For this reason, qualified veterinarian Tijana Simic sought to create a community space at the facility where the elderly could interact with animals.

"The Yackandandah Health chief executive at the time was quite on board with having animals at the facility, as a lot of the people are from a farming background," she said.

"The opportunity came up to apply for funding through Pick My Project.

"We were really lucky to be successful in getting enough votes from the community to put us in the top eight of projects for the Ovens Murray region and we got a $200,000 grant to build a facility."

The idea for the CARE Sanctuary morphed into a multipurpose space that also included a garden and when Victorian government funding and council approval came through, work was started in August.

"The garden component has turned into a bigger component," Dr Simic said.

"Paul Scannell, who was the curator of Albury Botanic Gardens for nearly 30 years, has been donating his time and basically managed the landscaping."

Mr Scannell organised for Beechworth Correctional Centre prisoners to assist with works.

"I got involved with the CARE Sanctuary, due to my mum Betty," he said.

"A lover of gardening and flowers, Betty always smiled when she could get out and about in her garden.

"We lost mum to Alzheimer's in 2006 and the sanctuary will always remind me of her and that wonderful passion."

Yackandandah Primary School, Yackandandah Kindergarten and Little Yacks Childcare joined residents in planting the first seeds at the sanctuary.

A CARE Barn is now under construction by local firm Agency of Sculpture and Dr Simic plans to work with animal refuges and rescues to populate the barn.

"We're hoping we can foster, for example cats and kittens, and that way we're helping the shelters," she said.

"We'll be running programs to engage with children and residents, to have that intergenerational connection.

"We'll be employing people that can facilitate the human-animal interactions in a safe way, and hopefully we'll be seeing more residents spending time outside."

IN OTHER NEWS:

The sanctuary is expected to be operating by March, 2020.

Multiple local businesses and community groups have also donated, including All Mod Steel, the Thursday Ladies Fitness Group and The Yackandandah Garden Club.

Terri Manderson of All Mod steel said their partnership would commit $12,000 over three years to the project.