At Negative PID, we are celebrating our first year in business. To do that, we want to recognize the people—our people—who make our growth possible. We want to honour their passion and commitment by showing you who they are, their stories, and the causes they care about besides fighting cybercrime with us.
Today, meet Toni Leo and learn about her lifetime project at Whisper’s Sanctuary.
Meet Toni
Toni Leo is one of our Cyber Crime Victim Support (CCVS) psychologists based in the United States. Of Italian, French Canadian, and Armenian ancestry, Toni now lives in Elgin, southern Arizona, bordered by the Mountain Empire. Surrounded by an incredible view of the Canelo Hills, Toni has embraced life in the beauty of nature. And yet, in this peaceful oasis, her life isn’t short of excitement.
In addition to her work as a psychologist, Toni purchased a neighbouring ranch and, with her husband, transformed it into a B&B. They also created an animal sanctuary where mistreated and abused animals have found a haven and a forever home.
Whisper’s ranch B&B
Toni and her husband purchased the property that eventually became Whisper’s B&B in 2005. For 14 years, they have been gracious hosts, meeting people from different life paths.
The B&B peaked in its glory when it featured in the reality TV series “Three in a Bed,” broadcast between 2010 and 2014. “Filming the episode of ‘Three in a Bed’ was a lot of fun,” Tony told us. The episodes filmed in the United States are no longer available online. However, if you want to know what it’s all about, the show’s British counterpart (now ‘Four in a Bed‘) is still running on BBC Channel 4. After Toni’s husband passed away, Whisper’s B&B became a vacation home, and now the property is up for grabs (you can see the listing here).
The story of Whisper, the horse
Whisper’s B&B and Whisper’s Sanctuary story starts with Whisper, the horse, and his long-lasting impression on Toni and her husband’s lives. We chatted with Toni and asked how it all began: “My late husband was military, and we knew we had to move. He was being sent from Arizona to Virginia. I knew that a horse auction was coming up that weekend, and I said, ‘Why don’t we go see it just for fun?’ because I had never been to one. They’re really not fun, they’re quite stressful. But he said, ‘Let’s go,’ and we went.”
Once there, Toni’s husband bid on a horse, and Toni started looking for one, too. “I saw this little horse, and I bid on him. There was a bidding war as someone else wanted him, too. I ended up paying an arm and a leg for him, but I was so excited. Both horses were transported from Arizona to Virginia, and I named mine Whisper. He was in such bad shape. We were told that he was twelve; instead, he was 25. He lived only nine months longer, and it was very, very sad. We were heartbroken.”
That’s when Toni began investigating further through brand registration cards and discovered that Whisper “had been bought and sold eight times from Phoenix and all over Arizona.”
Being lied about Whisper’s past prompted Toni to search more extensively to see what happens to animals bought and sold at these events. “Back then, a lot of them went to slaughter, and they became somebody’s dinner. That’s when we decided that when my husband would retire, we would return to Arizona and start a sanctuary. And that’s what we did. Whisper was our inspiration. We lost him so soon, but he left us wonderful things in terms of helping many other animals.”
Whisper’s legacy
Today, Whisper’s Sanctuary is the forever home of 43 unwanted, abused, or neglected animals, including horses, donkeys, mules, geese, cats, and goats. Whisper’s Sanctuary welcomes all, from retired cavalry horses to private people’s animals to animals from rescues. Sometimes, despite not being a rescue, they also bail out animals by the dozen from killplants or State seizures.
“At times, it’s an impulsive decision,” Toni explained, dictated by compassion more than financial sense. To do that, she networks with shelters and rescues from Texas and other neighbouring States with the same mission of saving lives.
“At our fullest, we had over fifty animals. Some are wild, and we can’t even touch them. Most horses are not ridable; some are blind or have special needs. One of our donkeys can’t eat hay because he chokes. Every day, we feed him a bucket of liquid food, like a big smoothie. They’re all different, and all have different needs. Some were older and passed away, but most are still with us.“
A few of these animals are used for therapy, complementing Toni’s activities as a psychologist.
Life at Whisper’s Sanctuary
Running an animal sanctuary is a skill one doesn’t pick up overnight. Toni and her husband had to learn how to care for the animals on the go and handle all situations, from surprise births to false pregnancies to the unique personalities and preferences of their animals. The Sanctuary has been going for 19 years and is ready to celebrate its 20th anniversary in March of next year. “I can’t believe that’s been that long,” Toni said. Running the Sanctuary is an entire operation that requires organization and dedication. The video below shows the story of Whisper’s Sanctuary, told by Toni.
Sparky’s cantina
If you start to have a picture of Toni and her personality, it won’t be a surprise to know she’s vegan. “Food is my artistic outlet,” Toni says, “I love to eat. Sadly for me, I’m allergic to almost everything, so that’s been a challenge.” So why not add a vegan and gluten-free cantina (canteen) to her busy schedule with a food truck?
“Sparky’s cantina started out as a roadside lemonade stand,” Toni explains. “My property is on the way to a lake, which is a big summer destination, and many people are driving by. So, my husband, at the time, had the idea of doing a big sale during the weekend.” They would each bake pies at home, set up some tables, and fresh lemonade. “We were the favourite stop for the Sheriff and people on patrol,” she recalls.
The stand was also a way to get donations for the Sanctuary. However, when the B&B took off, they couldn’t continue. That’s when Toni’s husband thought of an ice cream (soft serve) machine to go to events and continue to raise money for the Sanctuary. “We did that a few times, but it was very tiring.” Moving a soft serve machine was indeed impractical. So here came the idea of purchasing a food truck and dedicating it to Sparky, the dog. They contacted a food truck designer in Florida – the Mecca of food trucks – and purchased a truck on eBay. Toni’s husband drove it all the way from Florida to Arizona, and that’s how Sparky’s cantina came to be.
Today, Sparky’s Cantina is an award-winning food truck known for its uniqueness. Everything is homemade, and it is only available at selected locations and events throughout the year. Toni has fulfilled her husband’s project, knowing that “he would be proud of it.” Over seven years, they have made thousands of different foods and—we feel confident to add—cruelty-free and healthier food known for its deliciousness. Most importantly, all the money from the food truck goes to support the animals at the Sanctuary.
How you can help
While Toni’s work has greatly supported the Sanctuary, feeding and caring for that many animals is not cheap. The price of hay and medicines is always on the rise, and many animals need special attention due to their history of abuse and neglect. Sometimes, when animals die, Toni must make the hard choice not to replace them, because of the costs.
Whisper’s Sanctuary is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization; donations are tax-deductible. Your contribution can make a real difference. You can donate with just one click from here or on Whisper’s Sanctuary home page.
During our chat with Toni, we learned so much about her story and her kind and enthusiastic spirit. She kept the conversation light and fun, even when describing the harsh reality of animal cruelty and diving into the hardships of her personal life. We are highly grateful for the time she has dedicated to us and are incredibly proud of having her on our team at Negative PID.
One Response
incredible !