Rescue, rehabilitate, rehome

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Rescue, rehabilitate, rehome

A sanctuary an hour from Dublin, where volunteers work side by side with rescued animals.

Where second chances begin

Just an hour from Dublin, nestled in the Irish countryside, a sanctuary offers a second chance to animals once abandoned, mistreated, or too sick to be wanted. My Lovely Horse Rescue is home to nearly 150 creatures—horses, ponies, donkeys, pigs, goats, and dogs—each with a story of hardship, now rewritten with care. Around 50 people, a mix of staff and volunteers, dedicate their days to nursing them back to health, offering not just food and shelter but the hope of a new life. Beyond rehabilitation, the rescue works tirelessly to find foster and adoptive homes, ensuring these animals don’t just survive but finally belong.

The dogs left behind

True to its name, My Lovely Horse Rescue was founded with the mission of providing a safe haven for horses in need. Over time, the sanctuary expanded its reach—first welcoming goats and pigs, and more recently, responding to an entirely different crisis: abandoned dogs.

The pandemic fueled an unexpected surge in pet adoptions, as many families saw lockdown as the perfect time to bring a dog into their lives. But as restrictions lifted and routines resumed, too many of those same families decided it was also the right time to give them up. Ireland is unlikely to be an outlier in this phenomenon.

To meet the growing need, the rescue center began taking in dogs as well. Today, around 30 of them live here, each walked daily by volunteers—always on a leash. But for the many greyhounds and lurchers among them, a simple walk is not enough. These dogs are built to run. To give them the space they need, the rescue is now fencing off an area where they can finally stretch their legs and sprint as they were born to do.

The backbone of the sanctuary

At the sanctuary, volunteers form its backbone. They come from all corners of the world and a range of backgrounds, united by a straightforward commitment: to care for other living beings. Day after day, they work alongside the animals, attending to their needs with steady, practical care. Their efforts, grounded in simple acts of attention, build a quiet network of support that bridges differences in age, gender, and nationality.

Rescue, rehabilitate, rehome

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