THE GENTLE BARN CONDUCTS EMERGENCY RESCUE FROM BACKYARD BUTCHER
Santa Clarita, CA, (April 5, 2012) – Over the past several years, The Gentle Barn has been monitoring and rescuing animals from an abusive and filthy Southern California backyard butcher. To date, The Gentle Barn has rescued from this location, a horse in horrific condition, as well as 14 cows, 32 goats and sheep, 4 turkeys.
After many months working with Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control and the District Attorney, the backyard butcher has been arrested on felony charges and all the animals have been removed from his property and are now recovering at The Gentle Barn. The way the animals were being slaughtered for human consumption was ruthless and the public was being sold potentially contaminated meat.
The LA County Animal Care and Control trucks started pouring onto The Gentle Barn property at about 11:30 Tuesday morning. In those trucks were over 20 goats and sheep (including several babies), 5 adult cows and a badly mistreated horse from the backyard butcher’s location. All the animals are emaciated and terrified, many with open sores, infected lungs, parasites, fevers and hacking coughs. Some of the goats have been blinded from untreated eye infections. The horse has an open, infected wound on her leg that goes to the bone and is clearly causing her incredible pain.
This is a tremendous victory, not only for the animals, but for public safety as well. Backyard butchers are not licensed or controlled and are typically abusive and filthy places, selling meat from animals riddled with diseases, some of which are potentially transferable to people.
“We recognize that people have many choices as to what they eat and where they purchase their food.” said Ellie Laks, Founder of The Gentle Barn, “We encourage people to consider a plant-based diet. But no matter what you choose, everyone should be selective about the source of their meat and not buy from backyard butchers.”
The rescued animals now safe at The Gentle Barn need extensive medical treatment, top quality nutrition, and round the clock loving care to heal. They will now live the rest of their lives with people who will give them the best care possible. To make a donation to help these animals recover and heal, please go to https://www.gentlebarn.org/donate.php
About The Gentle Barn
The Gentle Barn Foundation is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1999 as a safe haven and place of recovery for abused farm animals and children. Its unique philosophy rehabilitates animals and connects their stories of survival and healing to the personal experiences of inner city, at-risk and special needs children and adults who have suffered physical, mental or emotional trauma. Unlike most therapy animals who are selected for their docile temperaments and raised for service from a young age, each of The Gentle Barn’s 138 farm animals has a history of neglect, abandonment and other abuses that are personally relevant to at-risk children. By interacting with the animals and taking a hands-on role in their welfare, those who participate in programs at The Gentle Barn learn empathy, kindness, strength, trust, forgiveness and leadership. The variety of programs offered promotes lifelong healing for both the people and the animals. The Gentle Barn is run by founder Ellie R. Laks and her partner Jay Weiner, both of whom were healed and supported by animals as children. They live on the six-acre property with their three children. The Gentle Barn is open to the public Sundays from 10:00am until 2:00pm. More information is available at www.gentlebarn.org.
CONTACTS:
Cindy Guagenti / BWR Public Relations Email: cguagenti@bwr-la.com
Karen Snook / The Gentle Barn Email: karen@gentlebarn.org
[...] [...]
[...] removed from Celedon’s Santa Clarita, California property by Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care and Control (ACC.) A horse (with a severe leg wound that is open to the bone), five cattle, 14 goats and nine sheep [...]