Happy Tails Farm Sanctuary

Jeff Green | Oct 28, 2020

Adjusting to COVID-19 has been a challenge for Carla Moore, her husband Harold, and their four children. Not only has it meant homeschooling the younger children, it has also changed the way they operate the Happy Tails Farm Sanctuary, which is located on a 17-acre hobby farm property that is tucked into the southwest corner of South Frontenac at the border with both Loyalist Township and rural Kingston.

Starting up the sanctuary was a dream come true for Carla, who said that as a child she “wanted to adopt all the cats and dogs from the humane society.”

The family moved to the farm in 2014, and slowly began collecting what has turned into a menagerie of farm and domestic animals.

“We first took in three chickens, then we got 2 pigs, 9 ducks, cats and dogs and rabbits, alpacas, sheep goats, farm pigs, it really took off. Many of the animals have come from abuse or neglect but some local farmers also bring us animals that they are fond of but can’t use on the farm anymore, so they can live out their retirement. We offer all of our animals a safe place to land.

In 2015 Carla injured her back in a car accident and could not continue working as a personal trainer/fitness instructor. She spent a lot of her healing time with the animals, and rather than seeking to return to the workforce, she has devoted her energy to the farm and her children.

Before becoming a personal trainer, she worked in marketing, and those skills came in handy as she began working on creating a funding stream to keep the not-for-profit sanctuary afloat.

The first fundraising event they organised in early 2017, Yoga with Charlie (a lamb), was a huge success and events and programs for school children and families have followed.

“Last year had 2200 people come through the farm. We work with the YMCA, the Loyalist Recreation Department. Eight hundred kindergarten kids came to events and tours, and we had a three week, free summer camp, and an annual community pancake breakfast right at the sanctuary,” she said.

The events have helped cover the $100,000 annual operating costs of the sanctuary (the vet bill alone approaches $25,000), as well as providing an opportunity for people to experience farm animals, sometimes for the first time.

Among the volunteers at Happy Tails, is a Canadian Armed Forces Veteran who has found working with the animals has helped him to heal from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The strong support from local businesses has helped maintain Happy Tails over the years, and that has become even more important in 2020 because, of course, all of the public events have had to be canceled this year.

“We have always held silent auctions at our events, with products provided by our sponsors, so we decided to do a large online silent auction this year to help cover some of the fundraising shortfall.”

The auction is taking place on Facebook at ‘Happy Tales’ Auction for Animals’, items are going up regularly with auction deadlines posted with the items.