Safe Harbor Farm 

A short history...

    Formed in early 2002 as Cat-Kind, Inc., our organization quickly gained a reputation for helping cat-colony caretakers, most of whom were older residents utilizing retirement income or disability benefits to feed 5-50 cats. During our first year and a half, 354 of these cats were spay-neutered, vaccinated and "fixed" in other ways, all at little or no cost to the cat caretakers. Dozens more cats were moved from hazardous locations & adopted by responsible individuals, and long-term support networks and friendships were forged as our group reached out to individuals caring for community strays.  

     In November 2003, we christened our Kindness Clinic for Cats & Dogs, a thirty-four foot not-for-profit, low-cost mobile spay-neuter clinic, to provide affordable surgeries for the neediest of animal caretakers. Beyond offering spays & neuters to low-income & multi-pet households, the Kindness Clinic also provides surgical and laboratory services to several small animal rescue non-profits. In the Kindness Clinic's first year of operation more than a thousand more cats & dogs were spay-neutered & vaccinated, most getting preventative veterinary care for the first time in their life!

    In January, 2005, we purchased 61 acres of beautiful, forest-nestled land off of Route 17 in Maysville, NC and officially changed our name to Safe Harbor Farm, Inc.

     In 2005 and 2006, volunteers cleared & groomed the land, creating a road, a pond and a spot for our Feline Adoption Center (see below).

     In 2007, we welcomed our second building - a 100 year old church moved from the center of Maysville to become a full-service veterinary clinic for rescues and the community at large!

     And now, in 2008, we are expanding our programs, aiming for more spay-neuters, more carefully screened adoptions and a new externship program for junior & senior veterinary students!

From left to right:  SHF's Feline Adoptions Center

                               SHF's pond

                               SHF's newest building, our new clinic!  

     Safe Harbor Farm's goals are:

• high volume, affordable spay-neuter surgeries for needy animals (via the Kindness Clinic);
• "death row" pulls of adoptable animals from local high-kill shelters;
• carefully screened adoptions of homeless cats & dogs (all neutered before release to their new homes!);
• continuing education for local animal rescue organizations;
• professional, caring guidance for pet-owners seeking pet-parenting skills;
• hurricane sheltering for cats & dogs (phase IV project);
• post-operative care and a life-long sanctuary for some of the neediest of homeless cats (proposed 3-location capacity = 100 cats);
• youth programs encouraging humane treatment of others;
• ...to be the benchmark for sheltering & animal care excellence in eastern North Carolina!

     The even bigger picture is to significantly decrease the horrific euthanasia rates at coastal North Carolina's high-kill shelters, save young “surplus” animals from falling into the hands of local thugs who train dogs for dog-fighting, urge local veterinarians to be more aware of the "have-nots" in their communities and address the propensity of local residents to dump unwanted litters of dogs and cats on others (many times with their children watching this behavior).

     Please read our E-newsletters to learn all about the work we've been doing!

Please help us to help more animals!
Send your tax-deductible contribution to SHF at
P.O. Box 493, Maysville, NC 28555
(or use our secure Pay-Pal buttons and save a stamp!)