Two local sisters decided to take their dream of helping out local animals and turn it into a reality. Sisters Rhonda and Laura Stock have co-founded Happy Little Hooves Pony and Donkey Santuary Inc.

Laura Stock on how the big dream came about, "Rhonda and I, when we bought our place in 2007 we wanted to breed and raise quarter horses and sell them. In 2011, we got our first donkey's so we started to help out with them. That's when we decided to start a donkey sanctuary, but last year I believe it was we were given a little pony, who has really bad feet. And that started our love of mini's and ponies too. Our dream expanded to include all mini's."

They do run a sanctuary and that includes the care and rescue of these animals, "Rhonda is a barefoot hoof trimmer," For more details on it you can visit their website https://www.happylittlehooves.com/.

Stock shares a bit more about how the sanctuary runs, "We take in mini horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules, that have either bad feet that their owner can't care for them anymore or we're also registered with animal protection services so if they do a seizure of any mini's they'll give us a call. We don't do adoptions out, this is a sanctuary so we keep all the animals that come in and they have a lifelong home with us. With medical care, hoof care, everything they need to live out the rest of there life in happiness and peace basically."

The sanctuary isn't just for these animals to live peacefully, but it can be an opportunity for you as well. Stock shares how you can help, "If anyone wants to help out the Sanctuary there are a few ways. They can go to our Donate page and donate any amount, we have a list on that page too of things we need for the farm, and people can also sponsor one of the little guys. There are 4 levels of sponsorship that range from $50/year to $50/month."