A farm that uses animals as a form of therapy has received a grant that will help it boost its programming.
The Horse Sanctuary at Stonegate Farm in Oro-Medonte Township was chosen as the recipient of a $10,000 grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada.
While horses have always been the main focus at the farm, owner Lillian Tepera is branching out.
“We increasingly have come across situations of dogs in serious need of help,” she said.
She has fostered 10 dogs – most recently, Rayne and Valen. The standard poodle crosses were rescued from the home of a hoarder, an elderly man who was suffering from dementia. Their only interaction with people was when food was tossed to them.
The skittish dogs are staying in a horse stall for now, but will soon be ready to head into the more social environment of Tepera’s house.
The grant money will allow her to build a kennel and other facilities, providing the space needed to take in more dogs.
Tepera’s main priority is the animals, making sure they get the love and care many of them lacked before being rescued, but the sanctuary’s slogan is “People helping horses helping people.”
The animals are used in therapeutic programming for various groups of visitors. The 50-acre farm partners with organizations including the Orillia Youth Centre and the Green Haven Shelter for Women.
Some people can relate to the trauma the animals have experienced.
“When people learn of their backgrounds, it brings out all of those nurturing feelings and it can be very empowering,” Tepera said.
She recalled the time a client of Couchiching Jubilee House came to the farm and met one of the horses that, like her, had been abused.
“They were just drawn to each other,” Tepera said, still seeming stunned at that interaction. “She said, ‘He gets me and I get him.’”
Dogs can have the same, calming effect on people, and that’s Tepera’s plan for her canine companions. She has used dogs in her programming for years, but the grant from PetSmart Charities of Canada will allow her to accept more of them and grow that aspect of her non-profit organization.
“PetSmart is so generous with what they’re doing,” she said. “It just blew me away.”
To find out more about the Horse Sanctuary, check out its website.
Those who want to see for themselves can attend an open house Oct. 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fundraising event will include pony rides, raffles, a barbecue, and activities for kids. Visitors are invited to bring their dogs and, in the spirit of Halloween, dress them up for a costume competition.
Representatives from Camp Greyhound, which boards and adopts former race dogs, and Street Cats Animal Rescue, an Innisfil-based shelter, will be on hand.
The farm is located at 1090 Warminster Sdrd.
