DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — A horse sanctuary in Douglas County is on the transfer after 17 years in the identical location. Happy Dog Ranch is dealing with the identical destiny as many different rural ranches and farms, squeezed out by housing and industrial developments encroaching on rural areas.
“When we bought the place about 17 years ago – we had two big Mastiffs and we were actually so happy because we were living in a town home,” mentioned Bernadette Spillane, proprietor of Happy Dog Ranch. “We had no idea we were going to become a rescue or horse sanctuary. It just kind of kept expanding to where veterinarians would ask us, trainers would ask us if we could take in a nice horse that was probably going to be put down otherwise. And then, as we rehab the horses, we find out that they’re helping us. It helps our volunteers; we use a lot of horses in our mental health work.”
Happy Dog Ranch is now home to greater than 40 horses and one of many area’s most well-respected horse sanctuaries.
“We have horses we rescue from as far away as Phoenix, Arizona,” Spillane mentioned.
“I’ve traveled all over the world teaching, and I’ve not found a ranch that’s even close to this,” mentioned Duey Freeman, licensed therapist and co-founder of Gestalt Equine Institute of the Rockies. “The level of compassion, the level of caring, the level of holistic perspective here is unlike anywhere else.”
Freeman is a horse therapist who works with those that have bodily and psychological disabilities, dementia sufferers, at-risk youth, most cancers sufferers and plenty of others.
“Being able to have contact and connection with the horses that we’re working with,” Freeman mentioned.
But Happy Dog has now outgrown its location on W. Titan Rd. between Highlands Ranch and Roxborough Park.
“Three sides of us will be almost complete development,” Spillane mentioned. “And what meaning for the horses is that it’s not quiet and protected in pastures. They have lights, development gear and dirt. They simply appear extra pressured.
Denver7
Like so many different locations on the entrance vary, this as soon as rural oasis is shortly being devoured up by development.
“It’s beautiful, but I also realize that going forward, this won’t be like it is now,” Spillane mentioned.
So now, Happy Dog is on the transfer, they usually’ve discovered a brand new home about quarter-hour south of their present location.
“Jarre Creek Ranch,” Spillane mentioned. “It’s a historical ranch just outside of Sedilia on the way to Deckers.”
Jarre Creek Ranch sits on Colorado Hwy. 67 and is twice the dimensions of Happy Dog with an enormous, heated indoor area.
But so as to get there – Happy Dog, a non-profit, is hoping for some monetary assist from donors for the massive transfer this coming October.
“What is the price tag for this move?” requested Denver7’s Russell Haythorn.
“It’s going to be $50,000, maybe upwards,” Spillane mentioned.
For now, head coach Gray Kyle-Graves is working with the horses upfront of the transfer.
“We’re trying to practice loading the horses on trailers,” Kyle-Graves mentioned as she tried to load a horse that she had by no means loaded earlier than. “And if he’s comfortable just walking on – we’ll let him walk on.”
“We’re practicing trailer loading the animals so this is not a traumatic change to the new place,” Spillane mentioned.
And whereas the transfer is daunting after 17 years, this ranch and the fingers that make it a contented place are prepared.
Denver7
“I think once (the horses) get there, they’re going to love it,” Spillane mentioned. “But we still have to get them from here to there.”
“The new place is going to offer the umbrella of nature in a way that doesn’t get offered here,” Freeman mentioned.
If you’d like to assist Happy Dog Ranch with the transfer, we’ve set-up a drop-down hyperlink the place you possibly can donate on the Denver7 Gives web page. Just click here and select Help Happy Dog Ranch Move within the drop-down menu.
Denver7 options the tales of people that need assistance and now you possibly can assist them with a money donation via Denver7 Gives. One hundred p.c of contributions to the fund might be used to assist individuals in our local people.
To donate to this marketing campaign or select one other to assist, use the safe type under.
Want extra tales of hope and methods to assist in your inbox? Sign up to get the weekly Denver7 Gives Email Newsletter 💌
