Meet the Sarge's Team:

With great sadness, we announce the passing of our Founder, Nancy Bulluck. Sarge’s wouldn’t exist without Nancy’s vision and drive, and we are blessed to have her guidance over the last 16 years. Nancy was preparing her Christmas Cards and was going to include these words with them. We’re thankful to be able to share her message with you. Thank you, Nancy, for all you’ve done. Nancy Bulluck 5/8/49 – 12/15/21 —– Dear Friends and Family, I wish I had profound words of wisdom to share with you, but the best I can do is to remind you of what you already know. Live every day as if it is your last, because it may well be. Take care of yourself, but enjoy life as well – eat good food, drink good beer, laugh a lot. Hang out with younger people – the energy they share with you will slow your own aging process, and they benefit from your wisdom and experience – a win-win! Find a purpose – something you are passionate about, and throw your whole heart, mind and soul into it. All the good you put out into the world will return to you multiplied many times over. Live life without regrets – if you make a mistake, learn from it and move on. If someone makes a mistake and hurts you, learn from it and move on. If you have a success, learn from it and move on. Keep your life light – no need to collect baggage that you have to carry through life, because you’ll need that energy for more useful endeavors. Remember we are just walking each other home. When it is time to part ways, say farewell with grace and gratitude, and let go. The universe will support you. There’s no need to struggle and resist. Just relax and let it carry you to where you need to go. -Nancy.

Nikola has been with Sarge’s for over two years and enjoys keeping the adoption center looking it’s best as well as spending time with the resident rescues. Nikola adopted her first dog from Sarge’s in 2010; a dog named Roadie who ended up changing her life. Since adopting Roadie Nikola has changed her career to become a Veterinary Technician and has become involved in several dog sports with her second dog, peanuT. She also loves to travel, learn new things, and always keeps an eye out for wayward animals who need a little extra help.

Sunshine came to Sarge’s in November of 2016, by way of the Haywood County Animal Services’ rescue of 140 dogs from a hoarding case. She was hugely pregnant, and gave birth to her litter within a day or two of arrival at their temporary shelter. She raised her litter, they were all happy healthy puppies who were adopted as soon as they were old enough. We then discovered that Sunshine is diabetic and has a condition called exocrine pancreatic insufficiency or EPI, so she requires daily insulin injections and a strict diet with a supplement to replace her pancreatic enzymes. In short, she was a difficult fit for most adopters to take on. We also discovered that she is a terrific nanny, so when we have singleton puppies we put them with her for cuddling and warmth, and she takes great care of them. She is a playful participant in our playgroups with other dogs, and is quite comfortable with her routine at Sarge’s Adoption Center. So we decided to make it official and give her an honored position on our team. Welcome aboard, Sunshine! Get your Sunshine shirt here!

Emily moved to North Carolina from Southern California in 2017, and started volunteering at Sarge’s while searching for an accounting or tax job. In an unexpected turn of events, she found her ideal job working with Sarge’s. Emily loves all animals, but especially loves working with cats. She and her family currently live with 6 rescued cats – Burrtec, Sammy, Luna, Dilly, Esme, and Flair – and 3 dogs – Arwen, Eva, and Dottie.

Jessie Metcalf first came aboard Sarge’s in 2018 as an administrative intern. She then returned the following year as an employee coordinating the foster and volunteer program, as well as events. The little animal rescue that could, Sarge’s will forever hold a special place in her heart. Today Jessie lives in Cullowhee with her husband, four kids, ten chickens, and three dogs (Ellie Mae, a pit mix from a Charlotte shelter; Jake, a yellow lab; and Porter Wagoner, a catahoula leopard dog). She recently completed her Master of Public Affairs degree from WCU, where she focused her studies on nonprofit leadership. Every time she finds her way back to Sarge’s, it feels like coming home. The Executive Director since April of 2023, she recognizes that serving in this role is an honor and a privilege. She would like to extend her gratitude to the staff, volunteers, donors, adopters, and community that make the life changing work of Sarge’s possible.

Farrah came to Sarge’s in August of 2021. She has lived in Haywood county most of her life. She has a special place in her heart for bully breeds and is a hardworking, motivated, and important part of the team! She has 4 children, Kallon, Bentley, Ryker, and Jaelynn, and her furry children include 3 dogs, Spanky, Dax, and Addy. She helps keep afternoons running smoothly and loves taking pictures of the animals.

In October 2022 Kevin jumped at the opportunity to fill Sarge’s new Behavior Coordinator position and is thrilled to be developing the new behavior program. He first became interested in a second career in the field of dog behavior in 2018 when he was trained to help dogs with fear and aggression issues as a behavior team member at the Contra Costa County animal shelter in the East Bay area of California. In July 2019 he accepted a position with Asheville Humane Society’s behavior team where he furthered his dog training skills. Prior to this, Kevin had a successful 20-year career as a professional conservationist working on wildlife protection and National Forest preservation in Utah and the Intermountain West. Kevin earned a Bachelors in Island Biogeography from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in 1997 and grew up in Rochester, NY and the Great Lakes Region. Kevin lives with his wife Colyn and their dogs in Candler where they love exploring USFS lands in Western North Carolina.

Hail and well met, travelers! My name is Lyndsey E.L. Tate, formerly Lyndsey E. Long, as of September 17th. And I am your Volunteer and Foster Coordinator! I have lived in Haywood County for my entire life, and count myself lucky for that. As a teenager, as most teenagers do, I wanted nothing more than to flee as far away from this “podunk” town as I could. But when I set my heart to leave and began to plan out where I would be going, I decided to lay out some parameters for my new home. A town that’s not too big but not too small, with lots forests to explore and rivers to sit next to while sipping coffee, hiking trails and camping spots, somewhere with a reasonable night life scene, nothing crazy, maybe somewhere near a city. And then it hit me; I was already exactly where I was supposed to be. I met the man who would eventually ask me to marry him and we explored the mountains we call home together. We fell in love with each other and this place, together. We now have a beautiful little home with our fur-babies, a sweet Border Heeler named Booker and two cats, Faye and Samantha. It is easy to say that I have always loved animals, but it also incredibly cliché. Because I feel like it goes deeper than that. I have always been drawn to them. They are so much easier to get along with than my two-legged counterparts, and they provide the simple and perfect companionship that I believe is necessary to thrive as a human. My heart is for them first, always. I worked at the Pet Vet on Patton for most of the formative years of my life as a kennel technician, with a short stint as a vet tech assistant. And no matter where I went afterwards, whether it was working as a barista or a fledgling teacher, none of it ever felt right, or true to myself. Then this position came across my desk and I felt the pull of destiny, and who am I to deny destiny? If you have ready any of my emails, I am sure you can tell how excited I am to be here. And I can promise you, it’s 100% genuine giddiness. I get to wake up every day and know that I am actively making a difference. I am seeing to it that these babies are being lovingly and attentively seen to as they patiently wait for their forever homes. So, in short, I am happy to be here, and I am so excited to work with you all. Can’t wait to meet you! “Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I have found it is the small things, the everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… simple acts of kindness and love.” –Gandalf the Grey