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Hacienda de los Milagros History

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HDLM was originally founded as a retirement home for horses in need in 1990 in Glendale, AZ by W. Wynne Zaugg and Barbara Metzger. The first horses were boarded, and we were there three times a day, 7 days a week taking care of them. In 1993, we moved to our current location with more room that we thought we’d ever use. The first burro arrived in 1995, then the first eight (8) burros we took that had been removed by the Parks Service in Death Valley arrived in 1996, and we soon found out how we’d use the ‘extra’ space! Barb physically left the sanctuary in 2004.

By 2008/2009, HDLM had become lifetime home for 39 horses, 139 burros, 4 mules, 3 ponies, 2 hinnies, 2 mini horses, 2 llamas, 12 rabbits, 4 dogs, and some 10-15 cats most of whom are feral.

In 2009, two events happened that changed the direction of HDLM: the economy, and the desire of many of the residents to go forth into the world of humans to teach, heal and spread their unconditional love. These incredible beings, who had come to us fearful and in need of considerable healing, were now ready to go into the world and spread what they found here. Executive Director Wynne Zaugg says “My family is going on to their greater mission, and I am very proud of them. Some of them I will not see again in this lifetime, and yet the connection will never be severed. We’ve been together before, and will again. The circle goes on and on.”

Our Expanded Vision-2009:

HDLM’s plans for the future will include our resident faculty of teachers and healers in an expanded educational outreach, extended care facilities and hospice for people who do not wish to leave their best friends behind during their extended stay for medical treatments and their final segment of this lifetime, places to stay for people who wish to do their own healing with the animal residents, a village for humans of all ages to live and a school where human students will get top-level legally required courses, spend time with the animal residents, and be exposed to practitioners of all the major spiritual systems in the world, so they will understand and treat with respect all these various cultures while choosing their own beliefs for themselves. We believe this is essential for true world peace. Students will re-learn telepathic communication with all life, an ability we are all born with, but soon lose as we take our adult places in the world.

Timing of the steps to implement the full plans will depend, of course, on generosity of humans and business and foundations who share this Vision. This Vision has been communicated to us by the sanctuary residents themselves as an important way to heal the earth and all on it.

Personal Growth Programs:

We see a day when we can offer programs to allow two-leggeds who come and visit as well the same opportunities we afford our animal friends. Whether sanctuary residents or wild animals that share their homeland with us, we feel this is a huge step in the healing process of humankind, allowing reconnection with nature and all its inhabitants. Always being respectful that this is the animals' home, we allow the animals to decide how much human touch they want.

.We aim to then take the human-animal bond a step further and offer workshops and seminars in animal welfare and communication, and alternative therapies. We feel this offering is limitless, including programs to further foster the human-non-human animal bond via education vehicles such as human/animal hiking, and other special on the ground programs; that facilitate healing for differently-abled folks. There is no limit to the kinds of interaction that will facilitate teaching and healing.

Children's Programs:

HDLM is setting the ground work by planning the development of a residential day-school for children of all persuasions. We will be licensed by appropriate authorities, offer all required courses, and integrated experiential learning agendas beyond mainstream education. Our focus will be to expand educational programs to envelope many cultures from around the world, and to ultimately teach respect and understanding of multiple paths. Our emphasis will be on the value of small class size, close relationships between students and educators (two and four footed) with a true sense of community and growth and expansion of knowledge. We will offer basics in as many of the world's spiritual paths as possible, and as often as possible from people who live those spiritual ways. Our intent will be to graduate students who are open and respectful to all the cultures of the earth, human and otherwise, and will still be able to function as contributing members of whatever society they ultimately reside.

Hospice Programs:

We envision a formal program which offers assistance for hospice individuals who are entering the final states of this leg of their journey and have companion animals they do not want to leave. Their companion animals will come with them, and be provided lifetime sanctuary as well.

All this will require significant funding and staffing, and the timing of it will depend on funding and staffing.

In Summary:

We are very excited about the future of Hacienda De Los Milagros. It is not just two-leggeds that would like to offer the world a place to find peace and healing for all living things, but our four legged resident teachers, as well.

Thank you for letting us share this vision with you. Won't you please participate in this journey with us? You can make a difference.

For the love of all creatures,
The Milagros

Things that would make the Sanctuary a better place

funds for operations and building projects
good used tractor with bucket and PTO
cutting torch and tank for metal work
good quality bermuda grass hay
hot walker for 6 horses
fly masks of all sizes (call us)
funds for purchase of land
good used/new quad
dump trailer for manure
round pen

928-636-5348

or e-mail milagro@commspeed.net

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The horse is God's gift to mankind. ~Arabian Proverb

"Whoever said a horse was dumb, was dumb" ~Will Rogers

"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened." ~ Anatole France"