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It started with a phone call: a friend leaving town in 45 minutes with a pig she didn't know what to do with. Rebecca Lobb said yes — and that single moment became the spark for Mabel's Misfits, a Waxhaw, NC-based nonprofit built around the animals everyone else overlooks. In this episode of Bench to Bold, Marnie and Alisa sit down with Rebecca to hear the whole story: a summer spent building a hobbit house for two rescue pigs by hand, a wildflower seed campaign getting kids and families back into nature, Boy Scouts building bat boxes to replace mosquito spray, and a lifelong love of animals rooted in early mornings with her grandfather watching dragonflies hatch from Surrey ponds at 4am. Rebecca's vision for Mabel's Misfits goes far beyond rescue — it's about teaching empathy, rebuilding the human connection to nature, and proving that every misfit, animal or otherwise, is worthy of love.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00:46 — What Is Mabel's Misfits?
00:02:54 — A Life Built Around Animals
00:05:27 — The Pig, the Pen, the Friends With Pallets
00:07:57 — From Mabel to a Full Menagerie
00:12:32 — Fundraising, the Seed Campaign & Becoming a Misfit Member Rebecca's
00:17:14 — The Grandfather Who Woke Her Up at 4am to Watch Dragonflies Hatch
00:21:06 — Bats, Bat Boxes & Why You Don't Need Mosquito Spray
00:25:53 — The Science of Animals and Healing
00:28:23 — Taking Animals Into Schools, Scout Groups & Churches
00:31:25 — Why the Overlooked Animals Need a Champion

ABOUT REBECCA LOBB & MABEL'S MISFITS:
Rebecca Lobb is the founder of Mabel's Misfits, a community-based nonprofit in Waxhaw, NC focused on rescuing, rehabilitating, and rehoming the animals most people overlook — rabbits, reptiles, small animals, and the occasional pig. Originally from Surrey, England, Rebecca brings a deep background in wildlife conservation and a lifelong connection to nature to everything she builds. By day she runs a dog grooming business from home; by 5am she's feeding 23 chickens, two pigs, rabbits, and fish before anyone else is awake. Mabel's Misfits is built around three pillars: animal rescue and adoption, wildlife education for children and communities, and environmental stewardship through programs like the "It Started with a Seed" wildflower campaign. Rebecca volunteers alongside South Charlotte Dog Rescue and is actively partnering with local schools, Scout troops, and community organizations to bring hands-on animal education to the next generation. Follow Mabel's Misfits on Facebook and Instagram, or visit mabelsmisfits.com to donate, volunteer, or become a Misfit Member.

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