Coming to Sanctuary

A lot of beings find their way here, a lot in the last couple of weeks.

Early one morning, someone snuck down to the tool shed and left a cage, a note and Mustard. Then they crept back out again, unseen.

This is Mustard. 

This is the note.

One thing about volunteering at the Sanctuary is that you never know what people are going to do. Animals are so much easier to figure out. 

Dawnell adopted Mustard. He has a new life and a new name, Po. So Po starts over in what could be considered guinea pig heaven: a home with someone who treasures him. Possibly that's any animal's nirvana. 

Several days ago, we took in Zoe, a 10-year-old pig who came from a hoarder in Vermont who had sent Zoe’s herd-mates to slaughter, 17 of them. Pigs will mourn for days over the loss of a friend. Zoe was scared, panting and pacing when she arrived. Finally she laid down, then  wouldn’t get up for hours. To sit with her was to feel waves of sadness.

A few days later, a Jeep on 212 hit a heron. Some guys were working on the road and saw the accident. They called to Phil who was near the steer field. He found the heron in tall weeds and carried him to the med center. 

From there we took him to Hurley Vet where Ravensbeard, a wildlife rehab place, would pick him up after surgery. Unfortunately, the vets discovered his back was broken, along with both hips. There was nothing they could do but euthanize him.

Next to come to the farm was Little Dude, a pig who was rescued from a farmer who was starving two pigs together. The other pig starved to death in front of Little Dude.

That's Edie the hen sitting with Little Dude. 

Here Zach says hello nose to nose. 

Little Dude is now sharing a stall with Zoe. They sleep next to each other, stretched out, but we have to feed them separately as they’re both very food aggressive and start fighting. Some fears run deep. Zoe has lots of scars on her sides. The first night they were together and fought over food, Little Dude laid down and wouldn’t move. Sophie brought a bowl to him and sat with him while he ate. I sat with Zoe.

We don’t know much about their stories. We approach them with open hearts to feel what they’re feeling, to do what we can to understand. There’s no formula, but they can know they’re not alone anymore. We’re in this with them. And we're so glad they're here. Every time someone new comes here, the quote from the last chapter of Black Beauty comes to mind: "...and so I have nothing to fear; and here my story ends. My troubles are all over and I am at home."