The sanctuary’s story begins in the 1930s on a small farm in Kassel, Germany. A farm where the farmer and his wife had thirteen children and one nicked named Little Bear. Her name is Ursula, and she was a happy farm girl who loved her animal cousins. Some say she could even talk to the animals, and they spoke to her. She and her twelve brothers and sisters grew up during a turbulent time in Germany; they lived through the darkest days of World War II and saw first-hand what hatred and intolerance look like.  

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Her family was dark-haired, not blond, and they were nearly sent to a concentration camp because they looked different. Ursula’s family didn’t hate anyone. Like some families in Germany, they provided a safe place for Jewish people hiding from the Nazis. Ursula witnessed intolerance first-hand and learned the meaning of love, respect, and acceptance from her mother.

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After the war, Ursula married an American soldier, and they moved to the United States. She and her husband had a son named Christopher, who, like Ursula, he learned the meaning of love, respect, and acceptance from his mother.  

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Inspired by his mother’s love for animals, Chris and his partner Randy decided to start a sanctuary to provide a safe place for animals from abusive situations. Like his mother and grandmother before him, Chris carries on the family tradition of selflessness and gives a safe forever home to his animal cousin with no home.  When deciding on names for the organization, Randy suggested naming it after Chris’s mom, Ursula. They chose to use the nickname she was called on that little farm in Germany – Little Bear. 

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There are no bears at the sanctuary, just lots of happy and safe animals living their best lives.