LOTTA FUNS BEST - 

Rescued in 1995 as a 4-year-old from a failed racing career, Best’s life on the track made him too hyper-vigilant and stressed for an alternative career. Best was headed to slaughter in Oklahoma until we intervened and brought him home. Best and Ticket are inseparable.

GENUINE TICKET & MAJESTIC FOOL - Rescued in 1996 and 2003, respectively, from the all-too-common aftermath of failed racing careers. Ticket was one of those unfortunate racehorses with blue blood, delicate bones, and owners who saw her as a business not a being. At 4 years of age, despite suffering the incredible pain and acid- scarring of fire pinning, she broke her right front ankle in a race in California, received no medical care and continued racing for 6 more weeks until we became a part of her story by outbidding the slaughter truck driver her previous owner had recently contacted. Majestic Fool, the great granddaughter of TomFool, was luckier. Never raced, she trained as a racehorse but her smaller size prevented a career as a stakes horse. Rather than race as a claimer, she was retired early in Massachusetts before making her way to our farm in California.

CECILIA - This beautiful Belgian draft horse came to us from Michigan where she was pulled from the slaughter pen. Her past life left her blind in her right eye, but now there is nothing that can stand in Cecilia's way from enjoying her life here at D&H Farm Sanctuary.   

AMIGO - Rescued in 2011, Amigo, an American Paint Horse, had given his life to a riding school, giving lessons 7 days a week in New Jersey for 16 years until he was just too tired. Unbelievably, Amigo was headed for slaughter until one rider bravely rescued him from the lesson barn and brought him to us. He is loved by all the other horses as well as everyone else who meets him.  

Sandy, another Belgian Draft Horse here at D&H Farm, is the matriarch of the herd but is very low-key with her advice to the others. She came to us from a slaughter pen in Pennsylvania, and has thrived since arriving at her new home. 

Shania is an Appaloosa horse who suffered neglect in Utah until neighbors decided to rescue her and she came to us. Shania wants to sit in everyone's lap and get all the attention she can.

Jake is a mule who came to us from Utah. Not much is known about his history but he was afraid of people and impossible to catch when he came. Now he knows life is good and he's doing great.

Red was born at a prestigious Kentucky horse racing facility, he won hundreds of thousands of dollars for his people but as soon as he no longer earned huge purses, he was neglected and starved. Visibly tired upon arrival (top picture), he has gained weight and is in fabulous shape and spirits (bottom picture). He loves daily showers from us.

Mira, a Belgian Draft, has developed Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) after suffering through 10 years of severe neglect where she had no medical or dental attention, let alone any love or care for her wellbeing. Due to the EPM, Mira's hooves were curled up and over and was, essentially, left to die until someone decided to sell her to slaughter in Texas. Upon being rescued, Mira was quarantined for a month before making her way to our sanctuary.  The picture above was taken when Mira had just arrived at D&H Farm and captures the look in her eyes that any hope of surviving was utterly absent. BUT... this is Mira now! Happy, loved, and surrounded by her family of horses and humans, Mira's eyes tell a different story; a story of hope, confidence, and love. Mira is BEAUTIFUL!!

Charming saved his own life in the slaughter pen in Michigan. Sick and close to dying, he was in the slaughter pen with Cecelia and Sandy. When the rescue trailer was getting ready to load those 2 mares to bring to D&H Farm Sanctuary, Cecelia and Sandy got on either side of Charming (who could barely walk) and walked up the ramp and into the trailer with him between them. The 3 stuck together and wouldn't let him be taken off! Hence the name "Charming." He is a wonderful draft cross, very very gentle, and grateful for everything he gets. The 3 horses are still very very devoted to each other.

Highlights, an Oldenburg mare, born in New Zealand and brought to southern California as a gifted dressage horse. Financial constraints required her to be rehomed and she came to D&H Farm Sanctuary where she is living the good life.

Kashmir is a classic donkey who came to us from Utah where she lived alone in a field. She will never be alone again.

Davey and Dyna, Belgian mules, arrived at the Sanctuary  in complete shock, which can be seen on Dyna's (back) face as she stands behind Davey for protection. Having worked their entire lives for a mountaineering outfit in Wyoming, hauling gear up and down mountains, year in year out until they grew old, the owner was going to shoot them but didn't want to pay to have a hole dug for their bodies so he sent them to slaughter where they were rescued and brought to the sanctuary. The photo below shows the bonded pair relaxing at home here at D&H Farm. These beautiful gentle giants are deeply loved and are  devoted to each other. 

Reba arrived at D&H Farm Sanctuary severely underweight and malnurished. She was pulled from the slaughter pen in Colorado and sent straight to an eye surgeon to remove the cancer in her right eye. She ended up without any right eye and one of her left eyelids also had to be removed because of squamous cell carcinoma. Severely traumatized by her prior life, Reba could not be haltered or even touched for the first year and a half of being at the Sanctuary. Now, she trusts me and lets me know how she feels by licking my hands.

George and Ivan were both feral cats who came to us 6 months apart from a woman whose house they hid under. George is a gorgeous and loving orange cat and Ivan is gray and can be very opinionated.

Black the Cat wandered around our farm for almost a year before he decided to call us "home." When he felt the time was right, he just walked right in the house and never left. Sweet loving purrer, we're so happy he chose us.

Baron, a male Japanese Chin, was surrendered in San Antonio, Texas, but "surrender" certainly is not in his vocabulary. Once he was brought home to California, Baron's bigger-than-life personality truly shined. Surrounded by dogs who weigh 160+lbs, he is confident of his place in the pack.

Sam, a male Newfoundland, had a very hard life before he came to us. Confiscated by the police during a raid on a meth lab in Kentucky, Sam couldn't stand (he was kept in a cage too small for him) and was covered in feces. He was also reactive, no doubt from horrible things done to him during his life at the meth lab. We had a gentle dog trainer visit him twice a week for the first year and we continued those best practices afterward. Sam can still be reactive but with consistent love, reassurance and slow efforts Sam's life is full and happy.

Margaret, a female Newfoundland, was abandoned by a puppy mill when she was just a couple of months old because she was born with tricuspid stenosis and needed surgery. We got her from Indiana and brought her back to D&H Farm Sanctuary where we arranged for heart surgery. She healed beautifully and is doing great.

Harper, a female Newfoundland, came to D&H Farm Sanctuary from Indiana. Chronic, antibiotic-resistant ear and skin infections plagued her and she was significantly underweight.  Specialist medical care and plenty of nutritious food has made a huge difference for her.

Melody, officially Unchained Melody, was a feisty and strong Appaloosa/Quarter horse cross who lived at the Sanctuary for many years, enjoying her role as herd matriarch, making sure that she only did what she wanted to do. What she most loved to do was greet each newcomer, show them around and stay with them until they were fully at home and integrated. Melody died at 32 and is buried at the Sanctuary.

Sweetheart, a Mammoth donkey,  lived up to her name every day of her life. Incredibly caring and gentle, she was rescued from Utah where she had been abandoned and brought to the Sanctuary where she bonded deeply with Melody and they were inseparable until Melody's death. Sweetheart died shortly after Melody's passing and she is buried next to Melody.

Nora, a beautiful Belgian Draft Horse, was rescued from the slaughter pen in Michigan and arrived at the Sanctuary with Cecelia, Sandy and Charming.

Nora loved standing in the sunshine waiting for her next meal or for one of her many friends to pass the time with. She died in 2020 and is buried at the Sanctuary.