David’s journey into animal advocacy began in 1999, after a pivotal conversation with a friend about the realities of animals in our food system. Reluctantly, he read a story about animal agriculture, and within just five minutes, he made a life-changing decision—he would never eat meat again. This moment sparked the foundation for what would become Sage Mountain.

In the summer of 2002, while visiting Northern California, David had the opportunity to tour a farm animal sanctuary. There, he witnessed pigs and other animals living in a beautiful, respectful environment, treated with the dignity they deserved. It was in that moment that David realized creating a sanctuary for farm animals was his true calling in life.