Foster an Animal
You can foster an animal by clicking the "Foster Me" button next to each animal's name. You will receive personal updates from your chosen animal itself.
Join Mossburn
Your ongoing support is vital to ensure the future of the animals at Mossburn.
Donate Online
Make a one-off donation using our secure server - donations save lives.
We are delighted that Mac the Mossburn Rabbit now has his own book.
The story follows our very own Mac on a voyage of discovery with the help of Fern the Deer and the Rabbit Rescue Squad, amongst others.
The people at Mossburn
Juanita Wilson (Founder / Volunteer Manager)
Hi my name is Juanita, the abbreviation for Juanita is Juan and as people find that as difficult as the full name I get called Mrs Wilson a lot, I would rather I didn't as I am not a very formal person! The question everyone asks me is "what made you start a sanctuary?" The truthful answer to that is that I never started out to do so, the whole thing just happened and evolved. Many years ago now it became known locally that I was approachable when people got into difficulties with horses and ponies and inevitably a very sick pony called Merlin arrived on my doorstep one day as his owners could no longer cope with him (Photo left: this is us back then). I nursed that pony back to health and he is still alive today, retired but much loved. As a direct result of Merlin's arrival I decided to get a committee together and become a charity and that is what I did. At first we were solely an equine charity but when my landlord moved me from the small yard where I lived at the time into the much larger premises of Mossburn things began, with the arrival of five pigs, three geese and three sheep, to take on the shape of how they are today.
I have been horse mad since falling in love with the milkman's pony at the age of about two. I have never been competitive and actually intended to make a career of being a cowgirl in America. I got married instead and had two children! I believe that life is to a degree mapped out for us and I have no doubt at all that what I am doing now is exactly what I am supposed to be doing. Caring for animals is rewarding if sometimes sad work. Trying to make a difference to the way other people think and feel about animals can be very frustrating but I have a saying and it is this; "if one goldfish in a bowl is moved into a tank because of what its owner has learnt by being at Mossburn then we have made a difference and that difference counts."
Recently the press made me choose which two animals I would most hate to lose in the event of a cull here; well it had to be Fran the goat and Joker the heifer but I love all our creatures and I'm grateful that I'm in a position where I am able to take them in and care for them. Another remark often made to me is "if I won the lottery I would start a sanctuary like yours" - I was on the dole when Merlin arrived and started the whole thing off, if you wait until you can afford it, it will never happen!
Pete White (Project Officer)
I have been working here on a part-time basis since August 2008. My job is to seek funding to enable the development of Mossburn into a place that generate income through the provision of animal related placements and therapeutic programmes. When I am not working here I am either working as a Development Officer for the Dumfries & Galloway Small Communities Housing Trust or running courses in digital photography. In the past few years I have worked on a number of community based projects and programmes in Dumfries & Galloway as an adult literacies tutor, placement liaison officer and creative development worker. I have to admit that my knowledge of animals is quite limited - much to the amusement of many people here!
Claire and Susan
Claire and Susan both have severe learning difficulties and come to work at Mossburn on a regular basis.
Here is Claire with Preston the rabbit, her favourite animal and Susan who takes charge of her favourites the small furries when she comes to work.
Juanita and friends