SARA Sanctuary

overview
Formerly an old dairy farm, the Sanctuary is in the middle of 380 acres. The original buildings, still in existence today, consist of a milking barn turned into living quarters, a kitchen and a special needs facility; a large outhouse with a clawfoot tub; and a guest house, now the study. Over the last eight years, several mobile homes have been added to accomodate staff and to provide a climate controlled environment for our elderly animals.

We've also built over 100 outdoor enclosures which house the two catterys (one with healthy, adoptable cats and the other with our FIV/Leukemia cats), the dogs (which live in communal groups of two to six), and our rescued factory farm animals (goats, pigs, donkeys, chickens, and cows). There are about 850 animals here at any given time. Other original features are the old watering tanks, one now converted into a goldfish pond, and the water tower.

For miles around there is no one, unless you count the occasional tractor plowing the nearby farms or the infrequent sputtering of a battered truck's exhaust. Instead, the days are punctuated by sounds of barking dogs, meowing cats, the grunting of pigs and the baying of a single donkey. We take in a variety of animals including factory farm animals such as cows, chickens, turkeys and pigs, as well as domestic animals who settle in and live out their lives at our sanctuary if they cannot be adopted. Many of the animals are terrified of people when they first arrive because of their traumatic histories, but they soon learn that they are safe at the sanctuary.

the maps
Care to see SARA from an aerial view? The three renderings in the Related Downloads section of this page reveal how much SARA grows each year. Available: 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002.

We also recommend viewing the articles in our Press section. Southern Living did a feature in their November 2002 magazine with some great pictures.

the seasons
There are two seasons at the Sanctuary - summer and winter. Daylight savings time brings with it a welcome respite from 100 degree temperatures. There's a wonderful nip in the air, and the dogs frolick and play. Almost overnight, however, the temperatures plunge, and the dogs are forced to snuggle in their hay-lined three-sided "houses." Volunteers are few and far between, and the gifts of December often dry up in January and February. It's hard for all involved. Soon, however, the days start to warm and in May, the intense, stifling heat begins. We haul out all the kiddy pools (we go through at least 120 annually) and the dogs will often sit for hours in the cool water. While the mornings are still loud with all animals asking for breakfast, the afternoons are quiet and still. Every animal, sometimes staff included, will take a nap. And like the cold of winter, we see our lowest volunteer and donation levels in the hottest summer months. The seasons are a cycle, and so is life at the Sanctuary.

in this section

» about SARA

» at the sanctuary

» contact us

» frequently asked questions

» finding a home for your pet

» special thanks

» starting your own sanctuary

related downloads

2002 aerial map (pdf) 7 kb

2001 aerial map (pdf) 93 kb

2000 aerial map (pdf) 89 kb

1999 aerial map (pdf) 230 kb

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	Business Hours: 8:00 AM- 3:00 PM Monday through Saturday by appointment. Closed Sunday.

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