An Oxford-based animal rescue and sanctuary will open its gates and barn doors to the public on Sunday, Oct. 13 in the hopes of raising enough money to ensure its more than 100 critters stay well-fed this winter.

The Pan Equus Animal Sanctuary (PEAS), located at 940 Hummer Lake Rd., will host its fifth annual fall fund-raiser from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

“This is, by far, our biggest fund-raiser. We count heavily on this,” said Ed Stull, who co-founded the nonprofit sanctuary with his wife Judy Duncan, a veterinarian who practiced for 21 years before retiring. “This is vital to keeping these guys fed through the hardest part of the year.”

The fund-raiser will feature hay rides, opportunities to pet and feed animals, a bake sale, pinata, food and beverages, silent auction, face painting and educational exhibits.

Admission is $5 per person. There’s no charge for children age 5 and under.

Stull is hoping the event will generate $50,000 to purchase hay, grain and feed for the PEAS population, which currently includes 44 horses, 19 cows, 15 sheep, 19 goats, four pigs, three donkeys, five peacocks, two ducks, a rooster and a chicken.

Operating since 1994, the primary focus of PEAS is taking in animals that have been abused, neglected or abandoned, suffer from health issues or are simply getting old.

“Pretty much everything we have has a history,” Stull said.

When the weather is warm, Stull said many of the grazing animals – horses, cows, sheep and goats – will spend their time “picking around in the fields (and) in the woods” supplementing what they’re fed by human volunteers “as they feel they need” to.

But that’s often not possible during the winter months due to snow, ice and freezing temperatures, so PEAS feeds the animals more in order to help them stay warm and maintain body weight.

“Hay is what keeps an animal warm in the winter,” Stull explained. “The colder it gets, the more hay you have to throw in order for the animals to generate (enough) heat so they can survive.”

Heat is quickly produced as food is digested and the greatest amount of heat is released when high-fiber feeds, like hay, are consumed.

Ensuring there’s enough hay to eat is especially critical for the animals at PEAS with physical, metabolic or medical issues.

“It just takes more energy out of that animal to keep itself warm in the wintertime. Life is harder in the winter,” Stull said.

In addition to hay, PEAS needs money to buy grain, which helps animals maintain a healthy weight.

“Whether it’s half-a-scoop or six big scoops twice a day, everybody gets some sort of grain supplement,” Stull said.

PEAS also purchases special feeds for its pigs and birds.

Although raising money is the main goal of this fun fall event, Stull noted it’s also a “fantastic opportunity” for people who follow PEAS on Facebook to tour the farm and visit the animals.

He explained that due to staffing and logistical issues, “we aren’t able to open up (to the general public) as much as we’d like.”

“This is the one time a year when we invite everybody out,” Stull said. “All year long, I steer people to this day.”