As someone who has always held a deep love for animals, speaking with Rob Kassis and Meg Husbands — the passionate duo behind Farmer & the Flea — felt like more than an interview.
It felt like a reminder of how powerful the bond between humans and animals can be, and how healing happens when we choose to show up for one another — paws and all.
Their latest endeavor, Farmer & the Flea Sanctuary, is more than just an extension of their beloved artisans market, which is held monthly at El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park at 123 E. Canon Perdido.
It’s a heart-centered mission rooted in compassion, healing and community — a place where both dogs and people can find refuge, connection and purpose.
From the beginning, Kassis and Husbands made it clear: “This sanctuary was born from our own healing journeys and the undeniable impact animals — especially dogs — have had on us.
“We’ve seen how bringing people together can create real change, and we wanted to take that energy and turn it into something lasting.”
Since 2019, their market has provided a platform for rescues and adoptable dogs. But as the crisis of dog homelessness continues to grow across the country, Kassis and Husbands knew it was time to go deeper.
The sanctuary is their answer — a place that moves beyond simply placing dogs in homes and into a realm of active healing, advocacy and daily presence.
At the heart of the sanctuary’s vision are practices like yoga, meditation and mindfulness — tools not only for human wellness but ones that, surprisingly, benefit animals, too.
“Yoga with dogs is actually how I met Nemo, our first rescue,” Husbands shared. “And many rescues already incorporate calming tools like reading to dogs or playing soft music.
“We want to take that further — offering healing spaces in and around nature where both people and dogs can recalibrate their nervous systems together.”
Imagine walking onto a piece of land where dogs roam freely, their tails wagging as they explore grass pastures, free from cages and concrete.
This is the sanctuary’s dream: safe, open spaces for animals to play and rest, and for humans to join them — not as caretakers, but as fellow beings in need of connection.
By night, the dogs will sleep side-by-side in cozy, home-like stalls. Think couches, rugs and dog beds, not kennels.
“It’s a place where healing is mutual,” Kassis said. “People will come to calm their own nervous systems and leave having played a role in calming another living being’s.
“That shared exchange is what makes this sanctuary different.”
But this isn’t just a space for stillness, it’s one for celebration, too. The couple is determined to keep community at the core of everything they do.
“We want to offer healing spaces in and around nature where both people and dogs can recalibrate their nervous systems together.”
Meg Husbands
Events like Rescue Rhythms, their music-filled benefit for the sanctuary, bring together live music, good food, drinks, wellness offerings and kid-friendly fun.
These gatherings aren’t just fundraisers — they’re moments to remind people of the joy that comes from purpose-driven connection.
This year’s Rescue Rhythms benefit concert takes place on Sept. 27 at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club, and it’s shaping up to be something truly special.
Headlining the event is Trevor Hall, an artist whose music played a meaningful role in Kassis and Husbands’ lives during a deeply emotional time.
“When I was in the hospital on bed rest with our son, Trevor’s music got us through the darkest nights,” Husbands shared.
“Rob even reached out to him, and Trevor sent us a video message. He later sent another when we were in the NICU with Luca. His music speaks to healing and community, so having him support this event is beyond meaningful.”
Hall’s support gave them the confidence and energy to move forward with the launch of Rescue Rhythms and the sanctuary itself.
Now, the couple hopes this concert will not only raise awareness for the sanctuary but also ignite a movement of collective healing and care for animals.
And they’re not doing it alone. This year’s benefit is made possible in large part thanks to the generosity of key sponsors: EmmaRose Floral, La Lieff Winery, Rincon Brewery, Hana Speech Therapy, PALMA Colectiva and The Tent Merchant / The Cazita Merchant.
Their support ensures that every note played, every smile shared and every dog wagging its tail at the event is part of something bigger — a true community effort.
In many ways, the sanctuary feels like an antidote to something that’s become far too common: loneliness.
“So many people and animals are suffering in silence,” Husbands said. “We want to offer a space where they can come together, find belonging and feel seen.
“Whether someone volunteers, adopts, attends an event, or just sits under a tree with a dog, we hope they leave feeling less alone.”
The response from the community has already been overwhelmingly positive. Volunteers, donors and friends have stepped up to support the dream.
“Of course, there are always people who doubt you,” Kassis said with a smile, “but that’s never stopped us before.”
There are countless ways to get involved — whether it’s attending Rescue Rhythms, becoming a Farmer & the Flea foster, donating, volunteering or simply sharing their mission.
If you’d like to support this mission and be a part of something truly transformative, click here to purchase tickets for the Sept. 27 Rescue Rhythms benefit concert. You can also follow along on Instagram, @farmerandtheflea, for event updates, rescue stories and behind-the-scenes looks at the sanctuary in progress.
So, what do Kassis and Husbands hope people walk away with after visiting the sanctuary?
“Hope. Inspiration. Connection. Healing,” they told me. “We want people to feel they’re part of something that’s creating a better world — not just for dogs, but for all of us. We want them to feel welcomed, inspired and at peace. That’s our true mission.”
This work is close to my heart because I’ve experienced firsthand the kind of love, healing and trust that animals so freely give.
With Farmer & the Flea Sanctuary, Kassis and Husbands are creating something that not only honors that gift — but invites all of us to share in it.
