This year, The Cheshire Horse has selected Amazing Grace Animal Sanctuary to be the beneficiary of our annual “You Shop, We Give” Campaign. A portion of our proceeds from December 22 to December 24, 2022 will be donated to support this important cause. We are always proud to help local rescues and animals in need.
Tucked away in Sullivan, NH is a treasured place for humans and animals to come together and find love and compassion. Amazing Grace Animal Sanctuary is home to over 40 rescued farm animals, with everything from horses and pigs to alpacas and chickens calling the farm their home. Additionally, people from all walks of life throughout the community are encouraged to come and experience the magic of sharing their lives with animals.
For Donna Watterson, the center’s founder, Amazing Grace Animal Sanctuary is a lifelong dream. “When I was younger, I wanted to save all the animals and all of the children that no one wanted,” she laughs. “That may be a bit impossible, but I certainly like to think that I am doing my part.” Daryl, her husband, helps her manage the sanctuary. Most recently, Harmoney, Donna’s niece, has joined the rest of the family in working at the sanctuary and supporting her aunt’s vision of caring for abandoned, mistreated, and unloved farm animals.
There are a cast of characters on the farm, with each animal having a truly unique personality. The menagerie includes Bridgette, the donkey; Drizzle, the miniature horse; Roger, the blind sheep; and Sweetie Pie, the barn cat. However, perhaps the most famous members of the sanctuary are Gronk and Henrietta, two pigs that were married last fall. You can read all about their romance and nuptials in the book, Pig Tails of Gronk & Henrietta, by Peggy A. Rydberg and illustrated by Candace Story.
The sanctuary is currently in its 14th year of operations, however, it has only been registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization for the last three years. The non-profit designation has been extremely beneficial to the program, allowing them to do more outreach within the local community while supporting the animals. Currently, the program is 100% volunteer-run, and all of the money that is raised goes directly back to the animals’ needs and the facility’s upkeep. The program is at capacity for animal intake; yet Donna says that she still receives three to four requests to take in more animals each day, “Unfortunately, there is a true need for this type of rescue in our area.” Some of the animals require medical intervention, although, “most of the animals truly just need food, love, and a warm place to stay.”
Open 24 hours a day and seven days a week, the sanctuary is never closed and has no strict hours. “I want people to always feel comfortable visiting, no matter the time,” Donna says. “You never know what is going on in someone’s life that they need to experience the healing power of animals. If you had a bad day at work or experienced a traumatic incident, I want you to know that you are welcome here to find love and compassion.” The sanctuary also features a hiking trail around the property, where you can walk throughout the pastoral setting and enjoy the benefits of spending time outdoors in the company of animals.
In addition to welcoming the public, Amazing Grace Animal Sanctuary is active within the local community, allowing many groups the opportunity to interact with the farm animals. Amazing Grace has had the opportunity to involve their animals with disabled interns from Chesco, Inc., charter school interns, home school groups, public school groups, Girl Scouts, Cedarcrest, Maplewood, Nursing Home, and the Make a Wish Foundation. They also bring animals to visit local schools and fairs, as well as other community events, such as the Live Nativity Scene that they were recently a part of. Two goats, two sheep, and a donkey participated in the holiday festivities!
“One of my favorite times is when children from the Cedarcrest Center for Children with Disabilities visit the sanctuary,” Donna continues. “Many of the children are non-verbal, yet it is still so easy to understand just how important the visit means to them. They can hold and pet the animals, and the excitement is written all over their faces… it is just so beautiful to watch the children and animals connect with one another.” In the colder months, the children are unable to travel to the farm, so Donna plans to visit the center with some of the smaller animals to continue with the program outreach throughout the winter.
Donna hopes that moving forward the Sanctuary can become more involved with groups that would benefit from animal interactions. “The animals give back, I think, so much more than we give to them. The animals have gotten me through so many difficult times, and I think it is such an honor to be able to share that joy with others,” she says. The goal is to run camps on the sanctuary and introduce more children to the magnitude of this project so that the legacy can continue for future generations. “I don’t want it to end with me, I want it to be something to persevere. Animals and humans need to continue to heal one another.”
“It’s really important to me that people know that we are open for everyone. We are open to individuals and families and the elderly. If you need a place to sit and find love, we are here for that.” The sanctuary is open to the public and is always free of charge. Donations are always accepted (feeding and caring for the animals is quite an expense), however, Donna wants everyone to feel welcome, regardless of their ability to financially contribute. “When you drive in the driveway, all the worries of the world melt away—I want that feeling to be available to everyone. The animals just love company; even if someone cannot afford to donate money, just donating their time to sit with the animals is huge,” she concludes.
Volunteers are always welcome at Amazing Grace Animal Sanctuary! They need people with a variety of skills and backgrounds in order to help them care for the animals, fundraise, run the non-profit and so much more. If you have an interest in helping the farm animals at Amazing Grace, be sure to check out their website and see how you can become a part of this incredible mission to celebrate the love and compassion between animals and humans.