​The Sanctuary Barn

From Greyhounds to Podencos and now … Donkeys and Horses!

​When people neglect, abuse or abandon their donkeys and horses, our mission is to intercede on their behalf. Defined by compassion and driven by passion, we have designed our Sanctuary Barn as a permanent home for those innocents’ whose unspeakable suffering coupled with their ages, medical conditions and/or behavioral issues have rendered them unadoptable. They are ours to care for and cherish for the rest of their lives.

Situated on 20 acres of land consisting of large pastures, dry lots, a lean-to and a small hay field, the Sanctuary Barn contains spacious, custom-built stalls that are well ventilated and allow for an abundance of sunlight. Not only are the donkeys and horses kept comfortable here, their daily exercise routines are tailored to meet their individual needs.

Overseeing the horses are an excellent equine veterinarian, a highly experienced, gentle farrier and a Reiki master who specializes in equine therapy and equine massage. Living on the property are two dedicated and equine-savvy caretakers, and a state of the art surgical/emergency equine hospital is located nearby.

​Our devotion to these donkeys and horses is limitless, as is our capacity to learn from them. They have taught us what it means to be part of a “herd.” They have taught us the importance of correctly reading both human and equine body language. They have taught us how truly creative they are and how intense the bond between us can be.
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They have also taught us that abuse, neglect and misunderstanding can leave physical and emotional scars which can take months, even years to heal – if ever. They have taught us that patience and love, coupled with a healthy diet, exercise, medical treatment and ongoing observation can work miracles.
But most of all, they have taught us that a gentle hand, a calming voice and an open mind lets us “hear” them, thereby allowing us to provide them with whatever they need.

Helping Donkeys and Horses Through Monthly Sponsorships and One-Time Donations

Monthly Sponsorships and One-Time Donations allow us to do what we do for the donkeys and horses in our care. If you could contribute to their upkeep, won’t you please consider making a tax-deductible donation?

• A $10 donation will pay for probiotics and joints supplements for one horse for one month.
• A $35 donation will pay for a bag of ration balancer grain.
• A $45 donation will pay for vitamins for 2 donkeys.
• A $50 donation will pay for stall bedding for all the donkeys and horses for one week.
• A $75 donation will pay for Jake’s Cushing’s Medications.

We can also use gift cards to farm stores and in-kind donations of stall bedding, grain and treats.

We have a Wish List for Chewy.com and a Registry at Walmart.
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Monthly Sponsorships are easy to set up via our SPONSOR button under each animal’s photo, and through the auto-ship function on Chewy.com

We will send personalized updates to all monthly sponsors. It will mean the world to us, and to the horses that deserve the best!

The Sanctuary Equines

Long Eared Lucy – Sponsors Needed

Sponsor

How do you spell LOVE in donkey-speak? L-U-C-Y!

Given her condition, it’s a given that Lucy, the mini donkey, wasn’t cared for the way she was meant to be. Her hooves, in ghastly shape from being trimmed improperly, haven’t only made her sore, they’ve contributed to the telltale sign of arthritis she’s exhibiting. But she’s already feeling some relief thanks to the pain medications and supplements she’s on.

Supremely sweet and prettily petite, Long Eared Lucy, a senior at about 20 years of age, has the softest bray and exults in “talking” to her caretakers, whom she absolutely adores. Well-mannered and gentle, her snowy white coat lightly spotted, she loves standing next to them to get massaged and loves being on a lead, following them wherever they take her. Highly intelligent, she unlocked the mysteries of her hay ball within minutes and learned her name within seconds. She clearly approves of it since she perks up her ears and looks for her caretakers when they call her.

As is typical of prey animals, she’s fearful around noises and fast movements, and while she’s tolerant of the other equines, she presently prefers to keep them at a distance and has her own stall in the barn and a special pen on the dry lot, allowing her to see the horses and other donkeys while having her own space to walk peacefully and rest comfortably for the privacy she craves.

With much of her past a mystery, what matters most is her future, and so we’re asking you, our faithful followers, to help us continue helping Lucy with either a one-time donation or a monthly sponsorship.

Clark – Sponsors Needed

Sponsor

"Donkeys are sensitive souls, so I try to take everything they are telling me seriously!" -Dr. B, Clark's Vet.

If eyes truly are windows to the soul, then Clark's softly smiling brown eyes reveal the sweetest, most affectionate of souls. Formerly part of a petting zoo, auctioned off when no longer wanted and shamefully neglected, he entered the Sanctuary in unspeakable agony and overweight by 75 pounds, significant for a mini-donkey who should weigh only 175 pounds. And yet, his gentle spirit remained intact. Suffering from chronic laminitis (inflammation and damage of the tissue between the hoof and the underlying coffin bone), due in part to a diet too high in sugar, with grossly overgrown and painful hooves, he's also teetering on the brink of PPID/Equine Cushing's disease. And yet, his playful side has been emerging daily. Estimated to be a mere 5 years of age, he has a low threshold for pain, is prone to swelling and highly sensitive to anesthesia, but he LOVES being brushed, massaged and petted. New to the joy of toys, he's now keeping himself amused with his Jolly Ball, Hay Ball and Hanging Play Ball, while nothing has dulled his appetite for food! Nutritional, well-balanced, donkey-appropriate food. Adept at "donkey speak", in other words, braying, he's a master communicator, letting us know when he's lonely, upset or in need of affection. To deal with his multiple health issues, Clark currently takes medications to ease his pain, help him lose weight and control his insulin, as well as vitamins, minerals and supplements for his digestion, joints and hooves and for fly control.

While Clark's road to recovery may be long, we're committed to restoring him to good health so that he may live the life he deserves to live. But we can't do it alone. Won't YOU please help us help him by contributing towards his ongoing care?

Jazz – Sponsors Needed

Sponsor

Her eyes are deep, sweet and loving, and she melts the hearts of everyone she meets, including our longtime vet. Meet Jazz. Approximately 7 years old, this brown mini-donkey’s facial features are reminiscent of a wild burro, her muzzle feels like velvet and she whimpers more than brays – a gentle, genteel sound. Blessed with a dainty side, she walks ever so softly and eats like the lady she is. Extremely affectionate, she always comes when called, adores being petted, and especially enjoys facial rubs and ear scratches. Good on a lead, she faithfully follows our lead, sometimes stopping, however, if she suddenly feels unsure and unsafe. Brought here as a companion for Clark, Jazz came to us from a farm where she lived in a poor pasture and ate rotting pears from a tree! Missing the bottom half of her tail and with horribly overgrown hooves, she arrived without any documentation from a vet or a farrier regarding hoof trims, vaccinations and de-wormings. And so, we worked swiftly to remedy her less than ideal situation.
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Now, as this darling donkey pads daintily down the path towards better days, we ask that you contribute towards her ongoing care while we – and Clark – ensure that she’s both safe and well loved forever.

Joker – Sponsors Needed

Sponsor

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As they say, “If the shoe fits.” And no name could be more fitting than Joker for this sweet Paint gelding who’s a natural comic, complete with the funniest facial expressions. In his mid-teens, approximately 14.2 hands tall, and endlessly mischievous, he loves snuggling and eating treats, licking everything in sight and rolling around in the mud. He even loves his “diet” grain that’s helping him to lose weight. What he doesn’t love is being groomed while his highly sensitive hind end makes him a challenge for the farrier. With little training, and having never been ridden, he was bonded to now angel Sassafras who acted like his bossy big sister in exchange for her little brother’s protectiveness. To help Joker through his grieving, we brought in Jake and the two have become best buddies.

Joker recently experienced a painful hoof abscess and is on the mend. We are grateful for his patience and perseverance during his many, many hoof soaks, poultice packs, hoof trims and drain hole openings.

Daphne – Sponsors Needed

Sponsor

Her gentle face bisected by a broad white stripe, chestnut mare Daphne is still getting used to her surroundings. Now about 20 years old and approximately 14.2 hands tall, her earlier life sadly saw her neglected, leading to the loss of her left eye and suffering from rain rot. Now fully recovered from that condition, her previously elevated liver enzymes are normal as well. Never fully trained, she feels most at ease when her head is in the feed bucket or hay bag, and while she enjoys being with the other horses, her nervousness makes them uncomfortable. She does, however, have a touch of the imp in her since she likes to steal treats from our pockets. Hopefully then, with time and patience, we will not only win her trust but her heart.

​The Equine Angels

​Little Eddie is now an angel, looking over the other horses and sending us little reminders of his gentle presence. He came to our Sanctuary as a senior, supposedly in good health. But, no one had any idea of the cancer growing inside his gut. He was taken from us only 3 weeks after he arrived. But those in those 3 short weeks, he restored our confidence, and returned our love. We cry for you everyday, Little Eddie. You will never be forgotten.

​Sassy was our first mare, our first love. From the minute we saw her and she hugged us, we knew that she was destined to come to the Sanctuary Barn. Her passing ripped out our hearts and left us raw. Never will there be another like her.

Ranger found himself in the kill pen at the worst auction in the state. A kind soul bought him but could not keep him and Ranger made is way to The Sanctuary. We knew his time was limited and as his pain increased, symptoms of his past abuse started to show more frequently. In the end, he told us that he could no longer go on and we respected his wishes. He died peacefully and quickly, but he will remain in our hearts forever.

Jake, you came to us when you lost your job and your home because you could no longer carry a rider. Your sweet and sometimes silly nature and your infinite kindness mended so many equine and human hearts. We knew that your time was limited as we watched your old body break down, despite all of our efforts to keep you going. Our hearts are broken once again by your passing. But we can find comfort because we know that our world was a better place because of you.

​The Mouse Patrol

Jasmine and Monroe – Sponsored for Cat Litter and Food. THANK YOU!
We are indebted to our hard working mouse patrol team. They keep the barn
​free of mice and they look out for the horses, too!

Treat You Horse to a SaddleBox Every Month!!
https://www.saddlebox.net/