Local Animal Rescue Sanctuary Faces Uphill Financial Battles

In the small town of Hardinsburg, a beloved animal rescue mission is struggling. Lisa’s Little Dream Farm Sanctuary is home to nearly 80 animals, each with a story of survival, and each cared for by Lisa and Robert Young, a couple who have dedicated their lives to saving animals in need.

“I’ve been rescuing since I was 18 and fostering for rescue,” said Lisa. “I’m now 60. My husband was a deputy and in the National Guard. When he got deployed the first time, it evolved from just dogs and cats to goats, a horse, and fostering pigs for animal control.”

The couple lived in South Carolina before moving to Indiana six years ago. Lisa says the sanctuary grew even more after Robert returned from his final deployment with severe lung disease.

Lisa's husband Robert

Today, they care for a wide variety of animals, including dogs, cats, horses, mini horses, goats, chickens, donkeys, and even a disabled turkey.

Baby Casper

One of Lisa's favorite rescue stories is Casper the goat, who arrived at the sanctuary extremely ill. His legs were fused together in three places, he had an extremely high fever, and he suffered from constant digestive issues. “We were told to euthanize him, that he would never walk or have quality of life,” Lisa said. “I didn’t listen. I saw in his eyes that he wanted to fight, and that’s what we did.”

Casper lived inside their home so Lisa could monitor him closely and keep him clean. “They get sores really easy if you don’t take extremely good care of them,” she explained. Lisa performed therapy on his legs several times a day and soaked them regularly. Eventually, he graduated to a wheelchair.

Casper now

Now, Casper runs up ramps, jumps on the trampoline, and does everything the other goats do. “He’s the biggest goat on the property and absolutely the sweetest baby,” Lisa said.

Another rescue, a blind goat named Romeo, came to the farm under unusual circumstances. “A hunter found him two years ago on November 1, right when I had just gotten home from the hospital after heart surgery,” she said. “He still had his umbilical cord. The man found him at the edge of a pond and brought him to our door.”

Lisa and Robert have a bigger vision for their sanctuary. They hope to one day obtain official nonprofit status and create a healing space not just for animals, but for people too.

“Our wish is to become a 501(c)(3) and have it be a therapy place for all first responders, abused women, and people who are sick,” Lisa said. “A nurse with stage 4 cancer had posted a bucket list, and one of the things on it was to be hugged by a donkey. We invited her out, and it was one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. She laid down in our pasture, and all nine donkeys made a circle around her and laid their heads, one at a time, on her heart. It made us all cry.”

Visitors can schedule a one-hour visit to the sanctuary for a $10 donation per person, with tours and birthday parties also listed as options. The specific address is provided upon booking. “They can message us on Facebook or text 803-669-9175,” Lisa said. “They’ll get to meet all the animals and get as many hugs as they can handle.”

Despite the heartwarming mission, the sanctuary is struggling financially. “We’ve had hardly any donations and we badly need hay for the winter,” Lisa said. “We’ve had over $8,000 in vet bills since March.”

Plans to become a 501(c)(3) organization remain out of reach for now. “We want to become one, but we don’t have the extra funds to take away from the animals to pay the fee,” Lisa said. “We’ve had so many vet bills, and our tractor bill is already $1,000.”

Volunteers are also needed, especially in the early mornings. Supporters can also contribute through the farm’s Amazon wish list or directly through PayPal.

“We don’t do anything or go anywhere so we can continue,” she said, listing credit cards and disability income as their primary means of keeping the sanctuary running.

Despite the struggles, Lisa’s Little Dream Farm Sanctuary hopes to offer a second chance to animals that have been forgotten, and a healing space for those who come to visit, for a long time to come.

To learn more or to support the sanctuary, message Lisa through Facebook or text 803-669-9175.