Founder & ED

Artist, rescuer, and lifelong animal advocate, Sofia Zubi founded Desert Sky Rescue with the mission to bring people together through compassion, creativity, and action. She oversees the organization’s operations, fundraising efforts, and foster coordination, combining her artistry and leadership to build a network of care for animals in need across New Mexico.

Sofia’s journey into rescue began at age twenty when she adopted her beloved dog Obi, who profoundly changed her life and inspired her dream of one day founding her own rescue. After moving to New Mexico, she was struck by the immense need for support within the shelter system and felt a deep calling to take action.

Since launching Desert Sky Rescue in the summer of 2025, Sofia and her team have saved more than thirty dogs from euthanasia and helped place them in loving forever homes. In addition to running the rescue, she has personally adopted and rehabilitated two horses and two dogs, each one a testament to her belief in second chances.

Outside of rescue work, Sofia is a multidisciplinary fine artist and children’s book author whose work celebrates empathy, storytelling, and the connection between humans and animals. Growing up surrounded by creatures great and small, she learned early on that animals are our greatest teachers, reminding us daily of love, trust, and resilience. Through Desert Sky Rescue, Sofia hopes to continue saving lives while inspiring others to take part in the movement toward a more compassionate world.