New Love at The Gentle Barn

By Ellie Laks
Founder, The Gentle Barn

Animals fall in love just as deeply as we do, and we have many…

I love New Years, not for the parties, the champagne, or the celebrations, but for the fresh start. A new year is a chance to reflect on the past, keep what works, and set new intentions…

Some of our animals have gone through so much trauma before coming to The Gentle Barn that there is always an underlying quietness about them, always fearing the worst. Some rescued animals are angry and act out. And some go through a transformation here when they finally let go of the past and are healed. But then some are just larger than…

We rescue animals from all kinds of circumstances, from all kinds of places. Some come from local cruelty cases, slaughterhouses, and shelters, and some come from all over the united states.…

Not all animals come to The Gentle Barn old and broken, some come to us as youngsters and grow up at The Gentle Barn enjoying many years of love, fun, and happiness. Zazu, Eclipse and Penny have been with us since they were babies and don’t remember life before The Gentle Barn. They get to be nurtured by our volunteers, cared for by our staff,…

I believe heroes are people, or animals, who give us the motivation, support, strength, encouragement, and a role-model to discover our best selves, to make plans to achieve our dreams, to work through struggles and obstacles,…

Some animals take a lifetime to heal and recover, and some take one look at The Gentle Barn and realize that they have won the lottery and relish every single new and shiny moment. Our cow Oliver in California, our miniature horse Princess Pebble in Tennessee, and our goat Baron Von Goat in Missouri have been living large and in charge since…

Sometimes we rescue pairs or groups of animals that come to The Gentle Barn to live their very best lives together, encouraging each other through their recovery, learning to trust humans at the same time, and offering up companionship as they acclimate to us, our barnyard, and our other animals. Then some animals come to us as lone survivors…

At The Gentle Barn, we rescue severely abused and neglected animals who have nowhere else to go. Sometimes it takes years for them to set their pasts down and recover from former scars. Then there are animals who with little time and care, blossom and thrive. Like a wilted flower, all they need is a little attention and they radiate happiness…

Caesar came to us in the summer of 2003. He was not being cared for very well, and it was Jay’s birthday coming up. Rescuing Caesar in Jay’s honor was a perfect…