45
➤ Info: For tickets, call
896-9393 or visit the website
www.caillouxtheater.com
At a glance
➤ What: Utopia Animal
Rescue Ranch
➤ Where: 966 Echo Hill
Road, Medina
➤ Info: Call 830-589-7544
or visit http://utopiarescue.
com. The ranch is open to
visitors
➤ Details: To find out more
about life at Utopia Rescue
Ranch, check out Nancy
Parker-Simons’ books, “The
Road to Utopia: How Kinky,
Tony & I Saved More Animals
Than Noah,” “Meanwhile
Back At the Rescue Ranch:
The Dog Days of Cousin
Nancy” and “The Cowgirl
Sisterhood: The Membership
Drive, Part I”
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