Around the Sound: Hobart farm a beacon of hope for animals in need

HOBART, Wash. — Nestled in the picturesque hillsides of Hobart, Muddy Pug Farm, a 5.5-acre 501(c)3 non-profit animal sanctuary, stands as a beacon of hope for animals in need.

Muddy Pug Farm is home to 50 animals of all shapes, sizes, and species -- from cows to goats, sheep to drakes, bunnies to hens, roosters to barn cats, and even livestock-guarding dogs. One thing that they all share in common is where or who they came from.

According to the founder and owner of Muddy Pug Farm, Jennifer Conway, all of the residents living at her sanctuary were the product of abuse, abandonment, or neglect. Now in her fifth year, Conway says she often reminisces about how far her little sanctuary has come.

“This time four years ago, I was just a single mom with a dream of opening a sanctuary, and we brought in those first six residents, and to see the sanctuary and what it is today, and how far we’ve come after four years is just such a blessing.”

But running a sanctuary full of animals takes a lot of work, and that work can sometimes take an emotional, physical, and financial toll. To raise money for important costs associated with caring for the animals at Muddy Pug, Conway started an end-of-summer “Summer Supper” event.

“Summer Supper” started three years ago at the farm, and this year, the Aug. 31 event will return with a special plant-based menu catered by Burns Vegan Bakery.

Akemi Burns, the owner and chef behind Burns Vegan Bakery, told KIRO 7 that this dinner would be organic and locally sourced. The menu will feature a watermelon summer salad, cream of roasted corn and potato soup, provincial pot pie, and, for dessert, tiramisu cake.

With this four-course meal and meet-and-greet with the sanctuary residents, Jennifer hopes to raise enough money to fund their bi-annual hay purchase. This is a critical need for the farm, which purchases 14 tons of hay every six months, costing $7,500 alone.

Jennifer also tells us that any donation to Muddy Pug, if not used for hay, “goes to feed or vet appointments. As a sanctuary, we take care of the structure, but we went to make sure donations go directly to the individual residents,” added Conway.

Tickets are on sale for the “Summer Supper” event, which will be held on Aug. 31 from 5 to 7 p.m. To purchase a ticket, click here.

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