The Safe House

The Safe House Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from The Safe House, Animal Rescue Service, Prestonsburg, KY.

The Safe House is located in SE Kentucky and will be a safe place to house and care for at-risk homeless pets before they make their way to new lives and families to call their own.

12/26/2025

UPDATE: these dogs were all transferred to our MN branch for surgery and specialized vet care and they now have homes

Either late Christmas night or early this morning someone dumped 4 little dogs on our Safe House property. If anyone recognizes these dogs or knows who did this please let us know. These dogs didn’t deserve to be left in the rain (they were soaked this morning when we found them) and they are badly matted and filthy.

Dumping is never ok. If we can help we will but like most shelters and rescues we are often full and always have a long list of people with pets or strays in need. The sad reality is there are far more animals in need than there is space in every rescue and shelter. Spay and neuter your pets, make a lifetime commitment if you decide to have a pet.

EDITED TO ADD: Cameras have been installed and are recording now. We aren't "mad" the dogs are here, we are grateful they are safe and warm. They have extensive medical needs including rotten teeth, cataracts, eye ulcers and various cuts and wounds. They will need significant medical care before they are ready for adoption. They will be headed to MN to see a veterinary ophthalmologist and have their visual issues addressed in the best way possible. When ready they will be adopted out from their foster homes in MN.

We know that people find themselves over their head sometimes and we hope if there are more dogs where they came from the owner will reach out to us.eve

Just in the month of November we have already had over 150 animals come into The Safe House. So many of them have requi...
11/24/2024

Just in the month of November we have already had over 150 animals come into The Safe House. So many of them have required extensive critical care. We have a momma dog that gave birth two days after arriving. Three of her pups were born without half their hair. Momma is so thin she can’t make enough milk for all of them and we have been supplemental tube or bottle feeding every two hours around the clock for two weeks. We have 15 puppies that arrived at 3 ½ weeks old, their moms either died or unable to care for them. We’ve had puppies arrive starved and sick with massive infections that needed to be syringe fed around the clock.

We are exhausted.

Please understand when you ask for help that we won’t always be able to give it, or give it right now. It’s not because we don’t care. The need is simply too great. There are far, far more homeless, abandoned and unwanted animals than any one person or organization can help. We push ourselves to the limit (and if I’m honest, sometimes beyond) every single day. We do absolutely everything we possibly can to save every animal we take in and to take in as many unwanted, homeless, in need animals as we can. Please be kind!

If anybody wants to help and is in a position to, we really need canned puppy food and some other care items for all these pups right now. Our youngest pups go through 1 ½ cases of canned puppy food every day. In addition they make a LOT of laundry and dishes! Our wish list is here: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1HEQVYZ9XK07J?ref_=wl_share

Today words absolutely fail me. I want to figure out how best to tell this story but there is a cavern in the center of...
07/15/2023

Today words absolutely fail me. I want to figure out how best to tell this story but there is a cavern in the center of my body. My heart isn’t just in my stomach, because that has also given way. I’m so tired and so sad. So I’m going to tell this plainly.

Today we rescued a mom and 8 babies that were set out on the side of a road, left to die. The babies are so new to this world, just barely two weeks old.

The biggest gut punch of all is this; their owner tried to give her to a shelter yesterday. The shelter was full. The shelter reached out to us. We were also full. BUT, we had many dogs and puppies leaving yesterday evening. We said if the owner could keep just two more days, we could send off our current animals, clean and disinfect our building and accept this family on Sunday. They just had to wait two days. And instead they set this family out in the hot sun, on the side of a road, with nothing. Then just drove away.

What must momma have felt watching her owner leave? I can only imagine the cold fear, the worry, the desperation she felt on the gravel at the side of a road with 8 babies not even old enough to walk yet. She is a good mom. She loves her babies. She moved them into the shrubs and tall grass and wrapped her body tightly around them. It was all she could do. Somehow one of her babies fell down a nearby storm drain. Momma could not get him out. He was crying, hungry and afraid. She was desperate. This is probably what saved her.

This story only has a chapter of hope because someone found this family. Someone saw momma standing in the clearing and then heard the puppy’s cries. The finders reached out for help. When we saw the photos, it was clear this was the family we were supposed to be accepting tomorrow. We went and got them, they are at our Safe House now. But I don’t know yet if they will be OK. We spent hours combing and picking maggots and fly eggs off the puppies. So. Many. Maggots. We consulted with our vet, we have given them Capstar and bathed them. We hope we got them in time. We will do everything we can for them. We hope it will be enough.

Mom is limping badly, more than one of her legs causing her much pain. Next week she will get x-rays. For now, she has good food and water, she has a soft blanket, four walls and a roof. She is so grateful to be safe, to have her babies safe. She is exhausted from her ordeal. She can rest now.

Momma doesn’t know where she is. She doesn’t know us. She has little reason to believe in the goodness of people. And yet when I just went to see her, she looked at me and wagged her tail. We don’t deserve dogs.

Including this family, we have taken in 33 puppies and 3 adult dogs that were abandoned, either on the side of a road or in a remote area, in just the last six weeks. What really gets me is how many of these were found by chance or luck. The right person in the right place at the right time – county workers, ATV riders or hikers. How many more are out there that just aren’t so lucky? It is hard to fathom and to ponder it too long hurts my heart.

Right now we will hold this family close. We will give them all that we can, all that they truly deserve. We will pray we got the babies in time. If it is within your heart and your means to help provide care for this family and others like them your gift will help save lives.

Finally, I have said it before and I am saying it again - for the love of all that is holy, please stop dumping dogs.

I think I see hope in Leo’s eyes this morning. They are softer, he is starting to believe. To believe in goodness. To be...
07/06/2023

I think I see hope in Leo’s eyes this morning. They are softer, he is starting to believe. To believe in goodness. To believe he is loved. To hope the bad times are over…forever. They are Leo. You can believe that.

This morning is the first time he played with his toy too! Check comments for a video also.

Little boy had a good night. He loves his soft bed. He is so excited to have food and water. Sometimes he checks his bow...
07/04/2023

Little boy had a good night. He loves his soft bed. He is so excited to have food and water. Sometimes he checks his bowl just to be sure it’s still there and still full - then his little tail just wags. He eats, drinks and sleeps with just a little snuggle time in between. He’s exhausted from his whole ordeal. I think his eyes are a little less sad this morning and I’ll take that.

For the love of God and all that is holy, please stop dumping babies. This pup was left at a schoolyard, all alone, on a...
07/03/2023

For the love of God and all that is holy, please stop dumping babies. This pup was left at a schoolyard, all alone, on a very hot and humid day. He had nowhere to turn, no place to hide, no food, no water, no safety. He arrived here overheated, dehydrated, hungry and feeling pretty crappy. His little nose is sunburned and he’s crawling with fleas and ticks.

But you know what gets me the most? His eyes. The lost and alone, the hollowness, the nothing left to believe in, look in his eyes. His eyes show absolute defeat. It just about broke me.

But instead, we will put the life back in them. We will be strong when he is weak. We will give him delicious food to fill his belly and big love to fill his soul. He will have toys, soft blankets, a cool place to lay. We will give him medicine to heal. We will put back the light that was stolen.

One more time - please stop dumping babies. Look up rescues in your area. Post on FB looking for a home and make it public. Post on some of the many FB sites for animals needing new homes. It’s better than leaving them helpless, hopeless and alone.

Eight little bear cubs safe and sound. They are alive today because somebody cared when they heard tiny cries. Somebod...
06/25/2023

Eight little bear cubs safe and sound. They are alive today because somebody cared when they heard tiny cries. Somebody found them and brought them to safety.

These eight tiny babies are only about five weeks old. They are getting puppy food mixed with puppy milk replacer and they have nice full bellies now. They love their food, their bed, and each other. Such sweet little kids.

Thank you James for rescuing them and thank you to Kristen for helping facilitate their transfer to The Safe House. They will get a chance at a great life now thanks to you!

This little dude definitely has it figured out this morning.
06/22/2023

This little dude definitely has it figured out this morning.

Eight tiny babies thrown out at the rail yard. Eight tiny babies, none of them weighing even 3 lbs. Eight tiny babies ...
06/22/2023

Eight tiny babies thrown out at the rail yard. Eight tiny babies, none of them weighing even 3 lbs. Eight tiny babies who should still be nursing from their mom. Babies who absolutely cannot fend for themselves, or keep themselves safe and warm. Eight tiny babies set out to be a meal for coyotes.

So thankful for the kind workman who heard their bewildered cries, found them and scooped them all up. Thankful to the kind man who kept them warm, safe and fed overnight and brought them to us. No coyotes will feast on these babies. Not tonight, not ever.

Thankful for our Safe House which can provide safe haven for eight tiny, exhausted babies. Little ones, you are safe now, and from now on.

Meet our tiny new addition!
06/09/2023

Meet our tiny new addition!

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Prestonsburg, KY

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