Linda Maretich

Linda Maretich, drawing inspiration from both her lifelong affinity for animals and a recognized need within her community, established Rocky Mountain Mink Refuge in 2022. Prior to its official founding, the organization operated on a smaller scale, but the burgeoning need for domestic mink support and education prompted Maretich to expand her efforts.

Originally from South Africa, Maretich moved to the United States after marrying her American-born husband, John. Over a span of ten years in the U.S., she embraced the culture and values of her adopted country, culminating in her formal naturalization as a U.S. citizen on July 30, 2021. She and John are raising two daughters, who are already showing interest in following in their mother’s footsteps as animal rescuers.

Though Maretich had been consistently surrounded by animals and harbored a passion for animal care from an early age—a passion that her family half-seriously predicted would translate into a career as a vet or game ranger—she initially pursued her artistic talents, specializing in graphic design and both traditional and digital art forms.

She has been volunteering as a member of the Holistic Ferrets admin team since 2017. It was her dedication to ferrets and nostalgy of meerkats, that eventually introduced her to the world of mink. Encouraged by observing the efforts of friends, Megan Carfino with her mink Nico, Heather Downie with her Khaleesi, and Sveta Ignatova with her Stormy, Maretich deepened her involvement with these animals. She has spent countless hours pouring over educational documents, pieced together information, and had endless discussions with wildlife rehabbers, vets, other mink owners, private breeders and fur farmers.

A tragic event further solidified her friendship with Carfino and drove Maretich to adopt Lillith and Nemesis, two domestic mink in need of refuge from the fur industry. With the support of Carfino and Cheryl Coleman; the former VP of a now defunct mink organization, she made the choice to continue working with mink beyond her personal ones. The formation of Rocky Mountain Mink Refuge became a testament to the collective resolve of these three determined and compassionate women, united by their profound love for mink and their desire to make a difference in the lives of these animals.

Recognizing an additional local need and leaning on her extensive experience with ferrets, Maretich, supported by her husband, decided to extend the sanctuary’s mission to include offering a safe haven for ferrets in need. Thus, Rocky Mountain Mink Refuge serves as a beacon of hope for both mink and ferrets in Utah, guided by Maretich’s unwavering commitment and visionary leadership.

Maretich regularly networks with other rescues, sanctuaries, shelters and wildlife organizations across the country and hopes to create a global network to further the provision of education regarding mustelids to the public, ensuring information stays up to date and myths get debunked. She aspires to expand the sanctuary into one that specializes in the entire mustelid family, with a focus on wildlife rehabilitation and safe placement of non-releasable ambassadors.