Happy Tails Haven Horse Rescue and Sanctuary

To promote the welfare of animals through collaboration with similar organizations, to promote pet therapy, and to facilitate the animal, human bond.

Our Mission: To promote the welfare of animals through collaboration with similar organizations, to rescue and foster as able; to promote pet therapy, and to facilitate the animal-human bond.

About Us: CoDreLea Farm started out as a horse breeding facility in 1996. After a few years of this, we came to realize that there were “too many horses”and many were nwanted and in need of homes or in danger of being killed. Later we came to realize he same was tru for unwanted dogs and cats. Spo about 10 years ago, we started rescuing dogs, cats and the occasional horse. Many of the horses that remain at CoDreLea Farm are part of the original breeding stock or a few or their offspring. We began to advocate against indiscriminate breeding of horses, and for the ;spaying and neutering of pets. We have also been advocates for experiential learning with horses and other animals. Klara has been a certified member of EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning) organization. EAGALA is a methology for doing Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. CoDreLea Farm has contracted with mental health professionals to provide this service in the past. Animals, horses in particular, are great teachers utilizing metaphorical learning. In other words, our animals are very good at reflecting back to us what we need to learn. In April 2014, we incorporated Happy Tails Haven as a nonprofit corporation in South Dakota. In December 2014, we attained 501c3 nonprofit status. We now strive to make the lives of animals better and to foster the animal-human bond.
Meet the Animals:
Lester’s tale: About 10 years ago on Memorial Day Weekend, Klara started seeing movies and adds about Beagles on TV. She became aware of the reoccurring thought that she was supposed to adopt a Beagle. The following Monday, she was riding down the road telling her friend about this experience. Just as she finished saying that she thought she was supposed to be adopting a Beagle, the cars in front of them began to stop for, non-other than a Beagle crossing the road Klara went home and called Grace Kane, who was volunteering at the Rapid City Humane Society. Grace told Klara that there was a Beagle up for adoption. Klara went to the Humane Society later that day and adopted her number one Beagle, who she named Lester. So Lester started it all! Later that summer, we adopted Ben, the Beagle, from Spirit of the Hills Sanctuary.
And the adoptions continued: many more dogs and cats came to live here.
Grayson’s tale: Grayson was one such cat. He and his litter mates were feral cats living in a trailer court. A kind lady that Klara new was feeding them and asked Klara if she would be willing to adopt a kitten or two. Klara originally took home a little yellow striped kitten she named Robbie. A couple of weeks later, she was contacted by the same lady who pleaded with her to take another kitten. She had been calling it Hops’ because he was missing part of his right hind leg. Klara agreed, knowing the kitten didn’t have much of a chance outdoors with winter coming on. Klara took the kitten to the vet who said he likely had his umbilical cord wrapped around that leg which the mother failed to lick off. This caused the blood supply to be cut off as it dried. He ultimately had the rest of his leg amputated and has made an amazing recovery. But trouble seems to follow him, (or he had a secret desire to look like a Scottish fold breed cat) because he managed to have hematomas in his ears, about a year apart, which required two other surgeries. And now he rather looks like a Scottish fold. Don’t you agree?

Another tale: One of our registered Quarter Horse mares, named Coal, had a pure black filly we named Carbon because she was a “carbon copy” of her mother. A family wished to purchase them to train as a team to pull a wagon. This was very difficult decision for Klara because she had purchased Coal as a weanling. But since it seemed they would be going to a good home, Klara agreed. To make a long story short, a few weeks later the man called Klara to see if she wanted to buy the horses back because the mare was “mean”, uncooperative, and bit his gelding. At the time, due to finances, Klara was uncertain if she could take the horses back. A few days later, she was unable to sleep all night long because she kept thinking that she had to take the horses back. She almost phoned the man at 3:00 AM but decided to wait until later. By 5:00 AM, Klara felt it urgent that she phone. When the man answered, he stated that he was glad Klara called when she did because the horses were going to be picked up at 6:00 AM to go to “the sale”. He agreed to keep the horses until Klara could come to get them. When Klara arrived with a friend to pick up the horses a couple of days later, she found that the mare had a huge skin gash on her back and drooping facial muscles on her right side. Needless to say, Klara was furious! When she asked the man how the mare acquired the injuries, he claimed she had thrown herself to the ground with the saddle on and he drug her with his vehicle. The vet later said the horses injuries were consistent with someone “losing his temper” and that the horse would be okay with treatment. It took almost a year for her facial muscles to completely recover. The yearling filly, Carbon, had a cut on her front leg which required vet care and daily dressing changes. The man claimed the filly kept jumping out of the pen and that is how she sustained her injury. After this experience, Klara swore that she would never, ever sell a horse again. Both Coal and Carbon are happy and healthy and all the horses that live here have a home for life.

14898 Elk Creek Rd
Piedmont, SD 57769
United States