Posted on Dec 28, 2017
By Ellie Laks, Founder of The Gentle Barn
At The Gentle Barn, we don’t look back; we lean forward. When we rescue animals from severe abuse and neglect, we don’t dwell in their stories or their pain but pull them forward bit by bit to the love, respect, and wonderful life we have waiting for them. When we host school field trips, we don’t assess the children on how they seem but know they can learn to be gentle, kind and confident with a little guidance and grooming. When we host groups of at-risk, inner city, and special needs kids, we don’t hold them to how they have always acted or what they have gone through but know that they can choose to be whoever they want to be and that their lives hold infinite joyous possibilities.
At The Gentle Barn, we have been through challenges. We have grown and learned. We started on a half acre and now have 20 acres in Santa Clarita, but also have locations in Tennessee and Missouri. We have said goodbye to many senior animals when their bodies are done, and we have welcomed many babies and new animals who bring with them magic and fresh air. We have saved hundreds of animals and opened hundreds of thousands of hearts. Entering our eighteenth year, though, and starting 2018 we are filled with longing not from where we came, but towards where we are heading. We are full of excitement for opening more Gentle Barns in other states, rescuing more animals who have nowhere else to go, healing more children, opening more hearts, and pouring more peace and gentleness into our communities.
Thank you for visiting, donating, supporting, volunteering, and most of all, loving animals with us. We cannot do this work without you. Come see us in the New Year and hug cows, cuddle turkeys, give pigs tummy rubs, hold lap chickens, and be inspired by their stories of resilience. Come meet the real-life Ferdinand, named after the animated movie release, Ferdinand The Bull, in partnership with 20th Century Fox and Zevia. Get your tickets and find out more! 2018 is going to be a GREAT year!