Hearts & Hooves Haven

🌿 Hearts & Hooves Haven 🌿

a 501(c)(3) nonprofit farm-animal sanctuary located in the Eucalyptus Hills/ Lakeside community of East County San Diego.  

The sanctuary provides a lifelong safe haven and sanctuary for a variety of farm and other rescued animals - including horses, ponies, miniature horses, goats, pigs, chickens, roosters, tortoises, barn cats, and more.

  Each rescue has a story, some arrived from neglect, abuse, abandonment, or unsafe situations.  Providing lifelong care for often times, sick, injured or older animals. But the love these animals give back to us

 is priceless!  

Our sanctuary fosters a compassionate, educational, and heart-healing environment that is truly amazing. Offering free, community-based educational and therapeutic experiences for children, Veterans (see our Veteran Program info), and families.

✨ Contact our Founder, Gina  for more information. ✨

✨ A PLACE OF COMPASSION, CARE, AND HEART! ✨

Our sanctuary is more than a safe place for animals—it’s a place to connect, learn, and heal. Together, we are building a permanent refuge where animals live out their lives loved and secure, while inspiring others to experience the joy of 

small farm-ily life.

Our little sanctuary stands as a living example of how the small farm-ily life can uplift both residents and animals.

We are committed to providing permanent, safe shelter and compassionate care for our animals to live out their lives—safe, loved, and cared for while sharing their stories, and the therapeutic benefits to spending time with these beautiful animals.

 Why Small Farm-ilys Matter 

Many families living in county-zoned areas for hooved animals may not realize the incredible benefits these animals bring—not only as companions, but also as valuable members of a healthy homestead, or as we like to call, a “small farm-ily.”

• Pasture Companions: Horses that are no longer rideable can still serve as beautiful pasture pets. Along with proper hay and grain, they graze naturally—helping with vegetation control.
   
• Natural Pest Control: Barn cats provide an eco-friendly, pesticide-free solution for rodent management.
   
• A Safer Environment: The daily presence of hooved animals such as horses, cows, pigs, and goats can deter snakes, offering an added layer of safety for residents, children, and pets.
   

🌿 Our Story 🌿

 Hearts & Hooves Haven began with a simple belief:  that every animal deserves safety, compassion, and a chance to be loved.

Founder Gina Gladstone didn’t set out to build a sanctuary—she opened her ranch to help a few animals in need. A mini-horse needing stability. A bonded pony and full-size horse who couldn’t be separated. Little goats who lost their mom at birth and were brought in and lovingly bottle fed.  A pig whose future was uncertain at just 11 days old.  A rooster saved at the last moment. Tortoises whose owners lost their home and needed somewhere safe for them to go.  The list goes on.  

One animal became two. Two became five. And before long, the ranch became a place where farm animals who had been forgotten, mistreated, rehomed repeatedly, or left behind found a permanent home—a place where they would finally be safe.

But something unexpected happened alongside the rescue work:

People began to heal here, too.

Children struggling with anxiety began smiling again while brushing a miniature horse.

Families going through hard times found comfort in an afternoon of feeding goats.

Veterans discovered peace in the quiet moments with gentle animals who asked for nothing but kindness.

Local friends and volunteers helped build barns, fences, sheds, and enclosures—not because they had to, but because they believed in the sanctuary’s mission.

Little by little, this ranch transformed into a safe haven—a place where animals and people support one another, and where love and kindness leaves a lasting impression.

Today, Hearts & Hooves Haven is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing:

• A lifelong refuge for rescued and surrendered farm animals
• Free educational programs for children and families
• A peaceful, grounding space for veterans and community members
• A positive example of what compassion looks like in action

The sanctuary remains deeply rooted in the Lakeside/Eucalyptus Hills community. Local businesses, neighbors, sponsors, and volunteers have built this place alongside us—with donated materials, time, resources, and love. Every shed, fence panel, and enclosure carries the fingerprints of people who believed these animals deserved better.

At its core, Hearts & Hooves Haven is more than a sanctuary.  It’s a place of love, compassion, and hope.

This is our story.

And everyone who visits, volunteers, donates, or simply shares a kind word becomes part of it.

PLEASE CONTACT US FOR 

MORE INFORMATION!