Today we had the pleasure of venturing out to Nehalem Bay with Lee Blackmon, the founder of Animal Haven by the Sea Rescue and 10 of his current canine residents, before heading back to the sanctuary itself to meet the rest of family. Because that is what is, one big family striving to “Protect, rescue, rehab, care for, feed, and make sure all things living can enjoy a quality of life that anyone else would want to enjoy” as Lee himself puts it. Most of these animals have experienced unimaginable pain, fear and neglect throughout their lifetimes, yet all we saw today were wagging tales, shiny eyes and the irresistible need to get as dirty as possible in the shortest amount of time. Their resilience is incredible and their ability to trust and forgive is astounding.
Up until 2006 Lee had been doing the corporate grind in Hollywood Ca and had been for over 15 years but his life shifted and made him realized he no longer wanted to be apart of that world and decided to dedicate himself to a cause he could fully support: animal care. Not to say he’s slowed down these days, Lee’s schedule is anything but mellow. Most mornings he is up at the crack of dawn tending to all of his residents and then it’s off to the daily tasks ahead. When he isn’t directly removing animals from harmful situations, you can find him driving around in his rescue jeep delivering pet food to those in need, passing out treats to any lucky pup walking by or helping his elderly friends in their gardens and homes. Lee also works closely alongside Nehalem Animal Healing Veterinary office as well as Four Paws on the Beach our local pet store, to raise awareness about adoption and animal care.
It is obvious how much love and thought has gone into what started as a relatively small operation in 2011, then becoming a 501 c 3 non profit in 2013 and continued to expand into the incredible sanctuary it is today. This place is important and necessary, the looks on every one of the animals who call the Animal Haven home can attest to that, but the realities of running a non profit can be expensive and daunting at times.
Currently we are hard at work alongside Lee to raise enough funds in order for Animal Haven to purchase the property it is currently located on, securing it as a sanctuary, forever. If you would like to contribute to this worthy cause, please click HERE to donate to Animal Haven by the Sea Rescue‘s gofundme page!