At This Sanctuary, The Animals Come First

Tracy Muscatello, owner of HeartsHard Animal Shelter and Rescue, was 5 years old when she rescued her first animal. Since then, "I have surrounded myself with animals in my life and career". he said.

Muscatello has owned a pet spa and suites, pet spa and suites, for 32 years in Colonie, a fostering and boarding facility and HeartsHerd, an animal shelter in Buskirk. The latter is a labor of love. Profits from his pet grooming business help run the shelter.

Over the years, "As soon as I gained the trust of customers, they would come to me and say, 'My mother is dead.'

In the year In 2002, on a working farm, he saw a horse in a nearby farm. "Unfortunately, he was neglected. We looked at each other, and I offered to buy him. My father named him Rudy. He fixed the red paint in the worker's house with the help of animals. Then he looked for land in rural Rensselaer County and in 2002, he bought 21 acres of land in Buskirk. Muscatello from his dog, the cat. And he sat there with Ginger, saying, "I've had three happy years with Red to rest before Red."

One day he found himself in an emergency where eight horses had to be saved. He brought horses to the farm. “That night I prayed to God to help me. The next morning I looked outside and saw all the horses supporting each other. It is quiet here, both with the animals and with me. I felt this was my mission.” Muscatello coined the name HeartsHard and filed for nonprofit status in 2010.

Heart Herd Shelter and Rescue Center
2075 Buskirk-West Hoosick Road, Buskirk, New York 12028

The houses are horses, donkeys, alpacas, cows, goats, birds, pigs, cats and dogs.

For more information, to donate or sponsor an animal, visit https://heartsherd.com.

According to him, they arrive here after completing their ranching mission. The animal may retire, be in hospice care, or develop a disability that renders it useless. Or hard times have come on the farm where they live. “If we don't make a home for the animals, they will spend their lives here. We have sacred places that we have buried with humanity and compassion.

"We're still mostly operating at a low level. I've adopted or found homes for about 600 dogs and cats since 2010. Emergency care, animal shelters owned by victims of domestic violence.

There aren't enough resources to do what Muscatello wants.

Excluding emergencies, a veterinarian costs about $10,000 a year. "My accountant told me I was doing a good job, but it wasn't financially viable," he said. "My clients know that I love this job and I support them with kindness." Two years ago, a fire broke out in the Heartsherd warehouse. "We thought we were done. The community came together and raised $25,000 without asking us to rebuild the barn. Dagen Trucking donated $800 worth of hay a month. The Lazy Dog Cookie Co. truck from Saratoga Springs loaded three pallets of cookies that our pets love and will save us a lot of money this winter." If a company can give us something of value or make a donation, it's a win-win situation.

In addition, the reserve is visited by school children and residents of nursing homes. Often the school collects and sends money. Parker, 11 or 12, signed up for the HeartsHard Facebook page and came to visit. She volunteers to give birthday and Christmas presents to the animals. "I look at Parker as my oldest son," Muscatello said.

Muscatello married Michelle Crowley six years ago. "He's the love of my life. Michelle is Albany County Sheriff's Detective Craig Apple and has connections that can help. She knows the rules and shows me the way."

Muscatello and Crowley are on the Albany District Attorney's Task Force. We have met many times. "I love being an intermediary before the animals are taken from their owners."

The hotel has accommodation for guests. “It was an old dairy farm. We decorated the place where the cows were kept. It was on Airbnb before Covid and it was thriving. A Manhattan family rented it during the Covid lockdown and is still there.

Muscatello and Crowley personally manage the farm and are passionate about what they do. "Being in nature with animals is amazing, it's a healing zone," Muscatello said.

HeartsHard currently has 11 cats, four horses, one donkey, four cows, four pigs, two alpacas, nine goats and several chickens and ducks.

Do you have a favorite Muscatello? "When I talk to animals, I tell them I love them all. They are like children to me."

But she admits her Little Dancer the lame goat and Gretchen the donkey are her favourites.