Richmond Resident to Open New Sanctuary
By Cynthia Drummond for BRVCA
December 22nd 2025
RICHMOND – After nine years of rehabilitating wild birds and mammals at the Wildlife Clinic of Rhode Island, Elisha Zonfrilli is opening her own facility, “Boulderwood Sanctuary and Rehabilitation,” on her Richmond property.
The mission of the new sanctuary, however, will be slightly different.
“The sanctuary will focus on domestic and exotic animals who are often abandoned, neglected, or mistreated—rabbits, guinea pigs, small rodents, and eventually small farm animals,” Zonfrilli said. “These animals rarely have a safe place to go, and we want to be that safe, loving space for them.”
There is one species that will continue to benefit from Zonfrilli’s expert care: squirrels.
“When I established Boulderwood I resigned from my position at the wildlife clinic, but I will continue to help with the rehabilitation of newborn squirrels [and squirrels in general, or whatever they may need],” she said. “The clinic has done so much for me, and the experiences I had there shaped me and gave me the confidence to step into this role as founder of my own nonprofit.”
Why Open a Sanctuary?
Rehabilitating animals who were eventually released to fend for themselves in the wild, had begun to wear on Zonfrilli.
“I love doing wildlife, but it gets to be mentally exhausting, and emotionally, with having to put in so much work with the animals and then, just releasing them and not knowing what could happen to them, you know?” she said. “So, it really starts to wear on you when have hundreds of animals that you kind of get attached to, in a way, and then you’re just like ‘see you later. I don’t know what’s going to happen to you.’”
Zonfrilli decided that she would try to help other animals.
“I wanted to branch out and figure out a way to help more animals that I could actually enjoy them for longer and be a part of their ongoing care – for their lives.”
A longtime lover and rescuer of smaller, exotic animals, Zonfrilli will focus on those species.
“That’s where I’m starting with the sanctuary,” she said. “I do eventually want to small farm animals, like goats. I do want to expand, eventually, but that’s a five-year plan, so I can do bigger farm animals.”
“The first animals at Boulderwood will be rabbits, guinea pigs, hedgehogs that people get and they don’t want anymore,” Zonfrilli said.
Uno
Zonfrilli did not plan to begin accepting animals at Boulderwood until the spring, but, as anyone who works in animal rescue or rehabilitation will tell you, things rarely go according to plan. The first resident has already arrived, and he’s not even a mammal.
Richmond’s animal control officer found a bearded dragon, a type of lizard, abandoned in an empty apartment and contacted Zonfrilli.
“He was buried under pillows in an empty room with the windows smashed out,” she said. “There was no heat. He had been there, probably, four days. So, he was our first intake, our first resident.”
Zonfrilli already has a bearded dragon, so she agreed to take this one. Because he is Boulderwood’s first resident, he has been named “Uno.”
In her blog, Zonfrilli described the significance of Uno’s arrival.
“Uno represents the beginning of something sacred here at Boulderwood: a place where abandoned, neglected, and misunderstood animals find a safe landing and a second chance,” she said. “…He is our first resident, but he will not be the last. Because every rescue story begins with a single ‘yes.’ Uno was ours.”
Building the Sanctuary
Zonfrilli and her husband, Patrick Harvey, have begun building the animal enclosures.
“We’re literally starting it from the ground up,” she said.
As the sanctuary begins to take shape, Zonfilli is hoping to raise $10,000 by April, which will then make it possible for her to begin accepting animals. Boulderwood is a registered 501 (c) (3).
Zonfrilli is not making her address public at this time, but people who want more information on the sanctuary, or have an animal needing care can call or email:
(401 218 – 2253
info@boulderwoodsanctuary.org
