MISSION: TO PROVIDE COMPASSIONATE CARE OF ANIMALS
and inspire character traits COURAGE, patriotism, and COMPASSION.
Purpose-Driven & Synergistic Mission:
1) Compassionate Care of 44 animals in sanctuary for life–horses, ponies, donkeys, dogs, cats, and recently adopted goat and pig needing home
2) Riderless Horse for Veterans Day Parade in Birmingham since 2006, now the first caparisoned horse from Arlington National Cemetery
3) Retirement home for 2 military working equines from The Old Guard of the US Army, Hank and Lincoln
4) America’s Veterans Day Started in Alabama Education for teachers
5) School character traits Compassion & Courage, Patriotism & Perseverance
6) Recycling, Environmental Leadership, and Organic Agriculture
7) Public service to Advance Alabama.
…in cooperation with two synergistic programs supported by 501c3 Compassion Ranch and Institute: Life Leadership and Patriotism in Action.
Compassion Ranch horse Participates in America’s Oldest Veterans Day!
Hank the Tank walked in America’s oldest Veterans Day Parade on November 11, 2023, in birth city Birmingham, presented by Compassion Ranch and Patriotism in Action. Hank and Lincoln retired to Compassion Ranch pre-July 4, 2023 from service at Arlington National Cemetery with The Old Guard.
Our partner programs Patriotism in Action and Plan for School and Life.
You can see the animals online and in person. Online, see the animals page and The Animals of Compassion Ranch with photos and short stories of why they need sanctuary with us plus a profile of our purposes, programs, and people. Contact us to get progress and plans via email 1-2 times monthly.
You can take your impact to the next level to donate or sponsor animals or programs for students, teachers, and parents, building character traits like courage, compassion, and cooperation and/or volunteer.
We can create a purposeful experience for you, couples, families, or a group of students. You can teach children about compassion by helping them watch you care for animals as a volunteer or donate for food, shelter, or health care. We can help them–and you–improve personal leadership developing a plan for life or practicing to grow compassion, courage, and patriotism.
Animal Sanctuary & Public Service
40 animals +/- live here getting second chances after abandonment, retirement, or just needing a home. They have purpose giving back to help the next generation care more, abandon less.
Animals of Compassion Ranch include horses, ponies, donkeys, dogs, cats, goats.
Donor Impact
Donors help us provide more and better for the animals plus support programs for students.
Public Service
Compassion Ranch provides programs with animals who help teach life shaping character traits as part of Life Leaders Institute (501 c3). Since 1992, Life Leaders has presented hundreds of public seminars designed and delivered to help students and professionals to PLAN and LEAD in LIFE.
Two partner programs include Plan for School & Life seeking to help parents and teachers help students write plans for school and college-career-character readiness plus Patriotism in Action seeking to help schools, civic clubs, and patriotic organizations teach each November 1-11 the who-when-where of the founding of America’s Veterans Day starting in Alabama.
Patriotism in Action has presented the caparisoned (riderless) horse in the Veterans Day parade since 2006. Compassion Ranch adopted retired cap horse from the US Army, Hank, and will present him for thousands to see in the Veterans Day Parade in Birmingham.
Triple D donates land and Bryant Barn
The photo is of Bryant Barn. The previous family operating this farm was Francis and Jean Bryant, then Steve and Pam Bryant sold to Dr. David Dyson as Triple D Ranch & Farm, which operates the ranch and donates use of the farmhouse, horse barn, storage barn, and 32 acres for the animals and programs of Compassion Ranch. Our vision is, we donate land with facilities and lots of labor, then partners donate food, expenses, and volunteerism in the nonprofit.
Rehab of Rescued Horses
This beautiful horse almost died, weighing only 650 pounds less when rescued by the Chilton County Sheriff Department “near starvation,” assessed by Easterwood Equine Hospital. In recovery with us, he gained 300+ pounds and healed from extreme “rain rot” on his skin.
We now call him Lancelot. His herd mate, Braveheart, recovered from 550 pounds.
They are among 44 animals, who need 10,000 pounds of hay and supplemental feed per month! Some needed surgery and vet care. Some of the animals need to recover mentally to restore feelings of trust and security.
They help us show and teach character traits courage and compassion to visitors online and in person. Sometimes, you can “see” a child thinking of past behavior or observed behavior in adults when seeing before and after photos or hearing stories of a horse recovered from near starvation or a dog left tied to a tree.
Sponsors Expand Capabilities
Sponsors and donors help us feed and care for animals plus provide programs to work at the root causes of animal neglect and abandonment (education, beliefs, and habits of students who become adults). We teach and provide resources to teachers that build upon character traits mandated in Alabama and other states–courage, compassion, cooperation, perseverance, and patriotism.
We try to help beyond our main Mission
We filled our shelters. We dream of more land, people, and facilities to provide better spaces and services, including animal care and teaching.
We are not a rescue though we have rescued some when other nonprofits could not respond. We have provided space for animals when a nonprofit rescued without land to keep them.
We have worked with law enforcement to rescue animals, get some home to their owners, and investigate possible neglect. We dream of having resources to help impact more commonsense laws requiring people to provide ethical care. For most people, education about standards help. Some seem to require accountability to stop fighting or killing animals for entertainment, keeping animals tied to chains, or to provide safe fencing and shelter, especially in extreme temperatures.
Character Traits & Personal Leadership Ed
Kids of Camp Rockhurst sponsored by Simon Cyrene Foundation visited multiple times for their camp ranch days, led by Terry Slaughter.
We love sharing the horses and land to help people develop capacities of personal leadership, including 7 of the 25 character traits mandated since 1995 to teach in Alabama schools–courage, compassion, cooperation, citizenship, patriotism, perseverance, loyalty,
Show Your Values
Crockett (senior Tennessee Walker) needed a home after his owner died. The wife fed him for years then gave him to an adoptive family, though Crockett had health concerns and they wanted a new horse. We wanted to help though paused because more expense might hurt the animals already here.
Terry Slaughter pledged to sponsor Crockett, which helped us bring him here to live. This example of compassion for a senior horse helped show a real-life example to his grandkids and ministry kids of Simon Cyrene Foundation.
Character Traits for Students
Alabama mandated teaching character for at least 10 minutes daily over 25 years ago. We want to be part of the solution supporting educators and parents to develop students.
Do you also want students to develop more courage and compassion?
Do you also want fewer people to abandon animals? Most abuse is by former students.
You can help us do the work and/or support us to increase our ability to work and sponsor life- shaping events.
Sponsors can support children, groups, classes, and families for programs, events, equine-assisted coaching, or making wishes come true for children or adults. Stipends and scholarships support students who want to learn and work..
Opportunities for You and those you Mentor
We love to host students and children to provide positive experiences to shape the thinking and behavior of the next generation.
Guest Teacher or Speaker
Dr. David Dyson can host students, teachers, and parents and/or
support faculty and educational leaders with programs aimed at results:
- The Animals of Compassion Ranch: inspiring stories
- Character traits courage, compassion, patriotism, perseverance…
- Veterans Day Started in Alabama History and Character Education
- The 7 Areas of Life
- 7 Best Practices of Personal Leadership to Plan and Lead Your Life
- Plans for School & College-Career-Character Readiness
- The 7 Components of Attitude and of Ability–Plan to earn the Next Level
- Earning and Delegating Empowerment: from telling to empowering
- Mastering Your Goliaths
- The 3 Purposes of Life
You can review his menu for options, and request desired results: Doc@CompassionRanch.org
Feedback from our first event for students
“I cannot thank you enough for the sacrifice of your time and money to make an impact on our campers. They loved it!!!! We all did. Your entire team (humans and animals) were amazing and the day was magical!!! What a blessing it was indeed.”
-Terry Slaughter-
Founder, Simon Cyrene Foundation
