Donations

Dream when she arrived to us starved and close to death - your donations helped bring her back to life and health.

Dream when she arrived to us starved and close to death. Your donations helped bring her back into health to live a long, full, and happy life in Malibu for many years.

How to donate

We are a 501c3 Non-Profit Organization  

EIN 81-3188893

Payment Options

HONOR GIVING:

You can donate for and sponsor animals in honor or memory of another person. On the e-payment platforms, please make note that this is an HONOR GIFT. Tell us the name of the recipient in the sections provided for comments (Moonclerk, Paypal, Venmo) or direct messages (Patreon). Then follow up with an email to: sponsor@skydogranch.com to tell us which payment option you used, the amount, who is being honored, and the address we should use to notify them.

THE VET FUND

You can specify that you want your donation to help pay vet bills and farrier costs. Foals born to mothers that spent time in kill pens (Shasta), special needs rescues (Lily), equines with terrible feet (Millie) have run up astronomical medical bills. All our rescues stay at Skydog for the rest of their lives and this fund helps us be prepared for unexpected medical costs.

THE HAY FUND

The amount of feed wild horses need triples during the winter due to extreme cold temperatures overnight. Sometimes it drops as low as -20° in Oregon. They need something to chew on all night to keep their body temperatures up so they won't shiver and start losing weight.  We need to buy Orchard, Alfalfa and Blue Grass, as well as Timothy Blend for the donkeys and smaller animals. Helping us keep our hay sheds full for winter is a great way to support Skydog.

CORPORATE GIVING:

Ask your employer if they participate in Donation Matching with organizations such as: Yourcause.com

WHY DONATE TO SKYDOG ?

What we do:

We rescue wild horses and burros that have been rounded up by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) from public lands in order to replace them with the privately-owned livestock of commercial ranchers. Those that survive the violence of helicopter roundups, and culling at the traps, are moved to the dismal conditions of short-term or long-term holding facilities. It’s a cruel, broken, and unsustainable system. Families are separated, mares from their stallions, foals from their mothers. Some are purchased by good homes, others by terrible owners or traders. Since 2019, unprecedented numbers are being funneled into the slaughter pipeline. 

How we do it:

Every year, we choose a general focus for our rescue efforts. It is never set in stone, we respond to needs as they arise. We usually look for those who are unlikely to find good homes because of age (Condor & Abraxas), appearance (Mrs. Tiggywinkle), temperament (Zee), ailments (Dakoda), injuries (Read), trauma (Atsa), and wildness (Madison). We consider seniors a critical area of rescue as they are the most vulnerable at auctions (Amelia). We do not shy away from the costs of the extra care that the elderly or special needs animals require (Waldo). Many of our rescues are bailed from kill pens (Cheyenne, Sierra, Snow). In these cases, the females are often pregnant, so two lives are saved in one (Dolly & Pepper). Whenever possible, we try to reunite family bands (Blue Zeus), adopt mares and foals together (Bibi & Bitsy), or bring bonded friends, who were separated, back together (Hera & Strongheart). We had not planned to take in “exotics”, but with zonkeys and zebras surfacing in kill pens via the canned hunt industry, we have helped some of those as well (Ziggy). After Quarantine, we haul them to Skydog to heal their bodies with excellent nutrition and medical care. The company of other equines calms their fears with a sense of security that only comes from belonging to a herd. Thanks to our experienced, skilled staff and a hydraulic squeeze chute, we are able to examine and treat the wildest animals and offer farrier care without anyone getting hurt, equine or human. The wild ones can run free with a herd on 9000 acres in Oregon, while seniors and special needs equines enjoy a gentle retirement in sunny California. 

Our commitment is life-long:

When we save a life, it is saved for life. Our animals have permanent refuge with the very highest standard of care for the rest of their days. They will never be sold, traded, worked, abused, or plunged back into the slaughter pipeline ever again. To keep this promise, we never take in more animals than we have resources to support. We are constantly flooded with requests to help, but there is no way we can save them all. We love to work with other legitimate rescues and sanctuaries to help as many as possible land in good homes. Any day of the week, you can look at our social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, XTwitter, Bluesky) for updates and current videos of horses and burros you helped bring to Skydog - you are welcome to make requests if you miss seeing one. We share their backstories, rescues, healing, treatments, releases into herds and the unfolding joys of their new lives. The hardest part of this job, of course, is having to say goodbye, but when the time comes, we share the news of their passing. At least one of our staff is with them and our compassionate vet team so they leave this world with kindness. love, respect and dignity.

Transparency & Accountablity:

Fraud rescues, sanctuaries, and mass bailers are popping up out of nowhere with alarming frequency. It’s a terrible thing when a donor learns their money went into the pockets of scam artists who profit off the suffering of animals. It’s even worse when the animals they thought they were helping have suffered or perished from abuse or neglect; disappear and are unaccounted for; or were dumped back into the slaughter pipeline. Donors have every right to demand transparency and accountability and we don’t hesitate to provide it. Sponsors are entitled to one-on-one visits at the ranch with the animals they support. We proudly meet the rigorous requirements of organizations that donors rely upon to assess the legitimacy and quality of nonprofits and sanctuaries.

Guidestar Candid.

Skydog has earned the Platinum Transparency Seal from Candid. It the highest level of recognition awareded by this leading nonprofit information platform. To obtain the Platinum Seal, we have to share strategic goals and measurable impact metrics; provide detailed financial information to ensure transparency; supply qualitative insights about our operations. There are bronze, silver, gold levels, but many donors prefer or require the platinum seal. Our financials are posted on Guidestar and our 990’s are available for all to see .Look us up on their website

GFAS

Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) This organization is the gold standard in certification and involves an enormous amount of work to attain. It is a process that has allowed us to raise the bar in every single aspect of caring for our horses and running a nonprofit. They examine protocols and procedures for the horses in our care - fencing, feeding, watering, medication, vet treatment, hauling, horse handling, horse records, safety, succession, evacuation, five-year plans, budgets, introducing new horses, etc. etc. Renewals are done every three years and include onsite inspections by a dedicated and qualified professional who takes the time to make sure we meet their high standards of excellence. Read the announcement of our accreditation.

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