Our Farm Sanctuary…Where Hope Lands
Pet rescue organizations have experienced an increase in demand, due to many pets being abandoned or dropped off under the cover of darkness. One local sanctuary has carved out a unique niche because of its willingness to take in animals that other places can’t accommodate.
Our Farm Sanctuary has been in operation as a charitable non-profit since 2019, overseen by a Board of Directors. Their mission is to provide a home for a variety of in-need animals who have no one to care for them. Dogs and cats make up the largest portion of residents, but Our Farm is also the home to horses, donkeys, goats, pigs, cows, alpacas, and llamas.
Lisa Hoops is a longtime volunteer and a member of the Board of Directors. She recently spoke with the Gazette about the challenges of running an animal rescue shelter.
“The farm was started in 2019 by volunteers, and it just built up from there,” she said. “Now we have a lot of different farm animals, in addition to dogs and cats. Many of the farm animals brought here were headed for the slaughterhouse because they were old or their owners were too old to care for them. We get what we call surrender requests. We have a blind horse, and donkeys that came from elderly owners who couldn’t take care of them anymore. One of the cows was owned by a grade school student, but after Fair season, the family needed to find a home for it. We don’t want these animals to suffer, so we look after them until their natural end.”
Our Farm Sanctuary is situated on 10-plus acres of farmland outside Tipp City, at 6495 Agenbroad Road. Since they’re a not-for-profit organization, all of their staff are volunteers, which is how Hoops started.
“I ended up here because I’m a cat lover,” she said. “A lot of our volunteers come from health care backgrounds, including many who are nurses. Our volunteers range from 16 years old to 60-plus. It can give your life a lot of meaning, caring for an animal that needs some attention and loving. We receive requests from schools to visit and see the animals up close, and we’d like to partner with more schools and clubs to increase their exposure. There are many children who have never seen farm animals, such as llamas or alpacas. We’re open every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., for anyone who wants to visit.”
Veterinary services are available on an as-needed basis. “When an animal first comes in, they’re examined and treated. We don’t have a vet on site, but we have a few who come out regularly. They’re also available when one of the animals becomes ill or needs a vaccination.”
OFS is always seeking good homes for cats and dogs, and their adoption process is like that of other shelters and agencies. “Go to our website or Petfinders.com to see the animals that are currently available,” Hoops said. “Fill out an adoption application, then make an appointment to come visit the farm and meet the pet of your choice. Once you have an approved application, you can adopt.”
In addition to adoptions, they’re also looking for people who would like to foster pets. This involves bringing a homeless animal into your home, caring for them, and providing them with affection and socialization until a permanent family is available.
As with most not-for-profit service agencies, OFS is in need of donations, including purchases from Wishlists they’ve established with Amazon and Chewy. “The money is always an issue,” Hoops said. “We’re not so big that we can list with the United Way, but we had a tie-in with PayPal last year. That was much appreciated around Thanksgiving and Christmas time because when people paid for their purchases through PayPal, we got something from it.”
Clearly, Our Farm Sanctuary is not your typical animal rescue operation. “I think since we have farm animals in addition to cats and dogs, we’re a little bit different in that regard, especially since we have llamas and alpacas. Being a cat person, I asked someone ‘Which is which?’ I wondered how you can tell them apart. There are so many cats and dogs that need help and they have no place to go. With the farm animals, we consider ourselves a sanctuary where they can live out their lives. If people are interested in providing a home for a deserving pet, they should check out our website to see our adoptable animals, then come out and visit them in person. We have a lot of cats and dogs that are in need of good loving homes.”
Our Farm Sanctuary is located at 6495 Agenbroad Rd., Tipp City. For more information about the Farm and the pets available for adoption, visit their website www.ourfarmsanctuary.com, or www.petfinders.com. You can also follow them on Facebook.
