At Risk Youth Program

Our at risk program works by bringing inner city kids and at-risk youth to our facility to build self-esteem, learn positive values, heal their pasts, discover their inner selves, and reach out for bright futures. We do this by uniting the children with our 60 rescued animals. Since children naturally identify with animals, and because animals are living beings like us, we can use our interactions with them to teach children how to behave towards other people.

Incorporating the simple concepts of kindness and respect into their lives, and teaching the children to respect and protect even the smallest and weakest among us, will help them value themselves and one another.

We believe that our animals are particularly healing with these children. First of all, the animals have all been abused before coming to The Gentle Barn. Relaying their stories to the children allow them to identify and relate to the pain of the animals. Often times the children share similar pasts. Secondly, as they see that the animals are safe here with us, the children begin to open up, as they too feel safe. Finally, we believe that animals, with their unconditional love and non-judgmental attitude, can often times reach kids more deeply and effectively than people can. As the children learn to love the animals, they simultaneously learn to love a part of themselves. As they learn to understand the animals, they learn to understand a part of themselves.

Identifying with the animals at The Gentle Barn helps the children feel safe. When we explore how our abused animals have learned to forgive and overcome their pasts, the animals become role models helping the children reach their goals of surpassing their pain and reaching for their bright futures.

Often times when children are abused they turn their hurt around to abuse others, smaller than themselves. By teaching empathy and uniting kids with all life, we turn them into protectors instead of abusers.

"The instant connection with the animals that is made each and every time we bring our boys there is almost impossible to describe without using words like "extaordinary," and "uplifting. "There is more to the connection than just curiosity on both the boy's and animals parts. There is an understanding of what it means to have a second chance."

"Whether you happen to walk on 2 feet, 4 hooves, or merely just enjoy the sensation of watching as 2 completely different creatures, human and animal, learn something that books can't teach."

-Pacific Lodge Boys' Home