'The Inn Is Full': Manhattan Rescue Farm In Dire Need Of More Space

MANHATTAN, IL — A Manhattan rescue farm has grown so much, they're out of room. They've turned to the community in hopes of finding an additional property to allow their overflowing operation more room to grow.

Nonprofit HHH Ranch in Manhattan—named for Hands, Hooves, and Hope—has been leasing land nearby with the intention to purchase, but that property has since fallen through and become unavailable to them, said founder and president Christine Doran. With 22 horses, eight sheep, three alpacas, three goats (with one in gestation), and 15 chickens, their proverbial—and literal—inn is full, and they need to find something fast.

"It’s a ticking time bomb until we lose that property," Doran told Patch.

Awareness is growing around HHH, a registered 501c3 ranch that relies heavily on donations and fundraising to help feed its many hooved, furry, or feathered creatures. All kept on the farm—located at 14101 West Bruns Rd. in Manhattan—have been taken in as rescues or animals needing a little extra love.

As their name and mission spread, they're intervening in animals' lives sooner, continuing to be a critical step in saving their lives. The rescue typically has stepped in to save animals before they're sent to slaughter—now, people are asking for help sooner. In a typical year, they would rescue two to five horses from being auctioned to slaughter. Last year, it was 13 rescued total, and just two intercepted from slaughter.

"I love that our name’s getting out there, so that we’re reaching these animals before they hit the slaughter pipeline," Doran said. "That’s an incredible spot to be in."

When one rescue horse pending pickup is taken in later this month, they'll be at their absolute maximum capacity.

"We’re at the point where this next horse we take in, is the absolute last horse we can take in," Doran said.

Rescued animals taken into HHH are loved and cared for, rehabilitated with the intent of finding their forever homes. Some come with painful histories, requiring more time and patience to recover before becoming eligible for adoption.

Like Loco, a gelding whose lessee had used ill-fitting equipment on him for too long, causing deep sores on his withers. Loco's owner—who had a second horse and had trusted the care of Loco to the leasee—showed up at Doran's doorstep, heart in her hand and Loco in the trailer. She implored Doran for help.

And also like Phoenix, who after her owner had been sent to prison, was insufficiently fed by the boarding barn where she had been kept. By the time she came to HHH, she was 400 pounds underweight and near death.

Another horse—Sugar, 28—found her way to HHH after the owners believed her to have an infection too costly for them to treat. The owner was heard saying that if the horse was not taken in immediately, she would be shot, Doran said. They picked up Sugar and a companion that same day. She has now also recovered from improper shoeing, and is available for adoption for $300, Doran said.

"I always tell the horses, I can’t focus on what they have been through, it makes me too angry," Doran said. "I tell them 'I’m sorry for the hand that you were dealt, but you’ll never be in that situation again...' When I find them homes, it will be their forever homes where they will be loved, and they will never experience that again."

But they're bursting at the seams now, Doran said, and they need to find more room. Some horses need the safe haven while they recover enough to find new homes. Many face not only physical scars, but mental and emotional ones left behind by abuse and trauma.

"We have 22 horses, we don’t have space for any of these guys," Doran said. "We only have six acres. We can’t be tossing these horses off on people—some of them are dangerous right now."

Doran and her crew have turned to social media to spread the word of their need.

"Our name is getting out there and with that, the rescue calls are endless," they wrote on social media. "We can't help more animals if we do not have a place to keep them until they are adopted out."

They're looking for land with a house, or space to build one, as the animals would need a caregiver on the property 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It doesn't necessarily have to have a barn, or a barn with stalls—a pole barn would suffice, Doran said.

They're looking for at least 10 acres, preferably with 20 minutes of Manhattan. Property can be for sale, lease, or donation to the nonprofit. Donated property can be more than 20 minutes away.

"Maybe someone that has land 2 hours from here, they would donate it to us, and we could sell it," Doran said.

"Maybe there’s just something that’s near us that we could rent for right now as we keep looking."

As a 501c3, any land donated would be tax-deductible, Doran stressed, and they have an attorney ready to help with the paperwork.

Doran is open-minded to any and all possibilities, but some make financing more difficult.

"Our budget really depends on financing, we’ve been putting aside money," Doran said. "If we have to go through a bank, our budget’s going to be less."

They're willing to think outside the box stall, and they hope anyone with property that fits what they're looking for will be as well.

"We don’t even need stalls, just a pole barn," Doran said. "We can build stalls. If it was the right place, we could just build things. It’s not going to send us the other way if it’s simply a plot of land."

Ideally in the future, the current location will be used more for therapy, riding lessons, and related programs, and the new property will be used as space for the rescued animals to recover and rediscover life as beloved farm animals.

Now, they just need to find it, even if it's imperfect at first. They're ready to scoop up another place for their animals to call home.

"For the right place," Doran said, "nothing will scare me away."

Anyone with leads on a property should email info@hhhranchil.org, call (708)689-9889, or contact HHH via Facebook.