HartSong Ranch Animal Sanctuary

11/28/2024

HAPPY THANKSGIVING from everyone at HartSong Ranch.

Ah, the intense heat of summer has passed, and with it, the daily care routines for the sanctuary animals shift significantly. Heat lamps are now installed in the stalls and sheds, extra bedding is laid out to provide warmth during the cold nights, and each horse is now outfitted with a waterproof winter blanket during the nighttime hours

It's comforting to know that all the animals have sturdy shelters and cozy beds to weather the upcoming cold. Please understand that our work would not be possible without your support and for that, we are immensely grateful. Thank you!

May the warm glow of autumn surround you
as you celebrate the holidays with family & friends.

06/13/2024

Yesterday was a JOYOUS day… 50+ ‘wild’ Mallard ducklings were released on HartSong’s pond…

HartSong partners with many Wildlife Rescue Organizations in the Northern California area. Most of these wild ducklings were discovered orphaned or trapped in storm drains and turned into Gold Country Wildlife Rescue (GCWR, Auburn, CA). For the last 2 months they have been receiving excellent care while living together in a barn stall. This week, all were deemed healthy enough and old enough to be released into the wild.

How remarkable it was to witness their first steps as they cautiously waddled out of their crates, scampered to the pond’s edge and gleefully jumped into their first natural water setting. No coaxing was required on our part – they all seemed to understand that this is where nature intended them to be.

HartSong’s pond is very healthy and abundant with their natural food sources but even so, we will supplement their feed for a couple of months until they get the hang of foraging for food on their own. Supplemental feed for 50+ ducklings will cost HartSong a pretty penny so any financial help would be greatly appreciated.

In addition to caring about the welfare of the sanctuary’s domestic animals, HartSong also cares immensely about the welfare of the wild creatures that grace our land. It truly is an honor to be able to provide these ducklings with a suitable ‘soft release’ environment so that these little ones have the time to figure out how to survive in a wild, natural setting.

Tremendous thanks to Gold Country Wildlife Rescue for saving these precious lives and to Angela Marie McGillicuddy (GCWR wildlife technician) for transporting and delivering the 10+ crates packed with ducklings to HartSong Ranch. HartSong is very happy to have played a small part in this wildlife rescue and rehabilitation effort.








MORE RELEASE VIDEOS IN COMMENTS

06/07/2024

TRIPOD KITTEN UPDATE

It's a boy!!! We've decided to call him Scooters. Thank you Tina Wolteche-East for suggesting the perfect name.

*At the time of his vet visit, the vet suspected Scooters was 4-5 weeks old.

*Thankfully, his left leg is NOT paralyzed and his hip is NOT broken. My hopes that daily sessions of physical therapy on his useless left leg would develop the muscle memory needed and encourage him to begin to use his limp, flaccid leg and it did just that. Now, instead of dragging his remaining leg behind him, he is beginning to understand it's purpose and finally, he is able to move his leg underneath his body. He's beginning to figure it out - standing on his stump for balance and then pushing himself up into a semi-standing position. A huge improvement from dragging himself around on his belly.

*He now eats soft kitten food and kitten crunchies on his own. No more syringe feeding for this little guy.

*During the day, I set him free to roam in the main part of our home. The result of allowing him to explore as he wishes, though, leaves an abundance of what we call 'Scooter Trails' (urine and p**p streaks) all over the floors but if confined in a crate 24/7, he wouldn't develop the strength or muscle needed to eventually walk so needless to say, a lot of floor cleaning is required but it's worth it. His determination to figure out how to manage his disability is inspiring. His spirit is vibrant and he's definitely on a mission to explore the world around him.

*Due to his lack of hind end muscle, he 'dribbles' urine constantly so the vet showed me how to express his bladder which I do 4 times daily. She explained that as he grows and becomes stronger, the muscles in his bladder will become stronger and eventually, he'll be able to void when full rather than leak constantly. I look forward to that day because he's doesn't appreciate the applied pressure but I know he feels so much better after each urine expression is finished.

*You'll notice in the video that his left leg has a tendency to slide out to the left when he's on the move. To address that, I now wrap a small bit of vet wrap around his left paw. Doing so, gives him much better traction on our slippery hardwood floors.

I think this sweet little guy has a good future ahead of him. He certainly is a fighter and he loves to play be it with a hair tie - a crumpled up piece of tissue paper or a balled up piece of aluminum foil - he will bat his new toy around and play with it for hours. It's so nice to see him play.

Thanks to all for your concerns and well wishes about this sweet little bundle of joy. His vibrant spirit alone compels him overcome and conquer his challenges. No doubt about it - it is quite an effort to care for him yet we're delighted and honored to help him find his way.

http://PayPal.me/HartSongranch

06/04/2024

UPDATE: All the puppies have been adopted to loving homes. 😀
Thank you to everyone for all of your help and support 🐾💕


HartSong is doing a courtesy post.
These puppies were abandoned
and a kind couple found them and have them now but need help.
Is there a Rescue that can step up and save these sweet puppies.
They look like they are about 8 weeks old and possibly Chihuahua/ Minpin mix.
Please call Derek 530-333-5916
Thank you 💕🐾🤞

05/30/2024

HartSong Ranch Open Barn - No admission
Saturday, June 1, 11AM-3PM

RUBBER DUCKY RACES BEGIN AT 1:30
(see photos for a glimpse of the racing canal route)

*Meet the sanctuary animals - horses, cows, goats, geese, dogs, etc.
*Explore the sanctuary
*Enjoy a beautiful day in nature
*Silent Auction/Raffle items
*Plenty of parking
*Well mannered dogs/animals on leash are welcome

*Lemonade, beer, wine, hard ciders
*Impossible burgers and chips

COME ONE - COME ALL...
It's going to be a spectacular DUCKY day!!!

05/24/2024

MEET OUR NEWEST ‘UNEXPECTED’ SPECIAL NEEDS RESCUE...

This teeny kitten was discovered alone, weak, cold, and shivering on the floor of HartSong’s east barn on Sunday morning, May 19. We estimated her age to be 2-3 weeks old - not yet weaned and still in need of her mother’s milk. Further examination revealed that she was a tripod - born without a back right leg.

We did not have a baby Nurser bottle on hand, so goats’ milk was offered via an eye dropper and canned, puréed kitten food was diluted and offered via syringe. On this day, she HAD to learn to eat differently, and she did just that. Her hunger drove her to do so.

She sleeps most of the day but awakens every 2-3 hours when she needs to eat and boy, does she let me know when she’s hungry. After each feeding, I gently stimulate her ge****ls with a warm cloth because kittens this young, haven’t the strength in their abdominal muscles to urinate or defecate on their own.

I do harbor a secret angst that her left rear leg might be paralyzed. When placed on the floor, she pulls herself around with her front legs while following my feet but makes no attempt to stand. I administered a ‘pinch test” on her toes, and she did react so I know that she has some feeling in that leg, yet she continues to drag the leg so many times daily, I place her in my lap and gently bend and massage her leg with hopes that the leg will develop muscle memory and enough strength to eventually stand.

She’s a very curious little kitten. One minute she’s at my feet in the kitchen and the next minute, I’ll find her in the bedroom. She might not yet be able to stand but boy, can she ever scoot herself around.

Today is day 6 of caring for her. She’s improved so much that hand feeding is no longer required. She now eats soft kitten food and kitten crunchies all by herself. She even p**ped today without assistance. YAY! HUGE accomplishment!!! She’s a little spitfire and obviously on a mission.

Next week she will be seen by our vet (the earliest appointment available). I’ll let you know what the examination reveals.

And yes, it’s time to name her. Any suggestions?

needs kitten
needs cats
animals

05/09/2024

MARK YOUR CALENDARS - OPEN BARN - a day of sunshine, animals and nature
Saturday, June 1, 2024
11AM-3PM

RUBBER DUCKY RACES BEGIN AT 1:30

*Meet and 'treat' the sanctuary animals - horses, cows, goats, pigs, geese, chickens and dogs
*Tour the sanctuary
*Take the row boat out for a fun time on the lake
* Take a walk over to the east barn to meet the cows and explore the very old east barn
*Meet the co-founders and members of HartSong's board of directors

*Impossible burgers/chips with all the fixins'
*Lemonade/beer/wine and hard cider
*Silent auction/raffle items
*Bring the kids
*Well mannered dogs on-leash are welcome

05/06/2024

THANK YOU!!!

Words cannot fully describe how thankful we are for you and your generosity during Big Day of Giving on May 2, 2024. Thank you so, so much!

Because of you and your generosity, HartSong Ranch Animal Sanctuary can continue to provide exceptional care for the rescued sanctuary animals living within our gates (64+) – to save countless adoptable dogs languishing in high-kill shelters and to save senior or terminally ill shelter dogs by placing them in loving hospice homes until they take their final breath.

Although Big Day of Giving is over for the year, our work is far from over. To stay updated on our programs and events, please follow HartSong Ranch on FB and Instagram.

Thank you again for all your support and for helping raise awareness of HartSong’s mission in our community and beyond!
We couldn’t do this work without you.

Sincerely,
Kathy Hart
President/Co-founder

05/02/2024

Today is Big Day of Giving - our region’s once-annual 24-hour giving day, coordinated by the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, to help local nonprofits raise much-needed funds and spread the word about their impact.

This year, you can give donations as little as $10! Donate before midnight tonight by visiting www.bigdayofgiving.org and searching for HartSong Ranch Animal Sanctuary in the search bar.

Thank you, so, so much! We couldn’t do this work without you.

We, and those we serve, deeply appreciate your support!

05/01/2024

MARK YOUR CALENDARS
BIG DAY OF GIVING
From midnight to 11:59 p.m. on May 2!
www.bigdayofgiving.org

Big Day of Giving on Thursday, May 2, 2024, is an important fundraiser for HartSong Ranch and, with your support, we will be able to continue our mission and grow our impact in this community.

How to help?

GIVE: You can donate to HartSong Ranch Animal Sanctuary by visiting www.bigdayofgiving.org on Thursday, May 2, and making a gift with a credit or debit card.

Your donation of any amount will help HartSong Ranch to provide exceptional care for the rescued sanctuary animals living within our gates (64+) – to save countless adoptable dogs languishing in high-kill shelters and to save senior or terminally ill shelter dogs by placing them in loving hospice homes until they take their final breath.

SHARE: Let your friends, family, colleagues, and associates know that you support our cause by sharing our posts and our needs on your social media platforms. A good word from friends, followers and donors is the most meaningful way for us to spread our mission.

We, and those we serve, deeply appreciate your support. Thank you!

Most sincerely,

Kathy Hart
President/Co-founder

05/01/2024

Sunday we moved Kevan, Zion and Prince Windy (3 off-the-track sanctuary Thoroughbreds) back to the east side of the property. We move them to the west side during the winter months for safety reason - lots of rain creates way too much mud.

Now they can run freely, play in the lake and hangout with the cows.

Life is good for these 3 ex-racehorses.

Please note Ciara's reaction as they parade by. She was born blind - never seen a thing in the world yet she's 'looking' right at them. She knows exactly what's going on.

04/29/2024

Living life with Chevy, a Megaesophagus dog...

FINALLY, we found a suitable device that inhibits Chevy from devouring anything on the ground while outdoors. Because of his medical condition, he can only ingest food while seated upright, on his haunches, in a Bailey Chair.

We've tried 3 different muzzle types. All eliminated his ability to ingest anything on the ground (horse p**p, cow manure, chicken p**p, etc.) but while wearing any muzzle, Chevy's take on having something over his mouth was that he was being punished. He wouldn't play, follow us around or explore like any puppy his age would do. Instead, he would retreat to a stall or corner, obsessed with finding a way to remove it and when unsuccessful or tired of trying, he would sulk and whine insessentially.
It was heartbreaking to hear him wail. So the hunt continued and we then, came across the 'OutFox Field Guard Mask'.

This contraption is designed to help protect dogs' eyes, ears and noses from barbed grass seed pe*******on - in other words, foxtails. It's also an effective tool to help prevent dogs from scavenging - ingesting rocks, trailside trash, poisonous mushrooms and in Chevy's case, p**p!

Thankfully, he doesn't seem to mind having this meshy contraption over his head and once again, he's a playful and happy pup while we're out in the barns doing chores. He can see well through the mesh and he can drink water - he just can't pick up anything on the ground but goodness knows, he still continues to try. As far as Chevy's concerned, nothing smells or tastes better than a fresh cow flop.

Needless to say, after a few hours of cruising around the barnyard, his mask is a smelly, gross mess to deal with but certainly a far better option than cleaning up his unannounced hurls - generally in our home - of undigested horse or cow p**p.

And, his new nickname - you guessed it - Darth!!!

dogs needs dogs with Megaesophagus Field Guard

04/26/2024

CELEBRATING A DAY WITH ‘SUNSHINE’

HartSong Ranch was blessed with a very special visitor to the ranch this week. Her parents have requested that we not post her given name so in this post, I shall christen her ‘SUNSHINE’!

‘Sunshine’ is a late 20’s young adult with special needs. She requires constant supervision so when visiting the ranch, she is accompanied by her friend/chaperone and loving caregiver of many years, Samantha. When Samantha first called me about the possibility of visiting the ranch with Sunshine, she shared with me that the adventures they enjoy together - shopping, driving around the foothills to enjoy the scenery and visiting different restaurants, were now becoming boring and mundane. Samantha deeply wished to introduce Sunshine to different and exciting landscapes so in that Sunshine loves animals, we scheduled a date for their first visit.

When I first met Sunshine, I found her to be quite timid and shy and a young lady with a very kind, gentle soul. Our goal on her first visit to the ranch, was to introduce Sunshine to a horse, an animal she had never met before. So, we headed into the barn to meet Zach, a 30-year-old Arab gelding - also, a very gentle soul. I doubted she would be agreeable to enter his stall, but she surprised me with her bravery and cautiously entered after a few words of encouragement. Even though she couldn’t verbalize her excitement, you could see the amazement on her face while standing face to face with a 900-pound horse. Seeing her smile was the highlight of my day and I’m quite certain that meeting Zach was the highlight of her day.

Samantha had mentioned to me that Sunshine knew the word ‘Moo’ and uttered it often so our mission on Sunshine’s second visit to the ranch was to introduce her to a cow. But on the day of their visit, the cows were grazing on the east side of the property – a trek that would have been too difficult for Sunshine to manage so we loaded the tractor up with some hay – got in our vehicles – drove out to the front gate entrance - dropped the hay over the east gate fence and immediately, the cows came a ‘running. Cow treats were offered in abundance and once again, Sunshine smiled.

While all of this was going on, I decided to take a load off and copped a squat in the tractor bucket. Sunshine seemed intrigued with my chosen place to sit, so I asked if she’d like to join me. Without a moment’s hesitation, she did so. Well, one thing led to another and before we knew it, the tractor was fired up – Samantha joined us in the tractor bucket and then the three of us went cruising down a country road. This time and much to my surprise, Sunshine wasn’t just smiling – she was laughing and screaming with delight – literally screaming with joy. The higher we raised the bucket, the louder she screamed and the bigger her smile became. She wasn’t afraid at all. So, as it turned out, this lovely young woman, who I initially thought to be timid and shy, had secretly been yearning to get out of her comfort zone – to do something, anything that was thrilling and adventurous. Little did I know that hidden behind her shy exterior, an adventurous spirit was just waiting for an opportunity to be audacious and brave.

I can hardly wait until Sunshine and Samantha’s next visit. Often, visitors will state – “well, we need to be on our way. You’ve lots of work to do.” Well, work is all we ever do - chores - fixing fences - repairing irrigation lines, etc. It’s been years since I’ve giggled and screamed out loud while enjoying a bumpy ride in the tractor bucket. It truly was a thrilling experience. What an absolute joy it was for me to step back for a moment and take it all in - the beauty of the sanctuary – the happiness of the animals in our care and to see our world through the eyes of innocence.

Thank you, Sunshine, and Samantha, for the opportunity for me to be a kid again - to giggle - to laugh and to scream at the top of my lungs with delight. What an incredible gift...every life matters

~There is no greater disability in society than the inability to see a person as more~
Robert M Hensel

with special needs for adults with special needs life therapy therapy

04/16/2024

DEAR SWEET ALI

DOB - Unknown
Freedom Ride from the shelter - April 1, 2021
Crossed the Rainbow Bridge - August 10, 2021

Dear sweet Ali was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer while in the shelter. The vets only gave her a couple of weeks to live. Even so, HartSong Ranch could not allow her to die alone, confused and frightened in the shelter. Remarkably, Ali lived for 131 days, surrounded with love and kindness, thanks to her incredible hospice providers, Richard and Susana Alamo, who lavished Ali with soft beds on which to lie her head – romps in the backyard – drives in the car – SPA days and weekly visits to In & Out Burger, her favorite treat and destination. They even designated May 3, as the day to celebrate her birthday.

Our hearts and admiration go out to all those who open their hearts to welcome a senior or terminally ill pup. Even though hospice care providers know that heartbreak is just around the corner, they allow their hearts to break "a little" so that another's heart will never be broken again. Certainly, an incredible act of selfless kindness and courage.

Rest in peace, sweet Ali …every life matters
ill dogs dogs

BIG DAY of GIVING is an annual, local giving day hosted by the Sacramento Region Community Foundation. Every gift, no matter the size, makes a difference for us. Please share our need with your friends, family and followers and encourage them to donate so that HartSong Ranch may continue our mission to save senior and terminally ill dogs.

04/15/2024