Fund a Little Light House
What it takes to build a sanctuary — in phases, with a tangible way to help at every step.
Building a sanctuary is a big undertaking, so we’re doing it in phases — and there are tangible ways to help at every step. These are ballpark estimates from comparable U.S. sanctuary builds; we’ll firm them up as our land and plans are finalized.
| Phase 1 — Land & site 5–10 acres, fencing, well, septic, utilities, drainage | ~$70K–$200K |
| Phase 2 — Intake & care building Shelter-grade build at ~$350–$475/sq ft, ~90 sq ft per dog | varies by size |
| Phase 3 — Indoor–outdoor suites Comfortable suites with their own secure outdoor run | ~$15K–$25K each |
| Phase 4 — Play yards & finishing Fenced yards, sanitation, industrial laundry, drainage | varies |
| Estimated total — a ~25-dog sanctuary | ~$400K–$1.5M |
For comparison: We Care Animal Rescue’s new building cost ~$360K; Last Chance Ranch is raising $5.5M for a 24-kennel facility; a 5,000 sq ft, 20-run shelter runs about $825K. Where we land depends on the land we find and how much we build ourselves.
The most tangible way to help
Sponsor a suite — ~$20,000
Build one comfortable indoor–outdoor suite. Every suite is a dog who always has a safe place to land.
Fund a play yard
Secure, fenced space for new arrivals to run and just be dogs while they wait to join the pack.
Lay the groundwork
Help cover the land and site work — the foundation everything else is built on.
Estimates based on 2024–2025 U.S. sources (Shelter Planners, Bacon Group Architecture, USDA land values, HomeGuide/Angi site-work costs) and real comparable builds. Final figures will be confirmed as plans develop.
Build a safe place to land
$20,000 sponsors a suite. Any amount moves the first shovel of dirt closer.