S2 Ep 6: Mabel's Misfits: The Pig That Started a Movement | Rebecca Lobb | Bench to Bold

Send us Fan MailIt 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 Animals00:05:27 — The Pig, the Pen, the Friends With Pallets00:07:57 — From Mabel to a Full Menagerie00:12:32 — Fundraising, the Seed Campaign & Becoming a Misfit Member  Rebecca's00:17:14 — The Grandfather Who Woke Her Up at 4am to Watch Dragonflies Hatch 00:21:06 — Bats, Bat Boxes & Why You Don't Need Mosquito Spray00:25:53 — The Science of Animals and Healing00:28:23 — Taking Animals Into Schools, Scout Groups & Churches00:31:25 — Why the Overlooked Animals Need a ChampionABOUT 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.Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenchtoBoldFollow Bench to Bold on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benchtobold