Bookmark and Share

~The Story of Clyde’s Sanctuary— A Shepherd’s Path~

It’s a paradise unfolding that builds on the love we naturally have for the animals that have joined our lives. It’s Clyde’s Sanctuary, a dream coming true in a special place in British Columbia to be dedicated to the care and feeding of senior citizen animals that have been abandoned.

The mission of the Sanctuary focuses almost entirely on homeless, older animals— both healthy and failing— to support their twilight years as they supported us. We’ll do this with care and love in a place of beauty that is also well equipped for the task. Clyde’s Sanctuary will maintain residences for both humans and the many abandoned animals that have nowhere to go. Included will be a companion animal hospice, The Clyde House, for terminally ill homeless dogs and cats, with a special area for terminally ill, homeless children planned for the future. Both will be served by caretakers with deep affection for their charges.

 

The Sanctuary is inspired by Cynthia Van Savage, a music professional who set out on this path in college when a friend had to leave his German Shepherd behind. She took the shepherd in. And so began a growing love and appreciation for the animal kingdom and an understanding that many seniors become orphans of sorts, taken from abusers, or left behind by families whose homes have been foreclosed to fend for themselves in a world that has little room for these elder strays. With this realization, Cynthia became a shepherd herself, leading an effort that touches many.

The name Clyde comes from one of the five German Shepherds that made their way into Cynthia’s life. He is a dog of graceful temperament and unparalleled loyalty who lost his voice to disease yet remains a chorus of hope. Clyde’s Sanctuary is the materialization of that hope.

As Clyde himself might say: "I was treated well in the Associated Humane Society of Newark’s shelter. No complaints there. I spent six months in Newark before Cynthia adopted me. Together we concocted the idea behind the Sanctuary. The very word comforts me, as it will take care of many friends once it’s built. No bones about it— it will be a great destination we can all be proud of and I am honored it takes my name."

This fauna-centric environment will include several rescue areas involving abandoned healthy senior dogs and cats, Clyde's Companions, wolves, wolf/dog mixes, Clyde's Creatures, and a variety of farm animals, Clyde's Farm. Just as we use therapy dogs today to comfort sick humans, so shall our hospice use Therapy Humans- many of them senior citizens- in a beneficial mingling that brings peace to both.

At the other end of the age spectrum, we’ll serve homeless youth whose lives will be all too short and constrained due to incurable disease. The Clyde House will provide these children with holistic hospice care in a loving, animal rich environment with as much happiness as possible. In our serene setting, young people who are doubly afflicted by both poverty and fatal illness will mingle with domestic animals filled with loving affection. The children will benefit from a perfect harmony of love to give and love to receive.

To convert a parcel of land into a life sustaining community takes more than just the passionate love of a cause. It takes funding. In this case, three million dollars, soup to mutts; not in cold hard cash but warm soft money as this is a mission of the heart.

There are many ways to help. The Sanctuary is the inner circle of several that are part of Clyde and Cynthia's company, ClydeMania!, and The Clyde Fund, the charitable foundation established for this effort. It is no small task but with the desire and willingness of a dedicated core group it can be done.

We are a diverse group of people of varying talents with one important element in common. We share a passion for those vulnerable animals and children that have no one, no home and no place to feel safe and loved. Clyde's Sanctuary will be that safe and loving home.

We, like many new communities, are fulfilling a vision of sharing one's passions, building, working and living together in service for those who are forgotten and have no voice assisting animals and children in need.

We are unified in our commitment to building a kinder, more caring world for everyone!

Our story will act as a catalyst for your actions. We truly hope your vision for the animals and children is as clear as ours. Something needs to be done to enrich their and our lives and with your help, we’ll get it underway. Passion makes great building material.

We are here to SERVE!
With integrity, honor and joy!

"In 1987 I had a very personal experience with renowned doctor and healer, Elizabeth Kubler Ross. This meeting planted a seed in my consciousness, sending me through many life experiences from menial jobs to performer, teacher, musician, and helper to those less fortunate. The many interesting individuals I met and worked with along the way helped to hone a vision that came to life when I adopted my beloved 'Clyde,' a shy, adult, homeless German Shepherd. His shyness evolved into a loud performer who sang when I played Bach on the piano. We embarked on a musical journey that ended abruptly when he became ill and lost his voice. However, our vision for the animals and children remained to create The Clyde Fund and build Clyde's Sanctuary. Although Clyde's aging body is now quite feeble, his spirit remains strong, a silent song of canine hope. He is determined to stay on earth until we break ground on the sanctuary. He is my hero. I am blessed by all who come forward to assist us with building this unique, life affirming community."

Cynthia Van Savage, Founder

We are dedicated to making our community earth friendly and energy efficient by building "green" housing for all inhabitants, human and animal, by using earth friendly materials, products, and services in the construction of Clyde's Sanctuary.

What is green housing? A green house is a home that uses sustainable building materials and energy efficient design. Sustainability involves renewable energy with conservation of resources. A green home promotes a natural sense of well-being, better health and greater economic prosperity through affordable and efficient use of energy and natural resources. Each step we take to minimize the human impact on our environment is a step to improve the lives of all living things. Our goal is to not only reduce the impact of our presence on our environment, but to live in harmony with our environment and enhance our environment with our presence.


Clyde's Sanctuary

Dedicated to honoring the Spiritual Connection between humans, animals and nature.

Why British Columbia, Canada? Why not the USA?

Some folks want to know why we picked this area to build our community when there are so many wonderful areas all over North America. We knew we had to think about the following:

1. Climate

2. Location

3. Cost

4. Resources

Senior animals (and many humans too!) cannot tolerate hot and humid or bitter cold weather. If we go south, then it is hot and humid. If we go north, the winters are long and harsh. The challenge was to find the perfect climate for these feeble animals in an area that will support our programs with affordable property. As we were putting our heads and tails together on this one, Cynthia was riding her bike one day when she met a really nice lady named Carol, jogging. Carol is from Canada. Cynthia had been to BC many years ago and loved it. They began sharing stories about BC and the beauty there. Carol told her about the Okenagan Valley. It sounded too good to be true. Well, we sat together online exploring this interesting area and we discovered that even though this area is far north of our present CT, USA location... the weather is much more agreeable. In fact, it is absolutely perfect for our community.

Why is this area unique?

All the way up North America from south Mexico, there is a desert east of the Coast Mountains. Even in northern Washington State, the dry land desert follows up through the American "Okonogon Valley" until the Canadian border. It is unique that the cooling of the land as we travel north creates at this point the first real series of sweet-water desert lakes running north from here. As you cross the border, you will be amazed to see this barren desert area transformed into an Eden of lakes, orchards, vineyards, farms, ranches, resorts, villages, and towns: welcome to Canada’s fabulous Okanagan Valley!

Enchanting Penticton is in the south, wonderful, vibrant Kelowna in the center, and delightful Vernon is in the north. All are nestled serenely beside lakes in this dry, sunny, grand desert valley, from the little lake at Osoyoos on the USA border, north through lakes Skaha, Okanagan, Kalamalka, some exquisite lesser lakes, up to majestic Shuswap. It was as if it was meant to be and the angels guided her on this!

We found a lovely community about 20 minutes away from Vernon, at the top of the Okanagan Valley. Although located at the very northern end of the valley, the summers are still hot and dry, with cool nights and mild winters. It really is ideal! And far enough north to have few building restrictions. We will be free to create the best prototype for The Clyde House, our self-sufficient, "green" community and our variety of both in-house and outreach programs.

AND! It is within commuting distance to Kelowna whose airport is connected to international flights through Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton, and is a thriving metropolis housing an artistic community rich with theatre and music. We are thinking ahead to "fund raising" with Clyde's Coliseum and Clyde's Celebrity Spa and having easy access to our more remote location. We plan on supporting homeless animals and children in need from both the USA and Canada.

The land here is inexpensive by comparison to other areas of North America. We will be able to buy enough land to support all our projects and community.

Finally, British Columbia has tremendous resources and support for hospice care and charities. What better place to build Clyde's Sanctuary and develop The Clyde House prototype?

The Clyde Fund Donate Page



Congressional District Programs has incorporated the use of donation and event registration software, known as Registration Factory.


To donate to The Clyde Fund, click on the link below. You will be taken to registrationfactory.com



https://www.registrationfactory.com/v3/default.cfm?EventUUID=73A3EBBD

The Clyde House



For those without family... in their time of need

Holistic Hospice Care for Terminally Ill, Homeless Companion Animals and Children



A holistic terminal companion animal hospice for those animals left in shelters by their humans who can no longer care for them. These dogs and cats will come to The Clyde House and spend their last days on earth in a comfortable home environment, rich with love, and a surgical hospital/rehab center for rescued animals that have been severely neglected and/or abused. They will be transported to us for the procedures, and then returned to their shelter when they are ready to find their fur-ever home, just as I did!


You are familiar with "Therapy Dogs" and the assistance they give to humans in a variety of environments. I will offer a place for "Therapy Humans" to come and stay and sit with the animals. Not only will the humans be helping the animals make their transition from the physical world, but the animals will be giving something to the humans as well. We continue to give our infinite loyalty, devotion, and spirit even in our time of need, for that is why we are here... to assist the humans by sharing our love with them!


I have always loved being with children! Future plans include a hospice area for homeless children who are without family or financial support and have terminal illnesses. Loving holistic hospice care will bring comfort to them. The animals and "Therapy Humans" will be family to these vulnerable youth in their final days on earth.


Otherwise alone and forgotten, they will be remembered with love.

Clyde's Companions



Alone no more

Retirement for Institutionalized Senior Companion Animals



As I stated earlier, everyone wants a puppy or kitten, but few want a senior. We will have a retirement home as well for healthy aged German Shepherds and GS mixes that have been "institutionalized" in shelters for a long time. Those dogs that no one wants. We want to take in all kinds of dogs of course! However, since I am a German Shepherd we will begin here in this effort and help interested individuals in starting their own "senior retirement homes" for other breeds. Of course our doors will be open to healthy senior kitties looking for a purr-fect place to live. Birds, bunnies and others have always been at our home and we will invite them to stay as well! I see them all lazing around the ranch, enriching our community with their love.

Clyde's Farm



It's not their fault

Discarded, Elderly Farm Animals, Donkeys, Alpacas and Llamas



There are many farm animals needing assistance as well. Since we are going to have a ranch and lots of land, there will be plenty of room for senior and abandoned farm animals in need as well! We love all animals (and people too!) so we want to open our hearts to as many as we can.

Clyde's Creatures



Displaced, Illegally Obtained Wolf and Wolf/Dog Mixes



Sometimes misinformed humans think it is a great idea to keep wolves as "pets" and/or breed them with dogs. When we heard from the Mission Wolf administrators that they have had to turn away over 6,000 wolf and wolf/dog mixes illegally kept by people who do not understand their needs I insisted we fence in a large wild area of land for them. The Sanctuary is a place for those who have nowhere else to go. These creatures cannot go to animal shelters and what humans can take them in? We will welcome them with a "dog whisperer" on staff to help integrate these displaced creatures into our community.


I look forward to hearing my distant wolf relatives howling their haunting songs in the distance each evening before retiring!

Clyde's Kids - Summer Camp



Underprivileged and Handicapped Children Interact with Animals and Nature


Sharing what we've learned and developed— Broadway Kids is a successful program for teaching inner city kids performance skills while building confidence and self esteem. Clyde's Kids will bring underprivileged and/or handicapped children to the Sanctuary for a similar empowering and skill building experience with the added benefit of exposure to companion, farm, and wild animals. In addition to the theatre experience, "hands on" programs will instruct them on the importance of nature, the roles of animals in nature and the responsibility we, as humans, have to honor living beings and each other.

Clyde's Coliseum



Unique stage venue for live local theatre, performances by Clyde's Kids and musical concerts


We will build a theatre on the Sanctuary as my mom, a musician and piano teacher to many children over the years, loves performing, teaching, and working with kids as much as I used to love to sing! Clyde's Coliseum will provide a venue for fund raising activities as well as support programs for underprivileged children who will greatly benefit from contact with animals. I know how much fun I had in my youth playing with kids at the dog park... today still, even with my feeble legs, I try to follow them 'cause it brings me such joy!


ALL PROCEEDS support ANIMAL and CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS.


Clyde's Celebrity Spa



ALL ANIMALS and CHILDREN on the sanctuary have "CELEBRITY STATUS"


Another great fund raiser to reach out and touch humans and their beloveds. People from all walks of life are welcomed to share life on the sanctuary where ALL ANIMALS and CHILDREN have "CELEBRITY STATUS" and are treated as such. Our beautiful British Columbia location provides the perfect place for a unique vacation experience in cob cottage "spa" facilities with their families and favorite furry friends. These visitors will enjoy lots of fresh mountain air, massage, yoga, and fresh grown organic food.


More importantly, they will learn about the special relationship humans have with animals and nature and their special role as caretakers of the earth and her creatures. Access to the "hands on" programs for Clyde's Kids will add to their animal and nature awareness.


ALL PROCEEDS support building THE CLYDE HOUSE in major cities throughout the US and Canada.