Moving On, Settling In: Family Dog Rescue’s First Year on the Farm
Happy life on the Family Dog Rescue farm. photos: Family Dog Rescue
It's been almost one year since Family Dog Rescue moved to our new five-acre farm in Sonoma after 12 years in San Francisco. To be honest, we were nervous about how relocating up north would affect our adoptions, volunteer program, foster homes, and community support. The great news is that Sonoma Valley has welcomed us with open arms.
In fact, our five-acre parcel is a beloved part of Sonoma history. For the past 40 years, it had been a family-owned dog kennel and horse farm where many local families boarded their dogs and horses or came for training, grooming, or daycare. When one of the prior owners passed away and his wife wanted to retire, they offered the property for sale. The family was thrilled that this special parcel will continue to be used for animal welfare, rather than being subdivided for luxury homes. Needless to say, so were we.
Our first challenge when we moved to the farm was to build eight brand new custom play yards so our shelter dogs could enjoy the wine country's fresh air and sunshine. We also upgraded the existing kennel building, made some repairs to the horse barn, and converted the 1920 farmhouse to mixed-use office space for our programs.
Fortunately, adopters and fosters continue to come for our dogs from every part of the Bay Area and from as far away as Los Gatos, Palo Alto, and even Seattle and Detroit. While some of our key volunteers from San Francisco still commute up to Sonoma, we've also been able to rebuild our volunteer program with new folks from Sonoma, Napa, Petaluma, and surrounding towns.
Two of the most exciting things about being on our new farm are being able to rescue many more Livestock Guardian Dogs and having space to expand our Farm Animal Humane Education and Rescue program. Not only do we have 35-45 dogs available for adoption on the farm at any given time, but we also have rescue mini-pigs, sheep, and goats. Visitors love meeting the farm animals, and we love raising folks’ consciousness about the moral equivalence of dogs and farm animals.
At Family Dog Rescue, we still have big dreams for the future. We hope to build a state-of-the-art kennel, a 24-hour veterinary clinic with spay/neuter services, and a first-rate Behavior & Training Center. Now more than ever in California, there is a tremendous need for affordable veterinary care, spay/neuter services, and behavior support so people can keep their dogs rather than surrendering or abandoning them.
Family Dog Rescue is passionate about using our new farm to help address the root causes of dog homelessness, abandonment, and suffering. We need local volunteers in the Sonoma area more than ever. To adopt, foster, volunteer, or support our work, please visit us at ilovefamilydog.org.
You’ll be glad you did - and so will our animals.