The Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA (PHS/SPCA) announced Monday it is planning to establish a new animal sanctuary on a 261-acre plot of land in La Honda.
PHS/SPCA is about to finalize the purchase of the land, which will be used to provide a quality life for animals who are unlikely to be adopted, according to PHS/SPCA President Ken White.
The sanctuary will aim to be a refuge for behaviorally challenged and medically fragile cats and dogs, along with rabbits and farm animals needing homes.
“As an open admission shelter, many animals come to us with serious health and behavior problems,” said White. “We’ve built very robust veterinary and behavior teams and, through our Hope Program, we treat and then find homes for many of those special needs dogs, cats and other animals. The animals placed at the PHS/SCPA sanctuary will be those with challenges too extreme for us to currently address. This will include end-of-life fatally ill animals requiring hospice care, and the survivors of abuse and neglect which has left them untrusting of humans, as well as fractious/unsocialized cats.”
There will be a neighborhood of sorts at this planned sanctuary for hundreds of animals.
According to the PHS/SPCA statement:
”Animals will be matched into behaviorally-and medically-compatible animal families, and each of those families will take up residence in their own homes, each home surrounded by a specially designed fence to allow for safe and secure playtime whenever wanted. On-site staff and volunteers will provide overall supervision, supportive and medical care to all the animals living at the PHS/SPCA sanctuary.”
White said the project is in its planning and permitting stages, with construction hoped to begin in about a year to 18 months. So as not to disturb the animals, the sanctuary won’t be open to the public, but live webcams will broadcast activities, according to PHS/SPCA.
Both the land purchase and sanctuary are being funded through charitable donations by donors. For more information or to donate to help fund the PHS/SPCA animal sanctuary, visit here or contact Lisa Van Buskirk at LVanbuskirk@PHS-SPCA.org.
Photo of the land on which the animal sanctuary will be built courtesy of PHS/SPCA
