Support Frugaldom Animal Sanctuary

Hi, I am Susan, one of the founders of the Frugaldom project in Dumfries and Galloway, home to our licensed animal welfare establishment (Licence No. 040522).

Our project first began in 2014, to replant clear-felled land with native woodland, rewilding the area and incorporating environmental art created from scrap wood, waste and beach debris. In 2016 we gave a home to a few surplus-to-requirement ponies then in 2018, we brought in two more. In 2019, we took in 4 foals, brought here from a major rescue operation involving hundreds of unwanted or abandoned colt foals. At that point, the foals were to be quarantined, health checked and then go on to their foster homes. Unfortunately, the COVID pandemic struck and the promise of good homes vanished through circumstances beyond our control. These colts are all still with us, now gelded and microchipped, ready to find their soulmate owners.

In 2020 and 2021 during the pandemic, we progressed as best we could without volunteers and with very little financial support. Frugaldom is not a charity, it is a privately owned project originally set up to become a social enterprise ie: not for profit We have kept up the development, albeit much more slowly. We had to build new pony shelters, hay shelters and feed storage suitable for licensing as an Animal Welfare Establishment (Licence No. 040522) Amidst the pandemic, with the support of Dumfries & Galloway Council, we opened our yard up to campervanners for overnight stops, which led us into becoming a Certificated Location for up to 5 self-contained vehicles. Stopovers pay donations that contribute towards the running costs of the sanctuary project. At the start of 2023, we had the extra expense of hefty vet bills of around £1,300 including the castration of the 4 rescued colts.

It's been over 8 years since we began work here, voluntarily, but we rely on you, our supporters, to help cover the huge costs involved in the feeding and care of sanctuary animals - currently 9 ponies, 2 goats, guinea pigs, ducks, hens and a rescued chick, which is being hand reared. (Now fledged and released safely) During the pandemic, we worked tirelessly towards having the first hut built, improving the yard, patching up the driveway and looking after all the animals. Along the way, the two goats were rescued so we had then to build an enclosure for them - we still need a proper shelter completed for them. Legislative changes in September 2021 brought more costs, more paperwork and more essentials to be paid. Insurance policies, service contracts, repairs, maintenance... it costs a small fortune to run any sort of project and I appreciate that few people have spare cash, but any little helps.

We are situated approximately 5 miles outside the village of Kirkcowan, about 8 miles from Glenluce and around 10 miles from Newton Stewart, in the Dumfries and Galloway region. We welcome volunteers to help plant trees, create wildlife habitats, make food gardens and chat about hutting, pony track systems, local horse heritage, environmental art, off-grid living, frugality and self-sustainability. We appreciate all the help we get, be it your free time or a few pounds into the kitty to help support a project that is being created for you to share and enjoy.

It now costs over £20,000 per year to run the entire project.

If you can help in any way, please do.

If you want to become part of the project, please do.

If you want to visit, please do.

If you can offer a good foster home to a pony, please do.

If you can contribute by way of voluntary help, sponsorship, donations or publicity, please do.

Thank you.