Preparing for Open Barn Day- And saying Goodbye. TW- Animal Passing.

One of our Sanctuary's absolute favorite days is right around the corner. We love getting ready to visit with you all, share the stories of our amazing residents and continue to serve our community by providing compassionate care to the animals who call The Good Shepherd Animal Sanctuary home.

So what's new this year? Besides having the most amazing food line up, we are back in alignment with Neapolis Community Day! The Providence Township Fire and Rescue & Neapolis Volunteer Fire Association will have the trucks, engines and safety house available for kids, a clown, and a classic car and tractor show. It's really shaping up to be a huge event for the whole family. The best part? It's all FREE! You can't beat that!

Despite the underlying hum of excitement, this last month hasn't passed without loss. We have said goodbye to three residents in the span of a month, and although one was planned, another was due to old age, the third was difficult. Sven, our BBW Turkey Tom sustained a respiratory injury which he ultimately succumbed to. Without getting on a soap box, I will say that it is unfair to these amazing creatures to be bred so carelessly to be bigger, and thus more susceptible to issues of their organs and tissues. They struggle more than their smaller counterparts when healing, and often get sick and suffer organ failure more often. It's no doubt that breeding en masse has to stop. The suffering of birds is truly concerning on a level I cannot put into words. Our entire team has been working to cope with these losses, and know that despite their deaths, their lives were lived to the fullest here.

Rest Peacefully Sven

We also lost our very first rescued rooster, Donald. Donald has been with me since 2012. Our long friendship followed a move to the Sanctuary, as well as the initial startup of The Good Shepherd. He's been a steadfast presence. And he will be missed.

Rest Peacefully, Donald.

And we also had to make the decision to say Goodbye to Ziggy, Our very first rescue pig.

Ziggy stood for so much, new beginnings, Sanctuary for rescued pigs. And he allowed me to learn so much about these amazing animals all by being my friend. Although this transition was difficult, it was filled with so much happiness that the last many years was so full of love.

Rest in Honor, Ziggy.

Part of Sanctuary is loss. and as our Sanctuary ages, so do the residents. We know this is an inevitable part of what we do.

In a hopeful spirit, however. I have some good news! Currently, the Sanctuary is collaborating with Providence Twp Fire & Rescue to bring a Technical Large Animal Emergency Rescue course to the Anthony Wayne Area in 2027! We're super excited to host Dr. Rebecca Hustead for a fun and informative animal crisis and emergency management course. I highly encourage any Large Animal Caretaker, Vet, First Responder or Equine Enthusiast to join us! More information will be available soon! If you'd like to help provide a scholarship for this course to area first responders and students getting into animal welfare, please don't hesitate to email me- ECox@GoodShepherdOhio.Org -Subject TLAER Scholarship!

Elle, Jase and the class in Indiana, hosted by Morgantown Fire Department and TLAER Inc.

I would love to provide scholarships to local Sanctuaries and Rescues & First Responders to provide this training to help them mitigate and work in situations like barn fires, entrapment rescue and end of life planning for large animals.

Until we see you at Open Barn Day, Stay Safe, and Be Kind!

Elle Cox