Have A Hallie Jolly Christmas

Written by Chelsea Salerno, Copy Editor

Photography by Jeanne Taylor Photography

It has always been a lifelong dream of mine, and surely many of our readers, to own a large farm where dogs, cats and other furry friends can live out their lives in freedom and happiness. That is essentially what Hallie Hill Animal Sanctuary has done and it is pretty amazing. Founded by Helen Bradham in 1988, Hallie Hill is a 40 acre 501c3 animal sanctuary capable of caring for 200 animals, most of whom are considered “less adoptable” due to age, medical or emotional issues. The sanctuary began to take shape when stray dogs would wander onto the property and remained unclaimed. Helen would build enclosures for them to stay in, provide them with vetting and adopt them out to people she knew. From there, more enclosures were built to accommodate more and more animals, each including an open air run and shelter with heat lamps to ward of the cold in the winter months. There is even a catery that houses over 50 cats!

Hallie Hill has grown exponentially over the years and what started as a local philanthropist’s pet project has turned into an operation that requires 5 full and part time staff members, an 11 person Board of Directors and numerous hard working volunteers. The property itself is impressive; everything is well maintained and the dogs have yards to run around in that include pools, shade sails, heat lamps, plumbing and running water. There is even a pond to swim in and a huge field to explore! Along with the 150 dogs and 50 cats that live on the property, there is also a colony of feral cats which have their own area tucked away where they have little interaction with humans but also can remain safe and unbothered. There is a house with a patio attached specifically for small dogs and patients in recovery as well as some other animals such as bunnies and even a rat. The catery in the center of the property has both an inside area for the cats to lounge in and an outside garden for them to bask in the sun or play hide and seek. There is a local vet that comes out once a year to administer all vaccines and they have a small infirmary where they can attend to minor medical issues.

Ben is a senior at 11 years old and is a sweet natured boy needing a forever home.

Moultrie, the 5 year old hound just wants a couch to call his own.

Hallie Hill is a no-kill shelter and part of what makes this sanctuary so special is their ability to take in animals who might not get adopted otherwise. Their mission statement says it all- “While we can’t change an animal’s past, our mission is to rewrite their future”. Many of the dogs at Hallie Hill are perfectly nice and adoptable. In fact, there are several dogs who are allowed to roam the property freely at night and at some times during the day. These are not the dogs who stay at Hallie Hill long term. The long term residents are dogs who, because of behavioral or medical issues, are not able to be adopted out as easily. These dogs are who the rescue focuses on. Many medical or behavioral issues can be solved with proper attention but some dogs just don’t like people and prefer the company of other dogs. These are the dogs who stay at Hallie Hill long term because people like Executive Director Jennifer Middleton understand that not all dogs will become pets, usually by no fault of their own, and believe that they still deserve a chance at a happy, fulfilled life.

One thing that really stood out about Hallie Hill is the way they let the dogs interact with each other to encourage them to build confidence. There is a select group of dogs known as “helper dogs” that are often pulled from shelters to help some of the shy dogs learn how to interact with people and each other. These are extremely pet friendly dogs that help the most shy, under socialized dogs learn the ropes of being a pet. The shy dogs will watch the helper dogs interact with humans and start to gain the confidence to accept treats and pets. This learned behavior is crucial in the eventual adoption of a dog and who better to teach them than someone of the same species?

An operation such as Hallie Hill requires money to continue to expand and though they used to be privately funded, the sanctuary relies mostly on donations and fundraising to ensure longevity. The dog and cat enclosures are funded by sponsorships; it costs $500 to sponsor a house for a year and $5000 to sponsor for life. Though there are also private donors, the rescue also participates in several yearly fundraisers such as Laps for Love, Putting for Paws and Cocktails with a Cause. Due to COVID restrictions, this year they are participating in their first online auction and have an ongoing Pennies for Pets program that encourages supporters to donate their loose change to the cause. Funds raised for the sanctuary go to the general upkeep and vetting of the animals. The sanctuary is also hoping to break ground on an on-property spay and neuter clinic so donations are more important than ever!

Jameson, the mastiff mix, is sweet boy who is on a diet from too many Santa cookies.

Hallie Hill is truly a special place. The freedom given to these dogs and cats is unmatched and you can see the genuine happiness in these animal’s faces. The staff cares for each and individual animal like it is their own and works tirelessly to get to know them so they can be placed in a loving “furever” home. Because of their tireless endeavors, 15-20 animals are adopted out a month which makes room for more animals to come in and begin their journey at the sanctuary. If you are looking for a wonderful cause to donate to this holiday season, look no further than Hallie Hill Animal Sanctuary!

Maisie, a recent addition has an adoption pending

The cabin acts as the introduction as you enter the sanctuary and is where meetings are held as well as meet and greets until a new area is built just for that,

The majority of the dogs at Hallie Hill share a large run another dog(s) with a enclosure with heat, hay and fresh water.

The barn at Hallie Hill houses what are dubbed “the barn dogs.” These dogs get the run of the place for a time every day and are the dogs that do well in a pack. They also act as an alarm system should a stranger come.

Help Santa out with making a donation to Hallie Hill Animal Sanctuary

Visit Halliehill.com for more information and to make a donation.