Rescue, sanctuary infrastructure, climate change, sustainability efforts, education and outreach

A year goes by so fast, so fleeting. To sit down and try to encapsulate it all for you seems - it seems like a lot to share. Mother Earth’s weather extremes have left us dealing with some issues to untangle. Given these challenges, we have carried on with our sustainability efforts. Infrastructure became the word of the year. This will continue as the needs of the animals shift and our growth continues.  We answered calls of those in need and welcomed new sanctuary residents. All the while the day to day work of running a non-profit continues with applying for grants and holding our annual fundraisers. Fundraising events brought us many new volunteers, which drove us to further our community outreach and education.

The winter of 2022-2023 was a rainy one - at times days of torrential downpours. We experienced flooding on and off for several weeks. The barn our large cattle herd resided in experienced the worst of this unprecedented weather. We were fortunate to be able to move them down to our main barn to spend the rest of the winter there. After collaborating with drainage specialists, we decided the cows would not return to their original home. They would now spend the spring, summer, and fall in their pastures and the winter in our main barn. This left us with a space we weren’t sure what to do with for fear of future flooding. The main barn had been a space for our potbelly pig herd, who make up the largest population at the sanctuary. We devised a plan to move the pigs from our main barn to the flooded space with the idea for a floating floor - think indoor deck or raised platform. After receiving several quotes for the work, we settled on a contractor. The project cost came to $8,900. We were fortunate to receive $5,000 from the Community Foundation of Tompkins County in their 2023 spring grant cycle, and were able to cover the rest with individual donations from community members like you.

By the time this project was in its final stages, air quality alerts were being issued, and we spent weeks with masks on while outdoors. Sometimes double masks were necessary because the smoke from  Canadian wildfires was so thick. I spent a lot of time worrying about the animals and commiserating  with those out west who experience this far more often than we do. The animals were kept well supplied with  fresh water. Their breathing was monitored as well as daily checks for any nasal discharge. I am happy to report they fared far better than those caring for them. This was an extremely scary time for us, and one I was not expecting. Now we can add dealing with wildfire smoke to our operating procedures at the sanctuary.

Sustainability has always been at the forefront of this organization. We try to offset our carbon footprint by giving back to nature and nurturing our home. We implemented our first silvopasture practice this year by planting 22 Mulberry saplings (from a local nursery) around the sanctuary grounds. These trees will bear countless berries that the both sanctuary residents and local wildlife can all eat and benefit from. These trees will offer shade, help stop ground erosion, and help when we experience the next wildfire smoke episode. We recently spent some time with our Lehman Alternative Community School (LACS) student-volunteers, walking the grounds to check on all of our trees. We will do the same this spring and hopefully we will have a high survival rate.  If anyone has any suggestions or can offer expertise in this area please reach out to us at saoirsepastures@gmail.com.

I would love to share with you our infrastructure goals and outcomes for the  past year. We start off each year with goals for fencing, housing, enrichment, non-mechanical equipment (hay wagons, squeeze chutes for vet care), etc. When climate situations arise we have to pivot, as we did with the floating floor in the pig barn. Once the floor was installed, it was necessary to add a ramp for the pigs to access the space, and rubber flooring for insulation. We received a grant from Visions Federal Credit Union that covered the cost of the rubber mats. Once this was finished, we moved into fall and were able to complete a smaller project. We had discussed moving our large pig herd (Pebbles, Bam-Bam and Mabel) to their own pasture by our pond, which would be ideal for them. Thanks to The Triad Foundation,  we were able to cover the cost for an 8’x12’ shed for these pigs. We also expect to end the year with enough funds to cover the cost of fencing for their pasture. The shed has arrived and the pigs are using it and loving it. The local shed contractor we use puts the sheds on skids so we were able to put the shed in its current location and will be able to move it to their new pastures once it is finished.  We are continuously grateful for the grants we receive and the contributions from our community. Each and every dime is going to the care and needs of the animals.

Some of our volunteers have stated that fundraisers are fun! I couldn’t agree more. Not only are we able to raise funds, but we continue to connect with our community. Taking part in our second year at Ithaca Festival in June resulted in a handful of new volunteers and dozens of new visitors. Our fall flea market fundraiser was a huge success. We doubled our intake from the previous year, made new connections and had a blast hanging out for the day. I would like to give a huge thank you to everyone who donated goods. If anyone is looking to part with gently loved items over the next year, please consider donating (saoirsepastures@gmail.com).  We will wrap up our 2023 fundraising on December 16th at the Pressbay Alley Holiday Market. This will be our third holiday market. It is a lovely way to spend a Saturday supporting local vendors, artists, and non-profits. We will have our Saoirse Pastures merchandise, handmade items such as candles, and donated artwork and pottery by local artisans. Hopefully we will see you there!

This past year was our first full year running our educational programs and taking on student volunteers. Our partnership with Lehman Alternative Community School (LACS), and Greater Ithaca Activity Center (GIAC) has been wonderful! We are currently part of the Lehman Alternative Community School Community Service Program and have students coming weekly to our sanctuary throughout the school year. We have had successful programs with two different GIAC after-school teachers where students had bi-monthly enrichment visits. This allows students to  interact with and learn from the animals. We are looking forward to working with GIAC's Pee-Wee group this year.  We had the pleasure of meeting these nine 4-year-olds a few weeks ago, and plan to have them back early in December. We hope to continue to expand outreach and community visits, as several local teachers and program directors have expressed interest in Saoirse Pastures as a visiting destination for humane educational purposes. In 2022-2023, we began to reach out to senior centers and senior housing facilities to offer programs and visits to senior citizens.  We have an active group of senior volunteers who report that their time with our animals is one of the best parts of their weeks.

Volunteers! We have volunteers who are young people, seniors, moms, students, veterans, retired people, college students, and more. To say I am humbled by the people who have come into my life as well as the lives of the animals is an understatement. Whether it’s a short- or long-term commitment, they have all left an immense impression on this organization. I could not do what I do without them. We are 100% volunteer based. I have moms coming with babies in tow, seniors who are months away from knee replacement surgeries, some who balance jobs, graduate or pHD programs, etc. Their flexibility, commitment, knowledge, and compassion fuels the energy behind the organization and I am forever grateful.

Last, but certainly not least, let me tell you about our new sanctuary residents. I am often asked about space and when we know if we are at capacity. Great question! My reply is it depends. It depends on species, time of year, infrastructure needs, current quarantine space, where the animals are located, and financial support. We have had the same 3 species since the beginning: equine (our donkeys), bovine (our small and large cattle herds), and swine (large breed and potbelly pigs). I do not take adding a new species to the sanctuary lightly. There are lots of factors to consider, but it all comes down to the needs of the animals. We are working toward keeping our animals in species-specific areas and we have very close to that goal. When we add a new species, we have to have space, which adds a need to our infrastructure list.

Last winter, we were asked by the owner to take in 3 loved elder sheep, as the owner could no longer care for them. I deliberated with other rescue partners about their sheep herds and what was the best way to introduce these ladies. The sheep were safe where they were for the moment and we agreed upon an early summer transition for them. Before that happened, I received a call about a lamb who was rejected by her mother and needing care and placement for survival. All four of these sheep were located in Tompkins County. We decided to use our quarantine space as a temporary home for these sheep until we could decide where their permanent home in the sanctuary would be located. Andi Lamb, Bex, Dream and Peaches have all been with us since summer and are now an integrated herd. They have brought such joy to those who have met them. They enjoy grazing, chewing cud and scratching themselves against anything they can find (2024 infrastructure goals = scratching posts).

Our next case was a rescue and abandonment case which is still ongoing. We are working with animal control in Schuyler County on this. Currently, the sanctuary has become home to three piglets (Brick, Twig and Wee-wee). These pigs had been abandoned and ended up loose and at large. All three piglets have been neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, and are now enjoying winter eating pumpkins and other goodies while they grow big and strong. The largest part of this case were the two horses left abandoned in a field with no water or shelter. Both of them were in decent condition when we picked them up. They have been quarantined, vetted and had farrier and dental care. We have rescued over a dozen horses and donkeys over the last 5 years, and I try to leave the horses to horse experts, but horses are getting more and more difficult to place. When it was becoming apparent to me that these two had no place to go I decided to go against the no horse policy and offer them sanctuary. Linda and Orin have been with us since October and are doing well. They live with our donkeys and enjoy their pastures and hay bags. They LOVE our peewee kids from GIAC and the peewees loved them right back.

 Lastly, our heavyweight potbelly pig DJ Gigaton. Once someone’s beloved pet, I was asked to help him. I was told he had a temper, which might seem like a deterrent, but I already have a curmudgeon who needed a companion. Pherbs has been with us for 4 years and we have not been able to find him a suitable nest mate. Gigs was transported to us by some lovely community members and after a few days to decompress and quarantine we introduced him to Pherbs. When I say this was an introduction for the history books, I mean an instant love connection! Pigs are highly intelligent and that includes emotionally. Introductions can be a process, but within a few days they were sharing a nest and spending most of the day out in their pasture together. Thinking about it brings tears to my eyes. Now, they don’t love when we are in their space, but I don’t blame them. These new lives have brought such joy, enriched our education programs, and forever left their personal stamp on the sanctuary. I would invite anyone who would like to meet them come for a tour. Please email us (saoirsepastures@gmail.com) to setup a time to do so. 

As we wrap up 2023 I can happily say we had a successful year. We were able to get through the hard times and turn them into successful outcomes with the help of our grant communities and individual donors. We will continue to stay mindful of climate change and try to be prepared as best we can. We will be starting to plan for 2024 early in the new year. Some goals so fare are scratching posts for everyone, new pasture spaces, safety chutes for some of our residents for safe vet care, and more. The support we receive from all of you makes these projects possible. It gives our residents the best possible life, but also supports our ongoing rescues efforts. We are eternally grateful for all of our supporters. We will continue to care for the animals you all love so much.

We wish you and yours well this holiday season. Please reach out if you’d like to schedule a visit to the Saoirse Pastures animals.

With heartfelt gratitude,

/s/ Shannon Hamilton

Executive Director

Rescue, Outreach, Education and Sanctuary Safety

A Reflection on Our First Full Year as a Non-Profit

This has been the busiest, most rewarding year of my life. I am humbled by the community’s generosity and by the warm welcome we have received. We spent the first six months of 2022 still dealing with COVID. We were able to get through those first six months thanks to a very generous grant from the Tompkins County Community Foundation. We are forever grateful to the Community Foundation for recognizing the gap in services we are filling and taking a chance on our new, fledgling organization at he end of 2021 when we were less than 6 months old! In June, we presented ourselves to Ithaca and other area communities by participating in the Ithaca Festival. Our education program has blossomed. We currently have two weekly partnership programs with Lehman Alternative Community School (LACS) and Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC). We focused a lot of our energy on sanctuary bio-security and safety to ensure our facilities are prepared for any incoming disease, and doing this gave us the opportunity to rescue more animals, some who are settling into their first year here at the sanctuary.

Our fundraising and outreach efforts have been a huge success. We gained volunteers, donors, and general support from many who heard about us and learned about what we do. Last year we closed out 2021 by attending the Apple Harvest Festival in Brooktondale, NY, followed by the Holiday Craft Market in Pressbay Alley (downtown Ithaca). In June of 2022 we setup shop in Dewitt Park for the 3 days of Ithaca Festival. We had wonderful corporate sponsorship support from CFCU Community Credit Union and Staples to offset costs for participating in the Festival. While this helped us financially, it also strengthened ties to our community. We held our first annual Flea Market and Bake Sale in September at Northstar Pub in Ithaca’s Fall Creek neighborhood during PorchFest. The sale was accomplished using all volunteer staff and community donations, resulting in a very successful fundraising event. The last few months of 2022 have been filled with crafting as we prepare to participate in the Pressbay Holiday Craft market on December 17, 2022.

Our newly developed educational programs are flourishing, and so humbling. A lot of our initial volunteers were teens looking for an opportunity to be around animals. I know I would have loved an opportunity to be around animals living as naturally as possible when I was growing up. I truly believe we all come into this world loving animals and the natural world, but all too often our culture diminishes this natural empathy and awe. I want to make sure young people in our community have this opportunity that I missed, for them to learn how weak animal welfare laws and protections are; to understand just how large and under-regulated our food system is… that we can do better for the animals and for each other. It's about compassion. We were able to join LACS Community Outreach Program as a part of their volunteer program. The first quarter with our first 7 participants is coming to an end and another will start shortly. These young adults range in age from 6th to 10th grades, and they are inspiring. Students are here at the sanctuary for two hours each week and assist with barn chores, snuggle the animal residents and work together as a team. We have had a blast! We also have an amazing partnership with two different classes from GIAC. One class comes out every Tuesday for an hour of compassionate animal caretaking. They have brought us hay, pumpkins, and so much love! I am in awe of these kids. Their enthusiasm each week is infectious. I know this is special for them, but it is just as special for me and all our residents. By far the highlight of our year.

Bio-Safety! Between COVID and Avian Influenza we decided to increase our already stringent quarantine protocol. With the help of a small grant from Visions Federal Credit Union, we were able to set up a new, permanent quarantine enclosure and pasture for new residents or those staying with us for a short-term. This allows us time to have the animals properly vetted and vaccinated, and to treat any diseases they may arrive with before integrating them into our other herds. We had two local stray/owner surrender potbelly pig intakes this summer. Both were intact males. An intact male in close proximity to our resident herds can cause a lot of drama so having this facility farther away allows us to keep everyone calm and safe. I also participated in an online forum regarding African Swine Flu. This was presented by multiple international veterinary organizations and our collective rescue partners were all in attendance. While this horrible disease is not yet in the United States we believe in being prepared. I also participated in an online fire safety forum. I have checked with our local municipalities to make sure I know which first responders would be coming in the event of a fire. I’ll be working with them to make sure we have our fire safety in order.

As we close out our first year we have actively taken part in helping 72 animals including pigs, cows, rabbits, pigeons, chickens, goats, and alpacas. We work with an amazing group of rescue partners. Without this rescue community, our ability to help all the animals in need would be much more difficult. I am proud of this community and honored to be part of it. As we close the chapter on 2022 I would like to thank you all for your support and for believing in our mission. A huge thank you to our wonderful volunteers who come out rain or shine, warm or freezing, bringing their wonderful energy and love to the animals.

We wish you and yours well this holiday season. Please reach out if you’d like to schedule a visit to the Saoirse Pastures animals.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Shannon Hamilton