Help Kim's Sanctuary: Accommodations for Animal Safety

Hey Everyone!

I'm Kelly, and I am starting this GOFUNDME for my friend and Sanctuary Owner, Kim Kreem. Kim runs Laila's Legacy and HOPE Animal Refuge out in Rougemont, NC, where she cares for sick, disabled, and rescued animals, from dogs to 3 legged pigs.

What is occurring is Duke University students are renting out a local home, which sits on thirty acres of land for parties. Residents describe the parties as lasting from the day into night, with as many as 500-800 students who are either bussed in, (yes, they rent actual school busses for these parties) or drive in themselves. There is music blasting, literally U-HAULs full of alcohol, and no supervision. The drunken students sometimes wander down the rural roads in the dark, and trespass and urinate on neighboring properties, which includes Kim's Sanctuary. Sometimes the noise is so stressful to her animals, that she sometimes has to sedate them during the parties. Students are also trespassing in the animal enclosures, causing them undue stress.

Kim and her neighbors have called the Sheriff's Office during the parties, asking them to enforce the County noise ordinance, which prohibits "any unreasonably loud and disturbing noise." They say they've been disappointed with the response as that "deputies spoke with the host of the event when they responded and asked them to lower their music and they complied on each occasion".

Landus Robertson, planning manager for the Durham City-County Planning Department, said the department issued a notice of violation to the property owners for operating an outdoor event venue on a residentially zoned property without a minor special use permit.

However, as a result of the zoning board review, a small portion of her drive (10-15ft), was discovered to have been on the above neighbor's land and has been on the edge of that property for 21 years. It was not discovered when she closed on the land 21 years ago, the drive was here when she purchased the property. The adjacent property owner’s act of vindictiveness was to tell Kim she can no longer use that 10-15 feet of her driveway.

The issue is that Kim must relocate animal fencing, then relocate about half of her driveway to move this small section off his property. It’s costing her thousands of dollars to avoid a present septic field and utilities. ($6-8k) and that is part of the problem. There has been an offer to purchase the property/ easement to avoid conflict, but the owner vehemently refused.

All of this is due to retaliation against Kim because she stood up for her animal’s safety and well-being against illegal activities, which only results in harm and harassment to her animals and also her and her family.

Can you please help me help Kim and her animals? Running an animal Sanctuary is expensive as is especially with the current financial hardships many donors face, and Kim is simply now trying to move her enclosures to comply with zoning regulations.

Any amount would be and is greatly appreciated.

Here is the WRAL news story with some of the coverage: https://www.wral.com/news/investigates/college-parties-durham-county-neighbors-concerns-april-2025/