A sanctuary where animals and humans heal together.
HEAL is committed to creating a safe haven for both animals and humans.
Through compassionate care for animals and animal-assisted experiences for humans, we aim to support emotional healing, connection, and personal growth.
Healing Together
Our Mission & Vision
HEAL Animal & Human Sanctuary provides lifelong sanctuary for rescued animals, offering safety, love, and individualized care.
As integral partners in our animal-assisted programs for humans, animals amplify the healing process, supporting emotional wellbeing, improved quality of life, and personal growth through meaningful connection - particularly for individuals navigating grief, trauma, and other life challenges.
Anna Marie Ellison
- Executive Director
- Certified & Licensesd Equine Experiential Learning Facilitator
Initiatives
HEAL carries out its mission through four core initiatives.
Animal Sanctuary
& Lifelong Care
HEAL’s rescue and sanctuary program provides a safe, permanent home for animals, prioritizing those in need of a stable, supportive environment, ongoing care, or a peaceful place to live out their lives. Each animal receives individualized, compassionate care that supports their physical health, emotional well-being, and long-term quality of life within a stable, low-stress environment.
Through this work, HEAL ensures that animals who may otherwise face neglect, abandonment, or euthanasia are given the opportunity to live safely, with dignity, and free from expectation or demand.
Animal-Assisted Healing Programs
HEAL offers trauma-informed, animal-assisted experiences designed to support emotional healing, well-being, and personal growth for humans. These experiences create space for individuals to slow down, reconnect, and engage in meaningful connection with animals in a safe and supportive environment.
Our programs are informed by Equine Experiential Learning (EEL) principles and Anna Marie Ellison’s work through Healed by a Horse®, integrating intuitive, relational, and somatic approaches to healing. Animals are respected as partners in this process and are free to choose if and how they engage.
Veteran & Underserved Community Support
HEAL provides accessible, trauma-informed healing experiences for veterans and underserved populations navigating trauma, grief, and life transitions. Through animal-assisted programs, participants are supported in emotional regulation, improved well-being, personal growth, and meaningful connection within a safe, non-clinical environment.
This initiative ensures that those who may not otherwise have access to supportive healing environments are able to experience connection, stability, and meaningful pathways toward healing.
Education &
Human-Animal Connection
HEAL is based on the understanding that animals and humans can support one another in meaningful ways. Through workshops, classes, and community events, we help people experience the importance of connection with animals and how it can support emotional well-being, personal growth, and overall quality of life for both.
At the heart of this initiative is the belief that animals should have the freedom to choose if and how they engage. When this is honored, the connection becomes more natural, honest, and supportive for both animals and humans.