We founded the Rolling Dog Ranch Animal Sanctuary in December 2000, when we left our corporate jobs in Seattle and moved to a 160-acre ranch in the Blackfoot River Valley of western Montana. Our dream was to create a sanctuary focused on caring for animals with disabilities. These are the animals who are the least likely to be adopted and among the most likely to be euthanized in traditional shelters. The sanctuary is home to about sixty animals on average, nearly two-thirds of them blind.
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From the outset, we had named the ranch the "Rolling Dog" because our dogs loved to roll around on their backs in the sagebrush- and grass-covered meadows on the property.
After ten wonderful years in Montana, we moved the sanctuary during the spring and summer of 2010 to a new and equally beautiful 120-acre property in the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire. You can read about why we relocated on our blog here.
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One thing is clear: The dogs — and the horses! — love to roll around on their backs even more in the lush and green New Hampshire grass!
The sanctuary's disabled residents are remarkable animals. They are happy, energetic and loving. Many of our visitors can't believe the animals they see romping with each other and running around are blind or cope with some other kind of handicap. There isn't a single animal here who feels sorry for itself. Each and every one of them loves being alive.
That's really the ultimate inspiration for us. Despite their disabilities, they want nothing more than a chance to enjoy life. And that's what they get to do here.
Steve Smith and Alayne Marker
