News | Hallie Hill Animal Sanctuary

Animals Benefited By Your Laps For Love Donation

Aug 17, 2023

With our Laps For Love fundraiser just a few days away, we wanted to share our special animals that your donation benefits.

Lolly is a chubby little beagle mix who, through no fault of her own, was surrendered to a local county animal shelter. The shelter was so overcrowded that Lolly was being held in a crate until a spot opened up for her. She was likely a candidate for euthanasia, being a senior with skin rashes and a neurological issue that gave her an unsteady gait. When a shelter worker contacted Hallie Hill asking if we would accept Lolly into our program, we could save her life because of your support. Lolly waddles daily around the sanctuary and really enjoys sniffing in the open fields. She hopes to one day catch a squirrel, but the squirrels don’t look worried by her latest attempts. Someone may adopt Lolly despite her age and unsteady gait, but if not, she is promised a home here at Hallie Hill for as long as she needs it.

Dolly was found as a stray by a family who brought her to us for care as they already had a few dogs. Dolly was very feeble to be only about 2 years old because she had painful, swollen joints on all four legs. She also had an abscessed tooth. Dr Badger at West Ashley Veterinary clinic did an amazing job diagnosing and treating her immune-associated arthritis. After proper medication, her joint swelling was down and she was a happy comfortable girl. Dolly’s infected tooth was removed and the wound on her cheek was repaired. She now is quite the character with a beautiful voice and is safe at the sanctuary awaiting someone to choose her to take home.

Leigh, a long-time volunteer at the sanctuary, spotted a small grey tabby kitten on the edge of a rural road. She was surprised when he did not run away as she bicycled past him. She stopped her bike and spoke softly to him. That was all the encouragement the little guy needed to start dragging himself as fast as he could toward her as if his life depended on him getting to her before she left! Leigh brought him to the sanctuary because he could not stand and seemed to have no use of his hind legs, which were atrophied from lack of use. We named him Max- since he put forth “max”imum effort to survive and be rescued. Max was cleaned up, given plenty of food and water, and examined by our vet, who x-rayed him to determine his little spine was badly broken. Max later visited a neurologist who gave us a good prognosis: Max could possibly walk again once his spinal injury had time to heal. A strict regimen of crate rest was prescribed. Max has been adopted by his foster care-givers.

Alfredo is about a 10-year-old yellow tabby cat that came to us as a found stray. He was thin and seemed to be hungry all the time. After only a day with us, we knew he would have some medical issues, and he was quickly diagnosed as a diabetic. Alfredo receives an insulin injection every 12 hours and is gaining weight nicely. Alfredo has a winning personality and is the most adorable little guy! We hope an adopter will consider him even though he requires extra care.

Thank You Friends of Hallie Hill

Jun 27, 2023

Preferred Home Services donated over 1,000 pounds of dog food!! Thank you so much, Mike and Ryan, for this special fundraiser and for making this special delivery to the Sanctuary. We are so grateful for your kindness- thanks for caring about our special animals.

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We are pretty excited about a wonderful donation of a chest freezer! Now our pups can have refreshing frozen treats in our hot, South Carolina summer.

Thank you to East Cooper Center for Advanced Studies High School Program!! They collected donations of dog food, towels, treats, and so much more. We know our animals will be very happy.

Fear-Free Shelters: Taking the PET out of Petrified one shelter at a time

Jun 14, 2023

We are pleased to announce HHAS has adopted the methods and philosophies of the Fear Free Shelter Program. Michele Griffin, CPDT-KA, the HHAS Assistant Director, has not only a passion for pets but one for educating people about understanding companion animals and the best methods for working with them. Michele has led our current continuing education campaign wherein the sanctuary staff is completing a course to learn the best practices for working with animals in a way that improves their emotional experiences and reduces their fear, anxiety, and frustration. Volunteers are also welcome to complete this course to better understand some key strategies and techniques that will make a positive impact on the emotional state of the animals in our care. Every month for the next several months, we will highlight what one of our staff members found most interesting or valuable about the program.

“The thing I love most about our staff and volunteers embracing and using the Fear Free Shelter philosophy and techniques is having everyone on the same page with the way they handle and interact with our animals – care, and consistency is so important. So much research has been done in recent years, proving that, like us, dogs and cats are sentient beings with feelings and emotions. Small, easy changes in the way we do things with them makes such a huge impact on their comfort and wellbeing.” -Michele Griffin

Frozen Summer Treats For Dogs

May 31, 2023

With the hot South Carolina temperatures that summer brings, frozen treats can be enriching and help your dog beat the heat. You can combine most dog-friendly ingredients to make your pup a cool treat.

We received a chest freezer through donations, so we will be making these frozen enrichment treats for the dogs at the sanctuary

Here’s what you need:

Space in the freezer is a must!! Make some room for your dog’s special summer treat, so you have guaranteed space to chill it.

Find a container to freeze your concoction in. It should be large enough that the contents don’t melt immediately once leaving the cool temperatures, but small enough it will fit in your freezer.

You can include your dogs favorite snacks like treats, veggies, fruit, cheese, or meat to make your frozen treat tasty. Top it with a liquid such as water, yogurt, or sugar-free fruit juice.

Here’s how to assemble:

Place some of your pup’s favorite snacks in the bottom of the container. Add your liquid of choice and freeze for 30 minutes.

You can repeat multiple times with different layers for extra flavor, or can just stick to one layer. Finally, freeze for a few hours, or until frozen solid.

Once ready, serve outside, or any place where a sticky cleanup won’t be an issue. We hope your dogs love these frozen treats, and stay cool this summer.

Foraging 101 For Cats

May 15, 2023

Cats are cute but they are also stealthy predators, born to hunt and kill. Food Puzzles (a.k.a. foraging toys) offer many benefits and are the closest thing to hunting we can offer our house cats. Here’s how to start foraging and bring out your little predator’s instincts:

The first toy should be easy! The goal is simply for them to learn the game and get rewarded for their behavior.

Start with clear objects so they can see, smell, and hear the kibble rattling around inside. Round toys that roll easily are less frustrating.

While they are learning, toys should have multiple holes for kibble to dispense. Three holes are great for all beginners.

When you first place the toys, sprinkle kibble around them so your cats approach and hopefully start to push the toy for more.

Sprinkle kibble in some favorite napping or perch areas for them to discover during the day or leave rolling toys open until your cat gets the hang of them.

If you have multiple cats, offer puzzles throughout your home. Cats hunt and eat alone, so feeding them in close proximity can create stressful competition that can result in aggression.

If your cat has mastered the basics, its time to increase the challenge. Decrease the number of openings. Offer objects that don’t roll predictably. Use larger objects with more weight, and combine with smaller toys they have mastered.

We Have Your Next New Ride

May 15, 2023

Thanks to a generous donation to the Sanctuary, we can offer this beautiful Corvette for sale with 100% of the proceeds to benefit Hallie Hill!

The car is a 1968 Corvette Convertible, 350ci, with a 4 speed transmission. You can purchase it now for $45,000 dollars.

See it at our next ‘Putting for Paws’ event on June 26, and bring your check book!! What better reason to buy a new car than to help animals? You know you want to do both!