NY Woman Rescues 100+ Abused Animals Over 14 Years

When Karla Trimm found Hazel shivering in a deep freeze last January, the abandoned Appaloosa was nothing but ribs at just 754 pounds. Six months later, this once-starving horse has gained 125 pounds, rolls happily in the sand, and might soon give pony rides to delighted children.

This is what 14 years of dedication looks like at K-Stone Rescue in Lisbon, New York. Trimm turned her Keystone Road ranch into a haven for animals facing starvation, abuse, and the slaughterhouse, giving them emergency medical care, rehabilitation, and a path to loving homes.

Her rescue work reads like a series of last-minute saves. She bought a mare named Freedom just three hours before the horse was scheduled for slaughter. A month later, Freedom went home with the Doerr family of Canton, where their 12-year-old daughter couldn't contain her excitement about her new companion.

The ranch isn't just about saving lives. It's about rebuilding them completely. Trimm rehabilitates horses until they're healthy enough for new families, operates a mobile petting zoo that visits local festivals, and hosts birthday parties that introduce children to the joy of animals.

Two of her first rescues from 2012 still live at the ranch. Heidi, a mini-horse, and Dak, a donkey, have found their forever home alongside other rescue animals and Trimm's competition-trained Appaloosas and quarter horses.

The Ripple Effect

Trimm's work has created a community of compassion that extends far beyond her ranch gates. Volunteers like Rylea Kelly, an equine science student at SUNY Morrisville, gain hands-on experience while helping animals heal. Connie DuPre of Ogdensburg simply says, "I can't say enough nice things about Karla. She is so kind to all the animals."

The mobile petting zoo brings that kindness directly to the community, offering pony rides at churches and festivals while raising funds to save more animals. When children meet horses like Hazel, they're not just petting an animal. They're meeting a survivor with a story of resilience.

Trimm built an indoor arena three years ago, expanding her ability to train and rehabilitate animals year-round. The retired corrections lieutenant and police officer now runs K-Stone Tax Service alongside her rescue work, somehow finding time to prepare taxes between feeding animals and coordinating adoptions.

She jokes about her future plans with characteristic warmth. "I could retire and sell this place, but not tomorrow. I'll probably die on a horse."

For now, she's focused on expanding, seeking more Appaloosas and a llama to join the menagerie that includes Maggie the potbellied pig and dozens of horses in various stages of recovery.

Every animal that arrives skeletal and scared eventually becomes someone like Hazel: healthy, trusting, and ready to bring joy to others.