Outside of the Dublin Community Center Saturday morning, Buddy the goat greeted people as they pulled up with Christmas trees to toss into the growing pile by the carriage stables.

The trees were donations for the animals at Amazing Grace Animal Sanctuary in Sullivan, who will eat the greenery and then play with the remaining trunks. 

“I saw an idea on the internet somewhere that animals ate Christmas trees,” said Ruth Blais Thompson, a board member of the DubHub, “They’re like candy – they love them.” 

Blais Thompson knew of Amazing Grace Animal Sanctuary and organized the event with Donna and Daryl Watterson, who run the animal rescue.

Amazing Grace Animal Sanctuary currently has about 50 animals, including horses, a donkey, alpacas, goats, sheep, pigs, chickens, a goose, a cat and dogs. The Wattersons have been living on their plot of land in Sullivan and rescuing animals for 14 years. Four years ago, they became an official nonprofit. 

“It’s always been a dream of mine to own a rescue farm,” Donna said, and once they started one, “it didn’t take long to fill it all up.”

They rescued their goat Buddy six years ago. He was living at a home where a dog repeatedly attacked him, injuring his ear. He was moved to a couple other farms where he was neglected before being adopted by the Wattersons. 

“Most of my animals were not anymore use for people to make money on,” Donna said. Many animals are disabled, while some have experienced neglect and others had good homes, but outlived their owners. 

Donna said there are “tons of pig rescues right now.” She explained that people buy pet pigs without realizing how much work and attention they require. Then once they grow too big, they are often surrendered.

On a table set up with hot chocolate and doughnut holes, Donna displayed a few framed photos of her animals. In support of the nonprofit, people could buy toy pigs or a book written by Donna’s friend about two of the pigs on the farm, Gronk and Henrietta, who has an impaired leg and hoof. The Wattersons had recently thrown a wedding ceremony for the two pigs.

It takes a lot of work and money to run an animal sanctuary, and Donna said they are always looking for volunteers and people who will spend time with the animals. They are hoping to connect with organizations who will bring people to the farm.

Donna admitted that running a rescue farm can be heartbreaking, especially when an animal doesn’t make it. But the work is rewarding – the adopted animals all get along and they’re safe. 

“[The animals] will live there for life,” she said.

The trees were loaded onto a trailer, where they would be driven to the farm. Blais Thompson was very happy with the turnout and impressed with the number of trees dropped off. She saw people participate who have never come to the DubHub before, and people who traveled from out of town, including a couple from Hollis.

Many of the trees likely would have ended up in the recycling center if not for the event, which gives people another option to dispose of their tree and “it’s such a good cause,” Blais Thompson said. She aims to make it an annual event, and hopes it will get the word out about the  rescue and encourage people  to visit the farm.

New DubHub center director Monica Laskey recently visited the Sullivan rescue.

“I think it’s wonderful to give them recognition. They rely on donations,” she said. 

Amazing Grace Animal Sanctuary is at 161 Centre St. in Sullivan. It is open seven days a week, 24 hours a day. People are welcome to visit and spend time with the animals.

“It’s a place for people and animals to heal,” Donna Watterson said, adding that it’s a special place for people who “have some love to give or need some love.”

They can be found on Facebook and their website, amazinggraceanimalsanctuary.org.

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