Our Team

Full Belly Farm was founded by Amber Jackson, a licensed veterinary technician with a passion for animal welfare and rescue. As a child, Amber gravitated to animals of all kinds, and they were drawn to her as well. She always said she wanted to be a veterinarian or a zookeeper. After graduating high school, Amber earned a Business degree from NWSCC and then attended Jefferson State Community College, earning a Veterinary Technology degree in 2008 and becoming licensed in Alabama. 

She has worked at local veterinary hospitals in the Shoals area, as well as the local animal shelter, since 2006. After approximately 15 years of rescuing animals and the same amount of time living a vegetarian/vegan lifestyle, the animal sanctuary became official in 2020, once relocating to a 6-acre farm nestled 20 minutes from Florence, AL. The daily farm chores are solely her responsibility and since the animals’ individual care and attention is the top priority, the amount of animals the sanctuary can take in is limited. 

Initially, the focus was on rescuing and fostering shelter dogs and cats, many of which were deemed unadoptable due to health or behavior reasons. Amber made sure they were given the opportunity to live out the rest of their lives spoiled and happy in her home and many were fostered and adopted to the best homes all over the country thanks to the help of other rescues. Eventually, a lifelong dream of raising a miniature pig became a reality. Petunia came along in 2014 and was essentially the start of Full Belly Farm Animal Sanctuary!

Since 2014, the sanctuary has grown to be home to 27 mini pigs, all rescued from different situations. Many were abandoned, neglected, or just in need of a new forever home. It is also home to 4 goats, 2 sheep, a donkey, 4 dogs, chickens, ducks, a rooster, and a turkey!  Many other pigs have also been rescued and fostered at the sanctuary over the years and then went on to find their forever homes.