Home on the Range Animal Haven (HORAH), a non-profit venture dedicated to taking in and supporting a companionship to neglected large animals and getting them to a safe home, is looking for a new home itself.
To that end, the organization is hosting a music festival fundraiser Saturday from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Laramie Railroad Depot featuring performances from local bands The Woodpile, Hoi Ann, and Hunter Hicks and the Country Skillet. The event will also include a raffle, silent auction, barbeque and other refreshments.
HORAH, the only animal sanctuary in Laramie, currently is home to three horses, two ponies, seven donkeys, six goats, four cats, a sheep and several chickens and turkeys. Space for all these critters would ideally need to be 35 to 40 acres of pasture with barns or space to add barns within a reasonable distance from Laramie.
“The main mission of HORAH is to take in abused, abandoned and neglected large animals and return them to sound physical, social and emotional health and give them a forever home at Home on the Range,” Deb Roberts from HORAH said. “In addition, we work with community organizations to enhance the well-being of their individuals.”
Some of the groups and organizations HORAH works with are ARK Regional Services, Cathedral Home for Children, Cowboy Challenge Academy, Peak Wellness, Upward Bound, UW Bridge Program and the UW Big Event. These group come out and do projects with HORAH to help the animals.
“What usually happens is groups or individuals come out and help with projects and then we take time to interact with the animals for the benefits of both the animals and the people,” Roberts said.
Working with the community organizations and other individuals to give them sense of purpose and self-worth is one of the objectives HORAH is always striving towards. They take volunteers of any shape, age or size to help the HORAH members work on projects.
“Projects would include cleaning up outside and inside the barns, fencing, building projects and caring for and grooming the animals to name a few,” Roberts said. “We tend to attract volunteers that care for animals.”
HORAH is always looking for volunteers with any talents to come and support them, which doesn’t just include doing physical chores. HORAH is also looking for volunteers that are accomplished at social media, grant writing, fundraising, marketing, media coverage and other such work.
“We encourage people to come out and interact with the animals and learn from that interaction,” Roberts said.
HORAH’s first mission is to rescue the animals and then these animals in return prosper by helping to rescue people, particularly youth, from different backgrounds. They want to continue this work of reaching out to animals and people. In the end, these critters are more than just animals.
“I have learned that all the animals have their own unique personalities and talents. Their caring and acceptance of people is beyond belief,” Roberts said. “They intuit each person’s or group’s social and emotional needs and individually, as well as in a group, respond appropriately. I have so come to appreciate the animals and the animal human connection.”
For more information about HORAH visit LaramieHomeOnTheRange.org or visit their Facebook page. Their GoFundMe page can be found at gofundme.com/save-this-animal-sanctuary?member=1855790.
