Photo credit: The Radical Ranch/ Instagram
In 2023, Jackass star Steve-O bought a 44-acre property outside Nashville with an unusual ambition: to turn it into a sanctuary where rescued animals could live safely and be understood as individuals. The ranch, located in rural Sumner County about an hour northeast of downtown Nashville, was founded by Stephen Glover, better known as Steve-O, and Lux Wright in 2023. It became a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2024, with a mission to care for animals in need while encouraging compassion through positive, personal encounters rather than shame or shock, as per report by Nashville Scene and details on The Radical Ranch’s website. Read more about Steve-O’s Radical Ranch here: Steve-O found the property while visiting Nashville for a UFC event at Bridgestone Arena in the summer of 2023. Among them are three goats named Sam, Drake and Phil, who were acquired in 2019 while Steve-O was still living in the Hollywood Hills and became what he calls the sanctuary’s “starter kit. After speaking about circus animals during a 2006 television appearance, Steve-O was invited by PETA to take part in campaigns opposing the use of animals in circuses, and he later adopted a vegan lifestyle during his recovery.
Because of its wooded trails, space and potential for animal rescue, he had been searching for a suitable site in Colorado and Southern California, but said the Nashville-area property stood out immediately. Because of wildfire risk, making a move away from California increasingly appealing, steve-O said he had been living in the Hollywood Hills when he began hearing that some homeowners were struggling to renew insurance.
Steve-O said Fonzarelli arrived the day before the owner died, giving the pig a safe home at a moment when there were few alternatives, as per Parade Pets. He has said that his time in clown college and later work with circuses exposed him to the treatment of animals, leaving him increasingly uncomfortable with what he saw. Steve-O has said he would like to add cows, build additional fencing and eventually bring donkeys to the property, which he believes could also help protect cattle.
Three years later, The Radical Ranch is home to goats, pigs, cats and dogs, while its founder is looking to expand the operation and welcome more animals in need. The move also reflected practical concerns. The Radical Ranch is now home to nine animals, including rescued goats, pigs, cats and dogs. The ranch also cares for Fonzarelli, a bristly-haired pig rescued after the owner of the animals became terminally ill and could no longer look after them. Steve-O’s interest in animal welfare began long before he bought the Tennessee property. That discomfort eventually became public advocacy. The sanctuary’s next priority is expansion. He has also discussed converting a children’s playhouse into a chicken coop and creating a tunnel that would allow chickens to enter the goat pen and help control ticks. Horses remain a longer-term possibility, although Steve-O described them as requiring far more skill, work and resources, as per the reports.