Animal Facilities

Daily human interaction and play is a priority with all of our animals. It also helps us observe what is going on with them from a health perspective. We work very hard to keep our facilities maintained for the safety and health of our animals. We all function best in clean, well-lit facilities with working doors, gates and drains. It’s a big operation and always a work in progress.

Dogwood Farm Sanctuary is an idyllic setting for these animals, one that we have provided over the years. We are always in the midst of projects and renovations because that’s the nature of the beasts. Wear and tear is constant and needs change with a changing population. Thank you for your support. We couldn’t do what we do without you. For more specifics, read on and see our photos.

Horses:

Barns and pasture

The horses are all out on pasture and are fed in individual stalls several times a day. Kapata doesn’t like to go into a stall and usually eats her food in the aisle. She remains in the barn during storms or bad weather because she doesn’t like to leave her friends when they are in the barn.

News: A new outdoor exercise ring will be built after the cat building is complete. The old ring was taken down to prepare for the new cat building. The horses need to be exercised to stay healthy and fit.

Horse “to do” list:

• Exercise ring – In Progress
• Concrete aisle way – Done
• Run-in shed
• Stall drainage
• Stall mats — ready to install

Naming opportunities:

• Exercise ring
• Five-stall barn
• Each of the five stalls
• Run-in shed
• Feed and tack room

Wish list:

• Equine senior
• Tractor Supply gift certificates
• Square box fans
• Additional rubbermaid water trough
• Wood shavings
• Hay, Timothy or brome

Dogs

The dogs have multiple housing options at Dogwood Farm Sanctuary.

In the kennel building, there are 10 concrete runs that open up to three exercise yards and five large rooms with attached exercise yards. We designate 60 percent of the kennel facility for Sanctuary dogs. The other 40 percent is for boarding dogs. The entire kennel building is temperature controlled with in-floor heating and air conditioning.

Dogs using the exercise yards have access to the temperature-controlled exercise-yard building.

In the main house, the kitchen dogs have access to a large gravel yard with a dog door. Some house dogs have access to the grass side yard. Some dogs in the house and kennel have been trained to the invisible fence, wear IF collars and have access to five acres.

Dog “to do” list:

• Reconfigure exercise yards and replace some fencing and gates – Done
• Weatherize exercise yard building with new doors – Done
• Convert cat building to dog building with an additional outside run. In progress
• Level house gravel yard and replace some fencing
• Finish converting light fixtures to LED throughout – Done

Naming opportunities:

• Three exercise yards
• Additional dog building (for up to two dogs)
• Three rooms within the exercise building
• Five kennel runs (1-2 dogs)
• Large dog rooms with gravel yards (2-4 dogs)
• Large dog room with huge exercise yard (4 dogs)

Wish list:

• Paper towels
• Simple Green
• Bleach
• Laundry detergent (liquid and powder)
• Sturdy dustpans
• Kongs
• Large sterilized bones

Cats

Our new cat facility is complete. It features six individual cat rooms: one huge, three medium and two small. All rooms have outdoor access to covered and individually fenced patio areas (catios). The entire facility has in-floor heat, lots of windows and is air conditioned. The new facility is cageless and has some design flexibility to change as the feline population changes. All our cats will be under one roof with some room for additional cats.

We are very excited and grateful to the Crawford-Taylor Foundation for donating $100,000 for our new facility. In addition, the cost of the geothermal heating and air-conditioning was donated by Marion and Van-Lear Black.

Little Cat Country Grand Opening Celebration happened summer 2016.

Cat “to do” list:

• Landscaping
• Fencing and finish grading

Naming opportunities:

• Each room needs a sponsor. Come and tour and see the facility to pick your room.

Wish list:

• Sturdy, heavy duty scratching posts
• Heavy duty carpet cat furniture
• Taste of the Wild cat food
• Cat proof shelving

The Chicken Grove, in honor of Nancy Grove

In summer 2014, the chickens received a substantial gift from Nancy Grove to renovate and reorganize the chicken area to provide a warm environment throughout the winter months that provides food and shelter to our entire flock, with personalities and flock dynamics taken into account. The new facility needed to be flexible to expand and contract with the flock and provide barriers to keep out predators, dogs, horses and hawks. We also want to keep out sparrows, other birds and rodents that could spread contagious diseases to our birds.

The Grove is complete. We will need a third mobile facility for our three roosters in the spring.

Chicken “to-do” list:

• Construct/paint third chicken facility, when needed (still in box)

Wish list:

• Chicken feed (no antibiotics)

The Duck Facility

Over the years, we have continued to make improvements to the duck facility. We have provided a heated (in winter) dog house with hay for them to snuggle in at night. This is located in the duck pen that has an inside alcove. Because of the proximity to the dog population, we have not had a problem with any predators. Keeping fresh, clean water is the heated tubs can be a challenge in frigid temperatures. One solution would be to have a frost-free pump installed in the duck area. Otherwise, ducks are good and have what they need.

Duck “to-do” list:

• Frost-free water pump installed
• Insulate the wind block area on outside wall/cover/paint – Done

Naming opportunities:

• The duck pen

Wish list:

• Water fowl food