Saving animals, kiss by kiss

Can an iguana snuggle? Do cockatoos kiss?

Barbie Hoffmann of Sonoma, who rescues exotic animals through her nonprofit organization, Leaping Lizard Rescue, knows that, yes, animals do snuggle, kiss, hug and show their appreciation in endless ways.

Filling most of her back yard, all of her garage, and a good percentage of her home are castoff critters, some of which were literally dying for help when found.

Hoffmann funds her organization by wrangling errant rattlesnakes for a fee, the only service she charges for.

"When someone in Sonoma calls 911 about a rattlesnake on their property, 911 tells them to call me," she said. In the summer, urgent calls usually come in at about 9 or 10 p.m., when rattlers are hunting.

By offering her snake-removal services, the never-been-bitten mother of six and grandmother of 10 helps exotic animals, including birds, turtles, frogs and even stick bugs.

She's nothing if not versatile.

She has roused raccoons out of restrooms, plucked peacocks from power poles and hefted herons back into nests. She shelters more than a dozen iguanas and other large lizards, such as prehistoric-looking monitors, who, despite their fearsome faces, hug and tuck their heads under Hoffmann's chin, closing their eyes as they snuggle tight.

Whether talking to the several small dogs that patrol the property, throwing the switch to mist her birds or tapping hello on the shells of tortoises Dash or Quazzi, Hoffmann is fluent in fur, scales and

exoskeleton.

In addition to rescuing and providing a sanctuary for lost, abandoned, abused or neglected exotic animals -- more than 1,300 to date -- she rehabilitates many for eventual return into proper habitats and designated release areas. She also speaks at schools, educating children on humane practices.

And she has a bone to pick with workers of the land.

"I wish I could talk to every landscaper personally and explain that when you see a snake, you don't have to kill it. By killing snakes, you disturb the balance of nature, and other problems follow," she said.

With a long history of caring for animals, Hoffmann and her husband, Patrick, who own Sonoma Taekwondo, decided to formalize their efforts and attained nonprofit status in 2004.

Since then, it has been a shared effort to be there for animals who have run out of options.

Take Hobie, the gleaming white cockatoo who arrived at the Hoffmann's home with distinctly yellowed feathers, the result of living in a home with cigarette smokers. Like so many surrendered animals, the bird had a reputation for being ornery.

"So many people say they can't handle pets anymore, that they're afraid of the animal. So often . . . the animal has not been cared for properly, and the animal is mad. I don't blame them," she said, stroking Hobie, who vocalized kisses and "pretty-pretties" while grooming Hoffmann's hair.

Offering rescue, rehabilitation and sanctuary is expensive. The Hoffmanns' garage-heating bill alone approaches $700 per month in the winter. So Barbie Hoffman is creative in the use of bartering and re-purposing donations.

She's a believer in iReuse.com, the local online matcher of needs and commodities. She scans the classified Web site Craigslist for anything that will improve the animals' habitats and blesses veterinarians Lynne Lankes of Central Marin Cat and Exotic Hospital and Jill Mercado at Altimira Veterinary Hospital for their kindness. She owes much to Lucky supermarket, which donates fruit and vegetable trimmings (also known as turtle salad), as well as feed donors Brocco's Old Barn, Joe & Wendy's Reptile Rescue and others.

While Hoffmann may be famous for her rattler work, recently welcoming National Geographic to her home, her focus remains on the daily care of animals.

On a recent summer morning, dozens of them coexisted quietly. Lizards sunned in large cages, birds bopped up and down on perches, and tiny dogs guarded gates. At times, it was almost as if the animals sensed that peaceful coexistence was the goal.

Hoffmann's daily reward? Just the unconditional trust that the animals extend to her.

"This is what I do all day. I'm so lucky. People have no idea how lucky I am," she said.

Visit www.leapinglizardrescue.com for more information and links to snake removal and other services.

You can reach Staff Writer

Rayne Wolfe at 521-5240 or rayne.wolfe@pressdemocrat.com.