A Miocene couple is opening up their home to animals of all shapes and sizes.
Three years ago, Misty Schulz asked her now husband Anthony to pick up a bottle of milk on his way home from work. Anthony came home to find a baby sheep, which they called Bean. Bean’s mother had rejected her, so the couple set their mind to raising the little lamb who was bottle-fed until it was old enough to graze on its own.
It wasn’t the first time the couple had taken in an animal in need, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. At their previous home in Horsefly, Misty and Anthony had two dogs, three cats and two horses. Mr. Ridel the cat was one rescue, who they said was found in a compost pile, “just wasting away.”
Today, Misty and Anthony run the Rising Star Rescue Society (RSRS) in Miocene, which was a natural step to take as they kept finding themselves wanting to help animals.
“We’re still in the baby stages of starting,” said Misty. They officially became an incorporated non-profit society in April, but with their main source of funding coming straight from their pockets, things have been slow to get going. With a website in the works and fences to build, the couple said there’s always work to be done, all while handling separate full-time jobs. Misty is a bus driver and a volunteer firefighter, while Anthony has been working at the local sawmill for 13 years.
The couple said Bean is the sheep that started it all, but Misty seems to say that about a lot of the animals. That’s probably because each animal has its unique story which inspires them to act, like another sheep they called Tafiti who came to them pregnant and starving last March.
“Bringing Tafiti here is what started the ball rolling,” Misty said. Tafiti was with three other sheep when they found her, another of which was pregnant. The couple knew they didn’t have the means to house and feed all three sheep and their potential babies, so they turned to their network of friends and farmers for help. The success they had with rehoming the animals was a clue to what was to come.
When Tafiti’s baby died at birth, Misty and Anthony were moved.
“We decided at that moment...we should try to do something more, if we’re able to fundraise and get people on board and help us help animals,” then, Misty said, they just might be able to make a difference. Misty said she reached out to the Williams Lake community on Facebook to see if there would be an interest, and the response was astounding.
The RSRS had its grand opening at the end of August, with a barbecue and bonfire. “We must have given a hundred tours,” the couple said. They’re hoping to hold another event open to the public, but Misty said people are welcome to come for a tour at any time if they make an appointment.
“I 100 per cent suggest people come and cuddle animals,” Misty said. While the couple is happy to offer free tours, they also welcome donations because “any little bit helps.”
If you do decide to visit the RSRS, be prepared to get absolutely ambushed by a special greeting party of dogs. Misty and Anthony will take you out through the gates and into the pasture, where they say the “general population lives.” You’ll have the chance to meet chickens, pigs, horses and sheep as you walk through the fields followed by a sociable dog named Petrie.
Some of the animals are excited to say hello, like Bappy the goat. Bappy was born in the couple’s sunroom and raised in their house, cuddling up in the living room and playing tag with them. Bappy is sure to follow you around, despite having to drag along a big wooden collar, or the “fence of shame,” which stops him from getting into the coop to snack on chicken feed.
Other animals have found a kindred spirit within the pasture, such as Sheepy and Dirt the cow who have become best friends.
But it’s easy to understand Misty when she says, “some animals just want to be left in peace,” especially once you learn about their pasts. Whiskey, for example, is a miniature horse who was chased and taunted where he used to live, and no effort to gain his trust has been successful. Fire the horse went through a series of abusive homes before she landed in the couple’s care, “high strung” and not understanding what kind of relationship they were trying to build with her. Fire was taken on shortly after Misty’s previous horse of 20 years, Thunder, died.
“Sometimes when you’re grieving you need to divert that,” Misty said as she explained how she worked hard and patiently to build a connection with Fire.
There are about 18 animals under Anthony and Misty’s care, none of which are for rehoming at the moment. The couple said their location is for the worst-case scenarios when an animal needs extra help and rehabilitation. Their plan is to set up a foster system where they can network behind the scenes and rehome an animal without even having to bring it to their location.
“If an animal is in desperate need then that’s what we’re here for,” said Misty, but: “we don’t want to just be a dumping ground.” They also hope to expand their network to help dogs and cats find new homes, but currently, they don’t have the capacity for that.
“We have six cats already so we can’t bring in more unless we have a foster system,” Misty said. The many dogs they have are there to protect the animals and do a great job of it. Keena, for example, is a 13-year-old white Pyrenees dog, and while she may look tired, the Schulz say she’s fearless.
“She’ll get up and kick everybody’s ass,” Misty said about the dog. Despite spending the first year of her life in a cage and getting $3,000 worth of surgeries and rehabilitation, Keena has been an effective protector, fighting off bears while keeping guard.
“These are my people,” Misty said proudly as she looked over all the animals in her pasture. The society relies heavily on donations to help keep thing running and pay the veterinary bills. For those interested and able to help, you can contact the society by email at risingstarrescuesociety@gmail.com, or visit the Rising Star Rescue Society Facebook page.
