Wild Places Animal Rescue

*Maggie*	Maggie arrived in December 2012 from Rye, Colorado. At the time, Maggie was a 21-year-old bay mule, and had been chronically lame in her right front leg for the prior year. Maggie was your typical mule -- very confident and curious. Maggie was just under 14 hands tall. Maggie was adopted by a gentleman in Guffey.
Buttercup arrived in Apr 2013 from Triple Acres Horse Rescue. She was young, and had been found emaciated with no hoof care in Yoder, Colorado in Feb 2012. She spent a year at Triple Acres putting on weight, then came to us. She still had hoof issues, but our farrier was able to resolve them. Click here to see her prior home in Yoder. Buttercup later returned to Triple Acres for training, and was adopted to a forever home in Boulder in Nov 2015.	*Buttercup*
*Diamond*	Our first horse arrived in Nov 2012. "Diamond", or "DeeDee" as she prefers, is a registered paint mare from Florissant, Colorado. DeeDee had a chronic back injury that prevented her from being ridden. She also had some trust issues, and was very shy with new humans. DeeDee was our lead mare for a long time, and did a wonderful job of looking after our blind horses. (Unless she was hungry, in which case she would try to steal their food.) After 7 years of rehabilitation at Wild Places, DeeDee was evaluated by a professional trainer and deemed healthy and ready for riding. DeeDee was transferred to Safe Landing Horse Rescue, where she found her 'forever home' with a young lady in Fairplay. We're so proud of her!
Myron the billy goat arrived from Elbert, CO in August 2014. He is an older buck, and is 1/2 Nubian, 1/4 Alpine, and 1/4 Oberhasli. His favorite pastimes are: scraping his horns along the fence to make music, butting things with his head, and escaping the corral to come visit us at the house. His favorite word is "Merrrrrrrrrr". He's a sweetheart -- a very stinky one. Myron is temporarily being fostered at another rescue.	*Myron*
*Monette*	Monette was born in March 2015, and tragically orphaned in April 2015. She is 3/4 Nubian, 1/4 Alpine. She was named in honor of her mother, Mona, who was a darling girl. Monette and her brother, Monty, are very friendly, playful, and loving. They love to go for walks, jump and play on their playground, and "butt" the dogs with their heads. Monette is temporarily being fostered at another rescue.
Montgomery ("Monty") was born in March 2015 and, sadly, orphaned in April 2015. He is 3/4 Nubian, 1/4 Alpine. He was named in honor of his mother, Mona, who was very dear to us. Monty and his sister, Monette, are very friendly, playful, and loving. They love to go for walks, jump and play on their playground, and "butt" the dogs with their heads. Monty is temporarily being fostered at another rescue.	*Monty*
*Sookie*	Sookie is your typical Jack Russell nightmare, and was nicknamed Princess Terminator. She was the boss of the house (we're choosing to use the word "boss" instead of the other "b" word). She secretly manipulated everyone around her, instigated arguments between other dogs, and strove to get everyone else in trouble while appearing completely innocent herself. She was the face that launched a thousand dog fights. She was such a brat, but she was just so darn loveable. She was originally on the "kill list" at a shelter in Colorado -- we're so glad she was saved in time! She's an incorrigible coprophagist; her favorite things are poop and paperboard. Sookie is now living in a loving adoptive home in Connecticut with her favorite person in the world, her 'Daddy'.
Nipper arrived in June 2013, and is a Queensland Heeler. She was very hyperactive when she arrived, and insisted on nipping at everyone's heels and pantlegs. But now she is a very well-behaved girl, and has learned to herd and nip at her Jolly Ball instead of people. Because she frequently finds new ways to escape (but always comes back when her exploratory quest is complete), she is also known as Princess Walkabout. She now has a permanent home at Wild Places.	*Nipper*
*Tyrion*	Tyrion arrived in February 2015 after spending 4 months in a cage at a shelter. Born in 2013, he is likely a mix of chihuahua, fox terrier, or corgi. He and his father Sam came from an animal hoarder, who agreed to relinquish them to a shelter (where we later found them). Sam was adopted by another family, and we couldn't stand to see Tyrion in a cage by himself after so many months, so we took him in. He is extremely fearful of new people (it was a full 48 hours before he even allowed us to touch him). But he became more trusting with every passing week. He is a ball of energy, and he's full of love once he gets to know you. He's a little overly possessive of his food, but we're working on that. He has a permanent home at Wild Places.
Dolly was surrendered by her owner in May 2016, and is a young terrier/poodle mix. After being bounced around between several foster homes, she had some behavioral issues that we had to help her with. But now she has adjusted very well to her permanent home at Wild Places. Tyrion is the apple of her eye, and she follows him everywhere. Her favorite game to play with Tyrion is something we lovingly call "Clash of the Mini-Titans".	*Dolly Blossom*
*Wasabi*	Wasabi was a shelter dog on the Western Slope of Colorado. He had two strikes against him because he had been adopted and returned to the shelter twice for behavioral issues. We were his third and last chance. Not only did Wasabi turn out to be a spectacular dog and friend, he has been trained and certified as a service dog. Wasabi now lives with his loving adoptive parents, Jen & Tommy. We were able to visit him recently at his adoptive home, and he is still exploding with love and energy. Such a good boy.
Wonderful William was born in 2012 or 2013, and rescued in 2016. He is very strongly bonded with another cat, Baby Granite. The prior owner kept William and Baby Granite together in a dog crate for the first 3 years of their lives, with only a litter tray and a small water bowl on the crate door -- and not even a blanket or pad. One cat had to sleep in the litter tray, and the other on the plastic floor of the crate. When rescued, they were very afraid because they had never been handled by people. It took a great deal of patience and effort, but now they are both very affectionate cats. William resides permanently at our former facility in Alabama.	*William*
*Hara*	Hara was taken in as a feral cat in Colorado and was very timid, but now she trusts people (once she gets to know them). She was spayed and vaccinated as part of a TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release) program in Colorado Springs. Hara permanently resides at our former facility in Alabama.
Flower was taken in as a feral cat in Colorado. She was timid, but she can now be hand-fed and does well with other cats. She was spayed and vaccinated as part of a TNR (Trap-Neuter-Release) program in Colorado Springs. Flower permanently resides at our former facility in Alabama.	*Flower*
*Granite*	Baby Granite was born in 2012 or 2013, and rescued in 2016. He is very strongly bonded with Wonderful William. The prior owner kept William and Baby Granite together in a dog crate for the first 3 years of their lives, with only a litter tray and a small water bowl on the crate door -- and not even a blanket or pad. One cat had to sleep in the litter tray, and the other on the plastic floor of the crate. When rescued, they were very afraid because they had never been handled by people. It took a great deal of patience and effort, but now they are very affectionate cats. Baby Granite permanently resides at our former facility in Alabama.
Penny was a 12-week-old starved and sickly kitten when she was found in a barn in July 2019. Since she was found in the donkey pen, she is called "Penny". She was only 3 lbs, and had wounds on her face and tail, and maggots in the tail wound. Lots of fleas and ticks. She also tested positive for hookworms, so she was put on antibiotics and dewormers. She is now very healthy and up-to-date on vaccinations, and ready for her forever home. Penny resides at our former facility in Alabama. Please contact us if you are interested in meeting her.	*Penny*
*Eeyore*	In Feb 2018, we accepted our first donkey, Eeyore. He's a doll, but he's timid and has some hoof issues. Eeyore resides permanently at our former facility in Alabama with his best buddy, Buttersnaps.
In June 2018, we accepted our second donkey, Buttersnaps. He is bold, but sweet, and provides Eeyore with some much-needed donkey companionship. Eeyore resides permanently at our former facility in Alabama.	*Buttersnaps*
*Rae-Rae*	In Nov 2018, this 13-year-old Corgi girl "Rae-Rae", passed away not long after Wild Places took her in. After 13 years of loyalty, she was no longer wanted by her original family. She had difficulty walking due to a breeding condition in Corgis, but had good traction on grass and LOVED her walks. A vet was consulted to see if her health/age would allow a much-needed dental. That same day, she fell ill, and the vet diagnosed her with an auto-immune disease. Rae-Rae went quickly downhill and was too old to recover. She spent her last night at home with us, and hopefully felt nothing but love as she passed.
In Apr 2019, we rescued a female street dog during a trip to Central Mexico, and paid for the medical attention she needed. She was somewhat skinny and had an open wound on her side, but was in relatively decent shape compared to some of the other street dogs there. The vet named her "Arya" after her favorite character on GoT, and supervised the healing of Arya's wound. In May 2019, Arya was spayed, and then adopted by a family with kids! (see photo gallery)	*Arya*
*Micho*	In the summer of 2018, we rescued a sick/starving dog from the streets in Michoacan, Mexico, and named him Micho. We raised $1260 toward the ~$1800 that we paid for his medical care and rehabilitation. He's a very gentle soul, and is worth every dollar we spent on him. His recovery was slow, and it took him a long time to gain weight. But in Nov 2018 he was healthy enough to be transported to the States. Although Micho was headed for Colorado, one of the transporters in South Texas fell in love with him and adopted him. We later visited Micho and his adoptive family (they renamed him George), and he seemed healthy and happy. The little boy of the family was VERY attentive and attached to "George".
In Apr 2019, we rescued a poor, sick dog from a street in Central Mexico, and named him "Ramo". He was laying on his side, and looked like he might be dead. When we approached, he lifted his head, and had 8 or 10 flies buzzing around his eyes. He was skin and bones, and couldn't stand up. We loaded him in the car and rushed him to our vet in Cuernavaca. She did bloodwork, a urine test, x-rays, the works. He was scared, but he patiently let the vet poke/prod him. He had broken teeth, and the vet estimated his age around 10. His bloodwork and urine were more-or-less okay, but he couldn't move his limbs, only his head. The x-rays showed that his spine was almost completely fused. This explained why he was so thin -- he could no longer scavenge for food or water. Because of his age/weakness and the extent of the spinal problems, surgery wasn't an option for him. Because none of his limbs worked, a wheeled cart wasn't an option either. So we chose to end his suffering. The vet was very kind and gentle, and Ramo went peacefully, while all three of us (including the vet) cried, caressed him, and talked to him quietly. We're so grateful that we were in the right place at the right time to find him, and help him out of his extreme suffering. We only knew him a few hours, but it was heart-breaking. We love you, Ramo. Peace....	*Ramo*
*Quana and Jewel*	In March 2019, we raised $350 on Facebook to help rescue another mare, Quana, from a kill lot. She was going to be shipped to the Mexican meat market, but was saved in time by a very kind horse-lover. Quana was sick and ribby, and was suspected to be pregnant. She was temporarily quarantined in Colorado Springs while we raised funds for a much-needed vet exam and dental float. As it turned out, Quana was indeed pregnant, so it was important to get her nourished and healthy. By the time she delivered her foal in late May, Quana was filled-out, strong, and super-shiny. Quana and her filly, Jewel, are now safe and sound at a forever-home in Colorado.
In March 2018, we raised $1000 to help rescue a pregnant mare, Baley, from a kill lot in Texas. She was transported from Forney Texas to Olathe Colorado, where she gave birth to a healthy foal. She and her colt, Try, are now healthy in a safe and loving home in Colorado.	*Baley and Try*
*Chickens*	Rusty is a rooster (left), Lucy is a Rhode Island Red, Buffy is an Orpington, and Cher is an Ameraucana (right). All were left behind when their previous family moved away. The chickens permanently reside at our former facility in Alabama. They get fresh veggies every day, among other things, and are very spoiled.

Our Departed Friends

The little darlings below have passed away since they came into our lives. They are buried in a beautiful & peaceful spot on our old mountain in Colorado, overlooking Pikes Peak. We will miss them forever. We can only hope that they felt loved, peaceful, and safe during their time at Wild Places.

*Hopalong*	Hopalong was our 4th rescue horse. We named her that because of the way she compensated for her leg/foot problems -- she made little hops with her front legs. In March 2013, she had been impounded from her prior owner on cruelty charges, and went to stay at the 'Humane Society of the PPR'. Her hooves measured over 12" from the coronet band to the toe of the hoof, and she was very skinny. She also suffered from advanced arthritis in both knees and was not sound for riding. At Wild Places, she gained some much-needed weight, her coat became very shiny, and our farrier did some great work on her hooves. Unfortunately, after only a year with us, Hopalong had to be euthanized, in May 2014. Two vets, the equine chiropractor, the farrier, and two other "horse people" all agreed that it was her time to go. Because of the neglect at her prior home, her legs were permanently ruined, and one of the legs finally gave out. Her passing was peaceful, and her pain is over. We wish we could have had more time with her, but we are thankful for the time we had, and for the opportunity to give her love, friendship, and safety. We have a braid of her hair that we will always treasure. Rest in peace, sweet girl. UPDATE: Hopalong's previous owner was found guilty via plea deal! He had some decent fines to pay, anger management evaluation, and 18 months supervised probation with no equine ownership/possession or contact. We hoped he would get jail time, but at least our girl got some small measure of justice. See our photo gallery for some great "before and after" pictures of Hopalong.
Willoughby was born in 2004, and was a Basenji mix, with possibly some Boxer or Pit Bull mixed in. He was our distinguished gentleman, and almost never misbehaved. He had Horner's Syndrome in both eyes, he was partially deaf near the end, and he had chronic spinal issues -- but he managed to be a very active and happy dog nonetheless. He had many great adventures with us before his health declined, including much hiking in the mountains, splashing through streams, camping, and playing with his doggie-friends. At the end of 2017, his spinal issues worsened and he was no longer able to stand or walk. Even laying down, he had extreme pain. With very heavy hearts, we decided to euthanize him to release him from his pain. We buried him on our hill. He is sorely, sorely missed.	*Willoughby*
*Rudy*	Rudy, better known as "Bubba", was an angel on earth. He was the first animal to pass away at Wild Places. The sweetest, most patient, most tolerant, most courageous dog ever-- and tough as nails. During his last days, he was blind, had thyroid problems, and started having seizures that the veterinarians were unable to diagnose. As the seizures worsened, it was clear it was his time to go. He was euthanized in 2012, and was buried on our hill. If only we could have had more time with him.
Mona the goat arrived from Guffey, CO in November 2014. She was 1/2 Nubian, 1/2 Alpine. Her former owners intended to have her slaughtered for meat because they were trying to breed her but she couldn't manage to get pregnant. So we offered to give her a home. Ironically, it turned out that she was pregnant, with twins. Mona was a character. She loved to jump inside the horse troughs, aggressively reject Myron's advances, and "moan" whenever she ate (thus the name Mona). She was very gentle with her darling babies (Monette and Monty, named in her honor), and ferociously protective of them. Tragically, Mona passed away in April 2015, not long after giving birth. We were completely devastated by her loss, but we take much joy in the babies she left behind. Because the weather was so cold, the babies had to sleep in the house with us, and be bottle-fed every few hours, around the clock. Without their mama, they were sickly, and we thought they wouldn't survive. But they eventually rallied and grew strong and healthy. We buried Mona on our hill, overlooking Pikes Peak.	*Mona*
*Casey*	Our sixth horse arrived in August 2014 from Fountain, Colorado, at the age of 29. Casey was a gelding with recurrent equine uveitis -- the same disorder as our sweet Esther (below). He was blind in both eyes, and was also losing his hearing. Casey was gentle and sweet, the consummate gentleman. More of a teddy bear than a horse. In 2017, Casey started having seizures and digestive issues. After multiple consultations with the vet about Casey's quality of life, he was euthanized and buried on our hill. We believe he had been happy with us, and was probably relieved to get out of that old, broken-down body. He was 32 at the time of his passing.
Lady-Lu, an extremely elderly horse of 40+ years, arrived at Wild Places the first week of Aug 2015. She was very skinny, but gained 140+ pounds at Wild Places. Because she had almost no teeth, she was fed a special "mash" (soaked alfalfa pellets, beet pulp, senior horse grain, corn oil, senior supplements, probiotics, and joint supplements) to help her retain weight. When she arrived, she immediately needed dental work, deworming, hoof trimming, and vaccinations. She also had severe arthritis and balance issues. In late 2017, after consultation with the vet, we decided it was unkind to put Lady through another high-country winter, and she was euthanized and buried on our hill. At her previous home, Lady had lived with no other horses -- but at Wild Places, we know she enjoyed her time being part of a herd again, and we're so glad we were able to give her that time. We miss her dearly. See our photo gallery for some great "before and after" pictures of Lady.	*Lady-Lu*
*Esther*	Our fifth horse, Esther, arrived in Sept 2013 from a home in Kerrville, TX, where she was being badly bullied by another horse. Due to recurrent equine uveitis, she was missing her right eye and was mostly blind in her left eye. But she was very savvy, and managed quite well with us in Colorado. She knew some voice commands that allowed us to help her navigate, such as "ho!", and "come'ere Esther". When she went out into the pasture, she was able to follow the other horses to find her way. She even felt safe enough to canter and trot in the pasture sometimes, and it was a beautiful sight to behold. Although she couldn't see, she memorized her environment: her stall, the fences, the gates, the troughs, the run-in shelter, the hay nets, etc., and rarely bumped into anything. In addition to her vision challenges, Esther had severe dental problems. In Sept 2014, with the help of our donors, we were able to pay for some much-needed dental surgery for Esther. In Jan 2019, at the age of 15, Esther was entrusted to another family who had rescued other horses and seemed to care about her. Six weeks later, Esther was reported deceased from an "accident". We are utterly, completely heart-broken. We hope Esther felt safe and loved and happy for the 5+ years she was with us. We dearly love and miss her.

Help Wild Places every time you shop thru iGive.com

Our Rescue Animals