A community book sale held outside the Estevan Curling Club this week is helping raise funds for Happy Little Hooves Pony and Donkey Sanctuary, a local non-profit dedicated to the care of special-needs equines.
Founded six years ago by Rhonda and Laura Stock, the sanctuary began as a long-term idea that quickly became reality. “It started out as a ten-year plan and turned into about a two-week plan to start,” Director Jeanita Perry said. “Within our first year, we had about 20 littles under our care.”
The sanctuary now cares for dozens of animals, many of which require specialized diets. “A lot of our littles are on wet feed so they can’t have hay,” Perry explained. “Right now a lot of it comes out of our own pockets and it’s about $1,200 a month to keep everyone fed.”
In addition to fundraising, the sanctuary is expanding its public outreach. Laura Stock, Vice President and co-owner, said they’ll be participating in Agribition’s educational pavilion this fall. “We’re going to be teaching upwards of 10,000 kids all about what we do and how we care for the little guys,” she said. The team also plans to host an open house in September, featuring guided tours, demonstrations, and merchandise sales.
Laura and Rhonda are also published authors whose work is inspired by life on the farm. Rhonda has five books currently available, with a sixth in progress about Jake Harrow’s experiences riding the rails during the Dirty Thirties. Laura’s book, The Angry Goat Diaries, offers a humorous look at farm life through the eyes of a fictionalized goat named Nigel. “It’s what I call fictional nonfiction because everything that happens in it happened on the farm,” Laura said. “It’s just told by my angry goat Nigel.”
Books are available on Amazon or directly from the authors. Signed copies can be requested through the sanctuary’s website or by contacting them directly.
For more information on upcoming events or to support the sanctuary, visit Happy Little Hooves on Facebook or their official website.