OXFORD TWP. – Two ponies in need of a new home found one and the little girl that loves them will continue to be part of their lives thanks to the open hearts and open barn doors at the Pan Equus Animal Sanctuary (PEAS).

Snowflake and Arthur are the newest residents of the 75-acre farm located at 940 Hummer Lake Rd. between M-24 and Coats Rd.

Even though PEAS is currently not accepting any new animals because its facilities are “at full capacity,” according to volunteer Phaedra Petersen, an exception was made for these two ponies because the Oxford family that owns them is dealing with two major crises simultaneously.

“The situation seems pretty dire,” she explained. “That’s why we decided to step in. In situations like this, you just find the room and you make it happen.”

“There’s always some wiggle room,” said Dr. Judy Duncan, a retired veterinarian who cofounded PEAS with her husband Ed Stull in 1994. “I think this story kind of touched everybody a little bit.”

Snowflake and Arthur’s family consists of a mother and her five children. The mother is terminally ill and has been in the hospital since October, according to Petersen.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the family is “in the midst of losing their home.”

“The situation is so sad,” Petersen said.

Given Snowflake and Arthur are basically “pasture pets” – as opposed to horses that are ridden for pleasure and sport or used for work purposes – PEAS feared for their futures.

“A lot of times horses like this end up in bad situations,” ranging from abusive owners to being sold for slaughter, Petersen said.

“It’s not too often people want to keep horses as pets that they can’t ride or that don’t benefit them in some way,” she explained. “It’s not like a dog or cat. Horses are costly . . . They require a lot of care. Not too many people want horses just sitting in their backyard.”

But Arthur and Snowflake don’t have to worry about their future at PEAS, which has been a public nonprofit since 2014.

“PEAS is a retirement home,” Petersen said. “Nobody’s going to be riding them. They just wake up and enjoy their life every day.”

The sanctuary’s primary focus is taking in animals, especially horses, that have been abused, neglected, abandoned, suffer from health issues or are simply getting old.

Duncan stressed PEAS is not a place for people to unload their horses simply because they no longer want them or the financial responsibility that goes along with them.

“There’s a lot of people that spend years running their horse around an arena, chasing a blue ribbon or whatever, and then, when they’re done with that horse, they don’t want to pay (for) board anymore, (so) they want to dump it here. Shame on those people,” she said.

PEAS does occasionally take in animals when owners are genuinely no longer able to care for them for various reasons.

“We don’t like to publicize that because we don’t want to be a horse dumping ground, but when we hear these heart-wrenching stories, we definitely try to do what we can to step up and help people in bad situations,” Petersen said.

For example, PEAS is caring for three horses owned by a woman who escaped from a domestic violence situation.

“She literally had to flee her home in the middle of the night and had no place for her horses. We took them in,” Petersen said. “It’s supposed to be temporary. They’ve been here for about a year. She does keep in touch. She fully intends to come back and get those horses one day when she gets her bearings.”

PEAS is currently home to about 40 horses and 16 cows, plus an assortment of goats, chickens, pigs, sheep and a peacock.

All of the animals are given the freedom to live out the rest of their days in peace and just be who they are. They’re not expected to be ridden, pull a wagon or carriage, or entertain people. They spend their days wandering the spacious pasture, eating, playing and doing whatever else comes naturally.

The hardest part of this for Petersen was meeting the 11-year-old girl who cared for Snowflake and Arthur. She came with them when they were brought to PEAS on Feb. 4.

“It was pretty emotional,” she said. “These were her horses. She grew up with them . . . She was crying her eyes out when she was leaving.”

“It’s a tough thing. She’s going through a lot in her life right now for a little kid – to lose your mom, a house and your horses,” Duncan said.

PEAS staff assured the girl that she will always have full access to her ponies.

“We made a big (point) of telling her that they’re still hers,” Duncan said. “She can still say they’re hers. She can come visit (them) any time she wants. We tried to make it as easy as possible on her.”

“You never know what might happen. There may come a point in her life when she can get these ponies back,” Duncan noted.

PEAS even offered to give her a ride to and from the farm whenever she needs it.

“We definitely want to facilitate her (maintaining) a relationship with these horses, especially if she does lose her mother,” Petersen said. “I can’t think of anything more devastating than losing a parent and your pet.”

Taking in two more horses means PEAS needs additional funds to help feed and care for them. Although any and all donations are welcome and appreciated, Petersen is hoping to find folks who are willing to sponsor Snowflake and Arthur for $750 each, which covers feeding them for a full year.

Petersen stressed PEAS relies on donations to keep it going, so every penny counts.

“There’s not an animal here that makes us money. They all cost money (to feed and care for),” she said. “(Judy) and Ed are rich in animals – that’s about all they’re rich in right now.”

To contribute or learn more about PEAS, please visit www.peanimalsanctuary.org.