Soraya McKay | Hallie Hill Animal Sanctuary

Meet August’s Adorable Adoptables at Hallie Hill

Aug 18, 2025

Looking to add a little more love (and fur) to your life?

Our shelter is home to incredible animals ready to find their forever families. Whether you’re searching for a playful pup, a snuggly senior, or a curious cat, this month’s adoptables are full of personality—and waiting to meet you. Click here to fill out an application and meet these deserving animals!

Otis

Otis is a cheerful senior mixed-breed with a sweet smile that will instantly win your heart. With his warm personality and calm demeanor, he gets along well with the people and dogs he meets at the sanctuary. Otis is a mellow companion who enjoys a stroll or a cozy nap in the sun. Like many dogs with a past, Otis can be protective of his food, so he’ll thrive in a home that respects his space during mealtime. He would do best with experienced dog owners or in a house where feeding routines can be managed with care. Otis may be in his golden years, but his gentle nature and joyful spirit make him a special friend. Otis might be your perfect match if you’re looking for a loyal senior to share peaceful days and sweet smiles.

Libby

Libby is a lively 2-year-old black Lab mix bursting with energy and potential. Life at the sanctuary can be overstimulating for this sweet gal, so she often comes across as extra hyper. Under all that excitement is an intelligent, loving dog who needs little guidance. Libby is very food-motivated, which makes training easier, and she’s already showing signs of being a quick learner. Libby will blossom into a well-mannered and loyal companion with consistency, repetition, and a patient heart. She would thrive in an active home with someone who can help her channel her energy positively and continue her training journey. If you’re looking for a bright, affectionate dog ready to learn and love, Libby is ready to meet you!

Poppy

Meet Poppy! Poppy is a striking black and white spotted beauty who just might be one of the most adoptable dogs at the sanctuary! With her friendly personality and easygoing nature, she’s captured the hearts of everyone she meets, both two- and four-legged. Poppy is bright, alert, and eager to be part of the action. She’s been wonderful with the other dogs at the sanctuary and absolutely adores people. Whether it’s playtime in the yard or relaxing by your side, Poppy is happy just being with her people. If you’re looking for a loyal, loving, and well-rounded companion, Poppy might be your perfect match. Don’t wait- this girl is ready to bring joy and companionship into her forever home!

Tippy

Tippy is a beautiful calico cat with a soft heart and a sweet spirit. Affectionate and gentle, she loves attention and is always happy to curl beside you for pets and purrs. She adjusts to new environments with surprising ease and confidence, making her an excellent companion for almost any home. Tippy’s left ear was clipped when she was spayed through a Trap-Vaccinate-Alter-Return (TVAR) program—a small mark that tells a story of care and compassion in her past. Now she is ready for her next chapter, a cozy, loving forever home. If you’re looking for a cuddly and affectionate feline friend, Tippy could be your perfect match!

Volunteer Spotlight: Gwen D’Orazio

Aug 12, 2025

A Cattery Companion with a Heart for Cats
Suppose you’ve ever wandered into the Hallie Hill cattery on a quiet afternoon and spotted someone eating her lunch and giving head rubs to some affectionate felines. In that case, chances are you’ve met Gwen D’Orazio. A devoted weekly volunteer since 2023, Gwen has quickly become a favorite among the community cat colony and the “Sweethearts,” as she lovingly refers to the sanctuary’s resident cattery cats. Whether offering head rubs or simply providing a calm presence, Gwen has a special way of making each cat feel cherished.

Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Gwen’s journey has taken her from the Southwest to the Northeast and now to the warm charm of the Lowcountry. She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of New Mexico before launching a 20-year career in Boston as a jewelry buyer and product development design manager for a multi-channel catalog/website company. In 2015, Gwen and her husband traded snowstorms for sunshine and moved to Charleston—and she’s never looked back. Though she and her husband now share their home with a tennis-named pup named Rafa, Gwen’s heart has always belonged to cats. Over the years, she’s adopted three cats and cared for several feral colonies. One of those colony cats led her to Hallie Hill—a feral cat in need of rehoming brought her through our doors, and she says she’ll be forever grateful that we opened both our hearts and our sanctuary to him. By day, Gwen serves as a Content Director for an Amazon agency, but her passion for animals fills her spare time. She enjoys traveling, Pilates, and quiet evenings with her husband, but her weekly visits to Hallie Hill feed her soul. She calls it a “true blessing and honor” to volunteer alongside some of the most thoughtful and kind individuals she’s ever met.

Thank you, Gwen, for your dedication, compassion, and all the love you bring to our feline friends!

Clear the Shelters: August 1- 31, 2025

Aug 6, 2025

This year, NBCUniversal Local is teaming up with hundreds of shelters across the country, including Hallie Hill, to host the Clear the Shelters campaign. Since 2015, this nationwide pet adoption campaign has given more than one million pets their forever homes.

Instead of adoption, The Black Dog launched a Clear The Shelters merchandise collection. They will donate 100% of the profits from the limited-edition merchandise collection to the Clear The Shelters fund. This collection includes merchandise for pet lovers and their dogs!

If you’re looking to add a goofy and sweet companion to your life, Hallie Hill is hosting our Clear The Shelters open house event on August 23 and 24 from 10 AM to 2 PM. We want to showcase our deserving residents in hopes of finding them their forever homes.

Can’t adopt but still want to help? Donations are just as impactful. Your support gives our animals the care, comfort, and second chance they deserve. Donations are accepted here on the Hallie Hill website or at the Clear The Shelters Website, here.

Hallie Hill and PetSinc offer an Affordable Mobile Vet Clinic on Thursday, August 14

Jul 31, 2025

Hallie Hill Animal Sanctuary and PETSinc have partnered to help the community receive affordable veterinary care for their pets. This low-cost mobile veterinary clinic allows community members to bring in their pets for vaccines, spay and neuter, and other wellness necessities, as well as elective services such as microchipping, nail trims, and ear cleanings.

Getting your furry family members the care they need shouldn’t be unattainable. That is why Hallie Hill and PETSinc offer low-cost services to those in need. So far, we have completed five mobile clinic days and performed over 93 spay/neuter surgeries and over 81 wellness visits! By bringing your pet to receive care on one of our mobile clinic days, you will be improving their quality of life!

The next opportunity is on the Hallie Hill campus and will occur on August 14, 2025, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. We do not require an appointment for wellness exams, but an appointment is required for spay and neuter appointments, as they are in high demand. To schedule your pet’s low-cost spay or neuter appointment, click here.

Volunteer Spotlight: Mia Balman

Jul 22, 2025

Introducing Mia Balman, one of our newest volunteers at the sanctuary. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., Mia moved to Charleston in 2015 to attend the College of Charleston and quickly fell in love with the Lowcountry and its community of needy animals.

Mia is no stranger to rescuing herself; her beloved companion, Jabba, has been by her side since she was 19. A spirited German Shorthaired Pointer/Pittie mix, Jabba is now almost nine years old but full of life and personality. “He’s my entire world,” Mia says. “He keeps me active and busy with all his energy.”

Between graduate school, earning her master’s in social work, and her love of the outdoors, travel, and reading, Mia still makes time to give back—and Hallie Hill is lucky to be one of the places where she shares her time and heart.

“Volunteering at the sanctuary feels like a way I can give back to those who saved my baby, Jabba,” she says. “Having a facility like Hallie Hill has been my dream for the last 10+ years—something I talk about as my ‘early retirement plan.’ Being a part of it now is so special. And honestly, every animal here has completely stolen my heart.”

We are beyond grateful to have Mia as part of the Hallie Hill family—her passion, compassion, and commitment are truly inspiring. Volunteers like Mia help us give second chances to animals in need, and we couldn’t do it without them.