HOW IT ALL STARTED.... AND A LITTLE ABOUT US

 It all began with a horse named Sterling—a beautiful, dappled gray with a kind eye. At just six years old, he was healthy in body and mind, but headed for slaughter due to his size. Sterling was rescued by another organization, and my husband and I adopted him. Recognizing horses as herd animals, we also adopted Trooper, a bay ex-racehorse who had suffered from a brutal second career as a Mexican Tripping Horse.

Trooper’s physical and psychological scars took time to heal, but with patience, he became a happy, healthy horse. We brought both horses to our small farm, where they thrived with love and care. A few weeks later, we were contacted about two sick baby Nubian goats in need of a home. After much TLC, Bonnie and Clyde grew strong and healthy.

As word spread, we began receiving calls about other animals in desperate need of rescue. We opened our hearts and arms to these creatures, and what started as a small farm soon grew into a sanctuary. People came to visit, volunteer, and help care for the animals, and we realized we were building something much larger than we ever expected.

Around this time, a sweet black lab/pit bull mix named Sweetie joined us. Her loving nature and resilience embodied the spirit of rescue, so we named our sanctuary Black Dawg Farm and Sanctuary in her honor.

In 2018, we relocated to a larger property in Rainier, Washington, to accommodate our growing family of animals. With more space, we were able to expand our sanctuary and serve the community in even more ways.

Sadly, we lost Sterling in 2018 and Clyde in 2020, but their spirits live on in our work. We invite you to visit, learn about the animals we care for, and perhaps find inspiration to volunteer or support our cause.