Some special new additions at Happy Rolph's Animal Farm in St.Catharines this summer.
This year the City worked with three rescue farms and sanctuaries as a pilot project, welcoming animals such as Teddy the horse from Whispering Hearts Horse Rescue, two pot-bellied pigs from Country Chic Pony Parties in Dunnville and five roosters from a rescue farm operated by the Hawkins family in the Port Colborne area.
This is the first time, the city has worked with several animal rescue sanctuaries to house rescues at Happy Rolph’s.
This year about one-third of the 38 animals at the Read Road park are from rescue organizations, with the remainder from a local farm.
“This is a great opportunity for the City to give back in a positive way,” said Darrell Smith, the City's director of municipal works. “Most sanctuaries rely on volunteers and community support to keep running, and we have the facility and means to provide care to the animals to help alleviate costs for them. We will provide them with food, water and medical care and our time as well.”
The animals can be viewed daily, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., until mid-October at the park, located at 850 Read Rd.
The park itself - which also features a playground, picnic area and pavilion, two ponds home to a variety of waterfowl, a passive area and trails that overlook Lake Ontario - is open from dawn to dusk.
