Our Mission
Our mission is to assist any animal that comes to the organization in need - assistance can be offered in many ways. New homes can be made available here at the home rescue/sanctuary, or within our network of foster homes. We can also provide current owners seeking rehoming with animals with behavioral/medical problems the resources they need to care for the animal until a sanctuary/ foster/forever home can be found. HTHRRS will strive to find the best human/animal match possible in the process and will always act in the best interest of the animal.
All animals that find themselves under the HTHRRS umbrella will be treated in a holistic manner that considers the animal's normal inborn behaviors entire body, mind and spirit in their rehabilitation.
The final component to the mission of HTHRRS is community outreach. Animals can teach our youth responsibility, compassion, empathy, confidence and integrity in their work. Each sanctuary animal gives back to the community that supports them, whether that be through petting zoo activities, low cost leases with included riding lessons and show days, or educational workshops. Community outreach through these activities helps to point the moral compass of our youth in the right direction and weaves the safety net of animal rescue for the future.
Our Story
While HTHRRS was only formally formed recently in 2010, it's founder, Tera, has been rescuing and placing animals since childhood.
Tera made her first official rescue with 'Twiggy', a dapple grey Arab mare. Twiggy was a fixture in the barn and everyone that met her loved her. She was sold to a man who also owned a filly of hers; upon the verbal understanding that she would be continued to be kept at the same facility with her life long buddy and sold back to the original owner if circumstances changed and he was unable to continue with the agreement.
Unfortunately, Twiggy's new owner decided he would like to move to Florida to enjoy the dating scene there and his horses were going to the local auction (which was known to be frequented by kill buyers) to fund the move.
At 17, Tera had limited resources, but knew she could save Twiggy from slaughter or at the very least the trauma of going through an auction and ending up in hands that did not deserve her. Using the greatest tool she had - the power of a crying begging teenage girl - Tera was able to convince the man to privately sell Twiggy to her for the exact amount she had in her college savings account. A month later, gentle Twiggy was broke out and had a new adoptive home with a little girl who has loved her to pieces since. And that was the beginning of a dream coming true.
Tera made her first official rescue with 'Twiggy', a dapple grey Arab mare. Twiggy was a fixture in the barn and everyone that met her loved her. She was sold to a man who also owned a filly of hers; upon the verbal understanding that she would be continued to be kept at the same facility with her life long buddy and sold back to the original owner if circumstances changed and he was unable to continue with the agreement.
Unfortunately, Twiggy's new owner decided he would like to move to Florida to enjoy the dating scene there and his horses were going to the local auction (which was known to be frequented by kill buyers) to fund the move.
At 17, Tera had limited resources, but knew she could save Twiggy from slaughter or at the very least the trauma of going through an auction and ending up in hands that did not deserve her. Using the greatest tool she had - the power of a crying begging teenage girl - Tera was able to convince the man to privately sell Twiggy to her for the exact amount she had in her college savings account. A month later, gentle Twiggy was broke out and had a new adoptive home with a little girl who has loved her to pieces since. And that was the beginning of a dream coming true.
More On Us and How We Operate
We are small rescue with BIG impact!
Happy Tails is located in Northumberland Co, central PA. We emphasize rescuing LOCAL, assisting law enforcement, and minimizing the refeeding of the auction/slaughter cycle. Come visit the many facets of our rescue and sanctuary. We focus on the rehabilitation and placement of horses in need of critical care rehabilitation and those found in the hands of law enforcement.
Currently, HTHRRS can house 9-11 horses/ponies on the farm, but our list of volunteer foster and quarantine facilities continues to grow.
Two of our horses, Arabs Candy and Valahdin, are currently available for partial on farm lease and are in the community outreach program. This program helps fund the care of the herd who reside here as sanctuary members.
Lastly, Kaspian and Apollo. Kaspian is our surprise Percheron foal, orphaned, out of tragically deceased Dorothy. Kaspian will stay with the sanctuary for his entire life, as he was orphaned at 5 weeks and has bonded to us strongly. We made a promise to Dorothy at her passing that we would care for him, as we did for her, until his last breath. In order to properly socialize and provide the best for Kaspian, we decided to bring Apollo into our lives. Apollo was born 2 weeks before Kaspian in 2011, after his geriatric pregnant mother was bought out of a slaughter lot in PA by a fellow PA rescue. They did right by her, foaling her out and caring for the both of them until it was time to wean. Apollo found his lifetime home with us and we are raising both together with high hopes that they too will be able to 'give back' to the community who have supported them. ( To be continued... under construction) |