10/15/2026
Wilder has one job and, as per usual, heās asleep. š
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Weāve added a couple of items for Miss Mable to our priority wishlist! š©· Some canned food for puppies and underweight dogs, a chew bone, and p*e pads. š¶
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1MABGUHBSS1S7?ref_=wl_share
What Iād really like to do is figure out the best way to cool our shipping container/storm shelter. It actually works out much better for Mable to stay in there, except that it gets too hot by lunchtime. š„µ Itās perfectly fine in the evenings, overnight, and in the mornings, but then we have to move her to our climate-controlled barn.
And yāall, that indoor barn area is already wearing WAY too many hats, just like me. š¤£ It functions as our office, part of the feed room, volunteer barn, med barn, the home of Freyja (our guardian dog who has decided sheās an indoor barn dog), and Primrose kittyās home, PLUS our main FPAS storage area for merch, event supplies, animal care supplies, and everything else. Itās SO crowded! š©
Weāre having trouble getting Miss Mable to potty when we walk her. We can walk and walk and walk, but she just wants to search for food. š¢ Then, when sheās back in her crate, she goes potty in there. So weāre doing A LOT of daily cleanup. š§¼
While the shipping containerā¦storm shelterā¦storm containerā¦.it really needs an actually name š is where we keep most all our crates, winter prep gear, and a tiny corner of chicken feed supplies since itās right beside most of our bird enclosures. Itās STILL less crowded than the barn, easier to do crate cleanings, and located inside our fenced garden, where we can let Mable off leash while we clean her crate and so forth and hope sheāll go potty. š¤š
I started researching portable air conditioners, which led me down the rabbit hole of mini-splits. š« And honestly, I need more time to research the best option because this is a pretty big expense, and I want to make sure we choose something economical and practical for the building so it can be useful longterm. Ideally, Iād love something that can also provide heat during extreme cold snaps!
The shipping containerās FIRST and foremost purpose is to serve as a storm shelter during extreme weather, including a direct-hit Category 4 type hurricane or a tornado. After what we experienced and prepared for in 2024, I can honestly say that whole experience scarred me for life. We were lucky and it turned at the last minute.š¬ā¤ļøāš©¹
But if we ever have another hurricane like that heading our way, the container is where weāll shelter our special-needs and small animals, and the humans and dogs. Half our dogs are special needs, the other half are seniors, and the rest arenāt exactly the brightest crayons in the box and have ZERO instincts or survival skills. š¤£ā¤ļø
Because of its purpose, we keep all our crates in there. But I just couldnāt resist finding another way to make the space useful on a more regular basis, too!
Last winter, during that Arctic blast or whatever it was called, when our water pipes froze solid in the middle of the day, I crated our flock of chickens inside the container. Their coop is an old repurposed horse trailer, and since the shipping container has electricity and is more enclosed, I plugged in a heater for them. It was STILL cold in there, but it was less cold! š„¶
So, a long-term goal is to insulate the container and make it possible to keep the space cool or warm when needed, giving us an additional indoor-type environment to temporarily house animals.
If weāre going to fundraise for a small heating and cooling unit, I just want to make sure we invest in the BEST option for this particular building, rather than money be spent on something that wonāt work well long term.
Thatās why I posted earlier asking if anyone has a portable air conditioner we could borrow for a bit! ā¤ļø
Many times the sanctuary projects arenāt just about fixing one immediate problem. Theyāre about figuring out how to make the spaces we already have work harder for the animals, both now and in the future. š©·
