About Us

Thao never dreamed of luxury cars or lavish homes—instead, she imagined llamas roaming her yard. In 2011, she and her husband, Vince, took a leap of faith and moved to the countryside, stepping into the world of animal care with no prior experience. Through countless hours of reading, research, and learning from others, they slowly began opening their hearts and home to a growing family of animals.

While balancing demanding careers—Thao as a 911 Dispatcher and Vince as a Deputy—the couple dedicated their overtime hours and personal savings to bring their vision to life. By 2016, their dream became a reality: Lucky Ones Ranch officially became a nonprofit sanctuary, home to over 80 rescued animals including dogs, horses, donkeys, sheep, and turkeys.

As friends visited and lit up with joy during interactions with the animals, Thao and Vince realized they had created something truly special. The ranch had become more than a sanctuary—it was a place of connection and healing for visitors of all ages, including veterans, first responders, families with special needs, and more.

What started as a childhood dream grew into a heartfelt mission. Today, Lucky Ones Ranch is not only a safe haven for animals in need, but also a resource for the community—offering education, support for people and their pets, and opportunities for meaningful animal therapy experiences.

Believe there is good in the world

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Believe there is good in the world 〰️

What We Do

Lucky Ones Ranch is a nonprofit animal sanctuary tucked away in Vacaville, California. Founded in 2016 by husband-and-wife team Thao and Vince, the ranch has grown into a safe haven for over 140 rescued animals, thanks to the dedication of an incredible group of volunteers.

We provide lifelong care to animals who have been neglected, abused, or simply unwanted. Our sanctuary family includes six horses, two donkeys, one mule, two cattle, three llamas, two goats, eight sheep, 23 pot-bellied pigs, one guinea pig, 16 dogs, five cats, six rabbits, two tortoises, and a variety of feathered friends.

Lucky Ones Ranch is more than just a sanctuary—it’s a place where people of all ages can connect with animals in a meaningful, hands-on way. We host private tours and seasonal events to help cover the ongoing costs of care, including a monthly hay bill, vet visits, feed, pig hoof trims, farrier care for horses, dog grooming, and more.

Caring for this many animals is a huge undertaking, and we couldn’t do it without the support of our community. Your involvement helps us continue our mission of compassion, care, and connection.

Our Mission

Connect

Provide a unique venue where kids, adults, families of military veterans and law enforcement can come together and have a therapeutic experience with our rescued animals.

Educate

Educate the public about the humane and ethical care of animals with the goal of teaching respect and compassion for all living things.

Rebuilding After the Wildfires

On August 19, 2020, the Lucky Ones Ranch was burned to the ground by the LNU Lightning Complex Fire. Our piece of ‘heaven on earth’, the beloved forever home to many previously neglected / unwanted / ‘damaged’ animals was gone. It’s a hard reality, but it was our reality. Please watch news segment below and see more ways how you can help.

Meet the Team

In 2016, Thao and Vince founded the Lucky Ones Ranch non-profit animal sanctuary. Throughout the years, they have put together a team of dedicated volunteers who have helped keep the ranch thriving and growing!

Learn more

FAQs

GENERAL

Lucky Ones Ranch serves as both a sanctuary for animals and a private residence. If you are attending a scheduled event, have arranged a visit, or purchased tickets through Eventbrite, the address and directions will be provided to you via email. All visits must be pre-arranged and are scheduled by appointment only.
Kindly refrain from visiting the property without a prior appointment.
If you would like our mailing address, please feel free to email us at info@luckyonesranch.com, and we will be happy to provide you with the necessary information.
Yes, our tax ID is 30-0889961.
Lucky Ones Ranch is located in rural Vacaville, California.

EVENTS, TOURS AND VISITS

We do not operate with regular open hours. Our sanctuary is accessible only during scheduled events, parties, or tours that you have registered for or been invited to attend.
Visits are on a limited basis and are typically only available between 10am and noon.
For non-monthly sponsors:
- 1 hour visit for up to 4 persons is $200
- 2 hour visit for up to 8 persons is $400
Certainly, we do bring animals for educational purposes within our local community. Kindly email us at info@luckyonesranch.com with the location of your school, along with details regarding the age range of your students and the size of the class.
Regrettably, our animals are not available for rental purposes for events.
We do not host birthday parties at the ranch like we did in our previous location. With the increase in animals under our care, we are unable to allocate time for birthday celebrations.

DONATIONS

Thank you for considering us!
If you're interested in contributing items, please check our Amazon wish list. For items that cannot be delivered by Amazon, kindly email us at info@luckyonesranch.com to make suitable arrangements.
Your generosity is greatly appreciated.
To cancel your monthly donation, you can do so directly through PayPal. Simply log in to your PayPal account, navigate to the recurring payments section, and cancel the donation from there.
As all transactions are handled through PayPal, we're unable to modify donation amounts directly. We’ve learned that it’s easiest to cancel the current donation and set up a new monthly donation with the desired amount.

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteering is open to individuals aged 18 and up due to safety precautions. Our ranch environment can be unpredictable, requiring volunteers to focus on tasks with the animals while having to work varying weather conditions, including extreme heat and storms.
For the safety and welfare of our sanctuary animals, we will only be contacting those applicants that we feel would be best for us and our animals. To learn more about volunteer requirements and how to apply, click here.
We do accept group volunteers if it aligns with our needs and capacities. If your group has any special skills they would like to share, or want to help us with special projects, please complete the application to see how your team can help us here.

ANIMALS

Our capacity is currently full, and we are unable to accept any additional animals at this time. However, feel free to reach out to us for guidance and resources to assist with rehoming.