By Nisqually Valley News staff
Heartwood Haven, a Roy-based animal sanctuary, is pushing an effort to localize its medical procedures at its location in the small town by hosting an online fundraiser, titled, “Hearts and Hooves Auction,” in an effort to secure $200,000 to construct a medical barn on its property.
According to a press release from the local animal sanctuary, Maple the pig underwent a surgery last winter to remove cancerous growths from her ear. Following the surgery, Maple needed weeks of stall rest to recover from the procedure but without a dedicated medical barn, providing the needed recovery space was challenging and prolonged her healing process.
Stories like Maple’s led to Heartwood Haven launching its annual Hearts and Hooves Auction, with all proceeds set to support the construction of a 3,456-square foot medical barn that’s designed to provide veterinary treatment and quarantine, rehabilitate and help recover rescued animals.
You can view the local animal sanctuary’s online auction at: https://tinyurl.com/HeartwoodHavenAuction.
The auction itself opened on Saturday, June 6, and will close on Sunday, June 14. It features 276 items, including vacation getaways, artwork, experiences, handmade gifts, gift certificates and much more.
Heartwood Haven has a goal to raise $35,000 towards the estimated $200,000 medical barn.
Since the animal sanctuary opened in 2017, it’s rescued 2,200 animals and now saves approximately 200 to 300 animals each year. It also receives thousands of requests annually to assist animals facing neglect, abandonment, abuse, medical emergencies and other crises.
Though the organization currently operates an onsite surgery suite, it lacks an adequate facility to both house and monitor large animals’ recovery from surgery, illness or injury. Existing quarantine space is often “stretched beyond capacity” during large-scale cruelty cases involving dozens or even hundreds of animals.
“The reality is that many animals who come to us need intensive medical care and a safe place to recover,” Kate Tsyrklevich, Executive Director of Heartwood Haven, said in a media release. “When we respond to large cruelty cases involving 50, 100 or more animals, having proper quarantine and recovery facilities can make an enormous difference in both animal welfare and our ability to help. This medical barn will allow us to provide a level of care that simply isn’t possible with our current infrastructure.”
The new facility is set to feature dedicated quarantine areas, treatment space and recovery stalls for large animals that require medical supervision or restricted movement while healing.
Once constructed, Heartwood Haven estimates it will serve dozens of animals each year while significantly strengthening its ability to respond to emergency rescue situations. Additionally, the organization has already secured $25,000 in commitments towards the projects, with opportunities to leverage matching funds and expand community support through the auction.
“Every bid helps build something that will benefit rescued animals for decades to come,” Tsyrklevich said. “This isn’t just a building. It’s a critical piece of infrastructure that will allow us to save more lives and provide better care to animals who have already suffered enough.”
