Dolly Parton Opens “Dolly’s Dream Animal Sanctuary” — Because Every Creature Deserves a Home and a Happy Tail
Somewhere in the rolling hills outside Nashville, a little piece of heaven has found a new home—and every dog and cat there already knows the Wi-Fi password is “Love.”
Dolly Parton, shining bright in a cream-colored pantsuit and surrounded by more wagging tails than a country music awards show, officially opened Dolly’s Dream Animal Sanctuary: A Home for Discarded Pets.
No cages.
No kill clocks.
Just open pastures, cozy barns painted soft butter-yellow and butterfly-blue, heated floors, classical music filling every kennel, and a caring staff who treats each rescue like royalty—because that’s exactly what they are.
Standing among a dozen newly adopted pups (some missing legs, some blind in one eye, all sporting butterfly bandanas), Dolly wiped happy tears away and said:
“I’ve always believed that if you want the rainbow, you have to put up with the rain. These babies have faced more storms than most people ever will. But today, their rainbow begins right here.”
The sanctuary is fully funded by Dolly and the Dollywood Foundation. Every animal that steps through those musical-note gates—whether they walk, limp, or roll—will receive:
Top-quality veterinary care
Physical therapy pools for those recovering from injuries
A real bed, real blankets, and real love until they find their forever families
And if no one ever comes? That’s okay. This is their forever home.
Dolly shared a story she’s never told before: as a little girl in Locust Ridge, a stray dog followed her home during a harsh winter. Her father said they couldn’t afford to feed another mouth, so Dolly gave the dog half of her supper every night under the porch until spring, when the dog disappeared. She cried for weeks.
“I promised myself that if I ever had the chance, no animal would go hungry or cold on my watch again. Took me some time, but here we are.”
Then she knelt down, letting a three-legged golden retriever lick away her tears and mascara, and whispered loud enough for everyone to hear:
“Welcome home, sweethearts. No one will ever throw you away again.”
Dolly’s Dream Animal Sanctuary is officially open.
And somewhere above, every angel just learned a new word: Woof.
