About the Tara's Babies Sanctuary

Tara's Babies sanctuary is located at Dakini Valley, 148 acres of former ranch land nestled in the 3 million acre Tonto National Forest near Payson, Arizona. With no immediate neighbors, it is the perfect setting for a dog rescue. Access to the property is on an unimproved forest service road.

Because of its remote location, Dakini Valley is off- the-grid, and landline phone access is unavailable. We rely on solar power, as well as satellite and cell-phone connections.

Until a new facility is built the number of rescue dogs on site is limited to 36. We are usually filled to capacity.

Every day, every dog receives the basic care of food, fresh water and human interaction. For every leash-trained dog, there is a short morning walk. Afternoons may include grooming, playtime, longer runs, home visits, a ride in the car or walks at the creek. Feral, or unsocialized dogs who are fearful of people, are introduced to being on leash, and then participate in the daily walks. We use the Dog Whispering approach, teaching the dogs that people are pack leaders, which is extremely effective.

A couple of the dogs at the Sanctuary, due to unpredictable and aggressive behavior, will remain at Tara's Babies Sanctuary for the rest of their lives. These dogs also receive optimal care and daily walks by volunteers familiar with their behavior.

Daily checks are made on the health and well being of all the dogs, and appropriate intervention provided as needed.

Most importantly, the dogs are loved and this is reflected in their happy demeanor.