Letting Go

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" -Dr. Seuss

Things are a lot quieter at Baby Goat Central these days. Most of the 2016 rescued babies have found their forever homes. The ones still here have been weaned and are now living as one herd with Nicky and Nitro. They're learning to be big kids and growing up fast. The bottle feeding supplies and baby playgrounds are all in storage for the winter and the quiet, I'll admit, it's hard to get used to. It certainly isn't boring around here, Nicky and Nitro make sure of that but it's certainly calmer. We have a routine, something you simply just can't establish for more than a few days at a time during baby season. Change is the name of the game all spring and summer. Now, we get a bit of a "break" before it all starts again in a few short months. But the goings here, they're getting harder. Everyone always asks how I can let them go? How do I do it? Raise these little ones from days, if not hours old and then let them go? There are times, like this morning, I wonder that too.

Today, two of Baby Goat Central's favorite kids of the year were off to their forever home. I always hate to use the word favorite, because I truly love every little one that comes through BGC but there are some I get more attached to than others. P&B, I was very, very attached to and most of BGC's volunteers will tell you, P&B were their favorites. How could you not fall in love with these sweet little lamanchas with the most amazing eyelashes? How could you not be charmed by Petrie's head tilt when you talked to him or by Beaker's excited tail wag every time you touched him? As the BGC herd has gotten smaller, P&B came into their own, their personality's flourished. They started mimicking Nicky and Nitro in all their goofy ways, I always say "Lamancha see, Lamancha do." It was so true with these kids. They loved to snuggle and play and were defiently "mama's boys."

As one of BGC's volunteers says, we're selfishly sad. She is so right. I am sad for me, that I don't get to be greeted by their bright eyes and wagging tails each morning, that I won't get Beaker snuggles to start every day, that this little farm just won't feel the same without them. That Nicky and Nitro won't have their playmates anymore. Watch out baby Obers, you're next in line for that role! But just as I was for all the others that have left, I am so happy that they have a home all their own and such an amazing one at that. As soon as we met their new family and saw the amazing home they've created for them, we knew, this was P&B's home. It was their turn.

It is hard to see them go. It's as simple as that. From the time they arrive, I become mom. They are my babies. But there are so many more babies that need saving and that time starts again in just a few short months. So yes, I shed some tears today but mostly, I smiled because my life and the life of BGC was so much better because P&B got to be raised here. I drove 6 hours round trip shortly after they were born to save their lives and mine has been so much better for it. Now, I get to share that love and happiness with another family.

Among all the comings and goings there is one constant, Nicky and Nitro, aka "The Minis." Part of why I love having adopted these two crazy lamanchas last year is that there are two here that will never leave. "The Minis" thrive on all the activity here, they are the perfect Lamancha ambassadors when adopters visit and I would say they have fully embraced their big brother role. For me, I need those two as much as they need me. They make days like these a little easier.

So how do we do it? Happy endings like the one that happened today. Amazing, loving, invested and excited families adopting our babies and giving them a loving forever home. By placing all of the lives we save each year, we get to save that many more the next year. Every baby that leaves takes a little piece of my heart but seeing how happy their new family was today, makes my heart so full.

Today was bittersweet, adoption days always are. Days like this, it's good to be reminded of the wise words of Dr. Seuss and smile because it happened.

Wilder

"I'll keep you safe, you keep me wild" This guy has my heart

One of the many wonderful things about saving so many animals each year is that I get to fall in love all the time, over and over again. Often, falling in love so frequently comes with it's share of heartbreak. The heartbreak of not being able to save them all. Of not always having the answers. Heartbreak is a reality we have to face, it comes with the territory. When baby Wilder arrived and, shortly after, showed signs of not being 100% healthy, I braced myself.

We were wrapping up an amazing baby season, one that had presented us with very few challenges. Then in our last group of babies, Wilder & Griffey broke the streak. Unfortunately, despite doing everything we and veterinarians possibly could, Griffey's little body was unable to overcome the health issues he was born with. His loss was a hard one. All the while, Wilder had been struggling with issues of his own, a very painful ulcer. Here was this little baby, wanting nothing more than the comfort of milk and his bottle and it was causing him such discomfort.

It took some trial and error to find just what treatment would work best for Wilder, what his body would respond to best. It also took a lot of patience, something I was struggling to find. Wilder and I spent lots of time with him curled up in my arms while I snuggled him and told him I was sorry that he wasn't feeling better. Eating was painful for him and we could not get his digestive system on track. I felt like I was failing him, I just couldn't win. Getting babies over the "hump" when they aren't feeling 100% can be frustrating and draining. It is a challenge to my personality, one that likes lists and plans, to just wait and see how he did and go with the flow of what he was responding to. I was terrified of making a mistake and making it worse. It had been a tough go those few weeks and I needed a win. This little guy and I needed to get over this hurdle. For him. For me. For Griffey. We needed a win.

Wilder (right) and his best buddy Blitz

Every day I grew more and more attached to this little wide eyed baby who was the best possible patient I could ever ask for. He loved his medicine and would often go back to where it was located and look up at it and cry for more. He followed my every step around the farm and still does. Always looking up at me with the sweetest little face inquiring as to whether there were a few more ounces of milk to be had. Every time I sat down he would crawl into my lap, tuck his head into my arms and snuggle, another thing he still does, every day.

It took a good solid week of his most recent treatment regimen, to finally see improvement. I was cautiously optimistic at first. I held my breath every day as I increased his milk intake. He started to gain weight and grow, he wasn't uncomfortable after eating and he was far less excited about his medicine. We were headed uphill. This past week, for the first time, he has started to truly play and frolic like a baby goat. He had tried half hearted efforts so many times before but just never felt good enough to really play. Watching him race around the farm jumping sideways, spinning in the air and dueling with his buddies, it makes my heart swell. My heart is so happy seeing this little guy live his little life without pain and discomfort. Wilder & I, we won this one and my attachment to him is a special one.

Telling me not to get so attached is a waste of breath. I fall in love. I get attached. Yes, I get heartbroken over one loss. Haunted by ones we couldn't save. I get teary eyed when babies I have raised leave for their forever homes and I feel a void on the farm when they're gone. Doing it any other way, to me, would be doing this all wrong. Protecting myself from the heartbreak and sadness that inevitably comes along with this life, would also mean protecting myself from the immense love and joy I get from a once sick baby running, jumping and frolicking without a care in the world. Nothing is worth missing that.

Wilder is now front and center of Team Ober 2.0

The kids of 2016

It's that time of year again, rescued baby season is (finally!) winding down and it's time for our annual yearbook highlights of this year's class of rescued kids! Baby season has been long and steady as 86 kids have made their way through the rescue so far this year. Over 50 have graduated to their forever homes. Our new second rescue farm, Baby Goat Central, welcomed it's first babies in December and continues to house our youngest rescues. A number of kids were raised at our main rescue location and our amazing foster homes, as they do every year, stepped up to help during our busiest times. The kids have been full of personality. From the adventurous and athletic to the quiet and snuggly. All unique and incredibly sweet. They have been nothing short of entertaining, exciting and exhausting. Countless baby goat rescue road trips, hundreds of gallons of milk, endless cleaning, endless bottles, endless baby goat cuddles. All of these things define rescued baby season each and every year. But nothing makes baby season what it is like the kids themselves and what an amazing group we've had!

Most likely to be elected to political office: Lockette This Oberhasli stunner is a standout at BGC. Handsome as can be and full of busy personality, everyone loves Lockette! Including Nicky and Nitro, which, is a rare occurrence. Lockette is the only kid who is allowed by "The Minis" to share their feeder, pool or picnic table, he can often be found curled up napping with one of the big boys. Lockette is always neutral, he never reacts to anyone trying to push him around, he just stays his course and does his thing, looking as regal as could be.

Class Clown: Rama Rama is the runaway winner of this honor. There was never a dull moment with Rama around. He was a big goofball always in the middle of everything, playing and exploring. He loved being the center of attention but he loved nothing more than his little red wagon.

Best eyelashes: Petrie & Beeker In a sea of black and brown goats, Petrie and Beeker stand out from the BGC crowd with their beautiful light coloring and their AMAZING eyelashes. These twin Lamancha boys are the sweetest of the sweetest and when they look at you with those big, bright eyes and bat those beautiful long eyelashes, you can't help but melt.

Cutest Couple: BGC's Farm Dog Addie & "her babies" When we adopted rescue dog Addie we had no idea we were adopting the best baby goat sitter! After spending 5 years in a rescue, Addie finally has a home and family all her own at BGC and she adores her baby goats. They climb on her, nibble on her, launch off of her and sometimes curl up for a nap with her. She is incredibly patient with them and is always concerned if someone isn't where they are supposed to be or isn't feeling 100%. Addie & the kids made for some adorable captured moments this season.

Most likely to get by on their looks: Grady & Ramsey How could you not succeed on looks when you look like this? These two lookers are just so cute! They spend their days taking their cues from Miss Millie, queen bee of their little group and the never miss an opportunity for cheek scratches. Just don't expect them to master the teeter totter or to try climbing the 8' tall A frame like Millie does, they are best at just looking oh so adorable.

Most likely to become a pop star: Jake Nicknamed "Mariah Carey" his nickname really says it all. This kid could sing (aka scream) and that he did! He could be heard for miles around and at all hours of the day and night. Eventually even he got tired of his own voice but for a few days, he really belted it out!

Most likely to walk the runways in Paris: Bronx & Baloo From the day they arrived at BGC at just one day old, these Lamancha/Nubian twins were known as the "super models" as they were all legs! These elegant twins are growing into gorgeous young boys, so tall and graceful.

Best Dressed: Beasley Stylish Beasley....this flashy Lamancha/Nubian cross is a such a beautiful goat! Not to mention one of the sweetest little love bugs too.

Homecoming Queen: Millie The Queen Bee of BGC. Millie was found abandoned in a box along side a teddy bear when she was just a day or two old. This spunky, sassy and snuggly little girl charms everyone who meets her and all the boys adore her.

Homecoming King: Cloud Handsome, quiet and loved by all, Cloud was a head turner at PSGR this year and a friend to all. Gorgeous boy!

In Memory: He may have only been with us a few short weeks but our sweet little baby Griffey brought us so much joy and touched so many lives. He was loved beyond words and his time with us was filled with so much love. He will be remembered always and forever in our hearts. Rest in Peace my little love.

Are we there yet?

BGC's first babies, Beckham & Boom arrived while it was well below freezing overnight so they spent nights in my kitchen

"When baby season is over...." I think I have probably said this line a dozen times a week the past few months with a hundred different ways to end the sentence. The first babies arrived at BGC at the end of December and it's been non stop ever since. BGC's first babies, Beckham & Boom arrived while it was well below freezing overnight so they spent nights in my kitchen

Baby season is unpredicatble and monotonous at the same time. Feed, clean, cuddle. Prep bottles, wash bottles, defrost milk. Every day, the same routine. Just when we think baby season is "over," there are more babies in need of safe haven. Last week as I was back on the road for another baby goat rescue road trip, I found myself thinking about life for the few short months that aren't baby season and asking myself "are we there yet?" Honestly, I was feeling the need for a break. A break where my kitchen isn't taken over by baby bottles and drying racks and gallons and gallons of milk. When my life isn't revolving around the 3x day bottle feeding schedule of at least 1/2 a dozen babies. Don't get me wrong, I love baby season. I truly do love the work that we do. It just takes a lot of time, energy and emotion to live this life 24/7. We knew that the babies I was bringing home that day would be some of the last of the season so things were sure to slow down going forward, right? Well, in rescue work, things never slow down. Case in point, that night we got the green light for a slaughterhouse rescue.

A typical BGC "traffic jam"

Slaughterhouse rescues are always hard emotionally. This one was particularly hard, I will spare you the details. After two days, we rescued over a dozen goats from death row. None who would have lived to see another 24 hours given the holiday weekend and business the slaughterhouse was seeing.

When we arrived in the early morning hours of day two we knew which two goats we wanted to pull. Two big, horned Lamancha wethers who were simply, awesome! The first one I spotted, now named Zeus, had a face a lot like my beloved boys Nicky and Nitro. I quickly scanned the pen and didn't see the other one and my heart sank. When I went in to lead Zeus to safety I was happy to spot his buddy who had been separated from him by a closed door. As I approached Zeus he stretched out his nose to give me kisses and happily followed me out and we grabbed his buddy, now known as Jupiter, along the way. These boys are stunningly beautiful and their sweet nature captured my heart immediately.

Taking Zeus & Jupiter out for fresh browse post rescue

As I was leading them out I passed by two young boers, no more than a few months old, curled up in a corner together. I had spotted them when I first went in on my mission to get Zeus and Jupiter out. It was clear one of these sweet babies was sick. And it was clear, these babies were coming with us. Not wanting them to be separated, even for a few minutes, I scooped them up, one under each arm and carried them out of the pen. Not an easy task. Pure adrehline kicks in when you're in these situations. The little sick doeling immediately nuzzled my face and wagged her tail. That moment, that is what our rescue work is all about.

The hard truth is, we aren't able to save them all. But we can save some. Some we save from the front lines of slaughter and some we save from ever having to go through the experience of a livestock auction, of being hauled from various states without food or water and from the horrible expereince that is their stay on death row at the slaughterhouse.

When I arrived home at BGC later that day, I drove through the gate and saw over 20 happy, healthy and quite honestly spoiled, goats. When I went into the pasture, Nicky ran right up to me and showered me with kisses, just as Zeus had done earlier that morning at the slaughterhouse. Tears filled my eyes. My boys and all of these little ones residing with us, never, ever have to experience what our slaughterhouse rescues do. They have been adored and cared for since the minute they were in our care. We work tirelessly to see that they find the best possible forever home. This, this is why we do what we do. This is why we take in as many babies as we can each year and let our lives revolve around their every need.

Millie in her favorite snuggle position

Last weekend's rescue was a reminder, a reminder of the bigger picture. We take in lots of baby goats each year. Over 70 each year the past two years. They are adorable and snuggly, happy and healthy. But they are a part of the bigger picture. Slaughtehouse rescue has been the backbone of PSGR. We rescue directly from the front lines of slaughter but the babies we take in from dairies and breeders each year are part of that mission too. We're preventing them from ever seeing that fate.

Since our slaughterhouse rescue last week, I have snuggled everyone just a little bit longer, hugged them just a little bit tighter and told them I loved them more times than I can count. What I experience during slaughterhouse rescues is something no goat should ever have to endure. The babies that come to our rescue never will. And those who we rescue who have lived through that, we hope to erase that experience as best we can and give them a second chance at the beautiful life they deserve.

So no, we're not there yet but that just means that more lives are being saved and forever changed. And I'm quite alright with that.

Bronx, one of our rescued 2016 dairy cull babies

Lockette

Last Friday started out like any other day of getting baby goats from a dairy. Load a number of crates in the car, take some bottles of milk, fill up the car with gas, fill me up with coffee and it's another baby goat rescue road trip. I've been there before, I know the drill. But this day, something was different. That something, was baby goat Lockette.

When I arrived I found out there were 3 cull babies available to take that day. Just how old they were was unclear at the time but all I needed to know was there were 3 so I knew 3 were coming home with me. I was told that one was the friendliest baby on the farm. When I walked into the pen where he was living with a number of other kids and does, he immediately woke up from his nap, jumped in my lap and started giving me kisses. I was in love. It was instant and overwhelming. This little guy was amazing. "So he's on the bottle then?" I asked. Much to my surprise the answer was no, he was dam raised. This guy was a big boy, he clearly was not less than a week old, the age we typically take cull babies so we can get them on the bottle and make the transition easier for them. It didn't matter, nothing mattered in that moment other than I was in love and this baby needed to be assured a safe and happy life. We located the other 2 babies, twins, and as I carried one of them out, along came the big boy, following along, happy as could be. Before I left I confirmed his age, he was 6 weeks. 6 weeks! Well, this would be interesting. How was I going to get a 6 week old baby to take a bottle on top of the twins who I had just learned were 5 days old. The memory of Murphy's epic 4 day hold out when he arrived at just 1 day old was still fresh in my mind. This was going to be a challenge.

When we arrived back at Baby Goat Central the boys ran and played for hours, experiencing grass and a big open space for the first time. The twins then curled up for a nap and Lockette began to realize his mom wasn't anywhere around. He cried for hours. Heartbreaking cries. I would go in and sit with him in the pasture, trying to provide him any comfort that I could. It helped, I was a distraction but I wasn't his mom. At least not yet. Usually, because the kids are less than a few days old when they arrive, they transition to their new reality pretty easily. It was clear it was going to be a little different for Lockette. I kept telling myself he was better off with us then he was anywhere else and that I was doing everything I could to help him make this transition but his cries broke my heart. I tried giving him a bottle a few times and although he didn't fight it, he had no idea what I was trying to offer him. He preferred to chew on my hair, my sweatshirt, my boots. When it was dinner time I steeled myself for a battle but bless their little hearts, the twins went right on the bottle, first try. Lockette was interested in what was going on, enough so that I thought I had a window. Sure enough, he took right to the bottle. I was in disbelief! Finally he got the comfort he needed and settled in for the night.

A week later he has handled the transition far better than I could have ever imagined. He has become my shadow, he goes everywhere I go. As adorable and entertaining as he is, he is exhausting. He's like a busy, trouble making toddler. He is into everything. And I mean everything. I turn my back on him for a minute and it looks like there was a tornado in his wake. There are holes in my shirts and spots of hair half an inch shorter because this kid loves to chew and nibble on everything, all the time. He races around the property at lightening speed and loves to go into the big pasture and challenge Nicky and Nitro to a battle. I have found myself sitting outside in the pasture nightly, catching up on phone calls and emails, while he explores and plays long after everyone else has gone to bed.

Lockette is the essence of why I choose to give so much of my life to this work that we do. Despite there being 17 other baby goats currently residing at BGC, Lockette brings a new energy and life to the farm. One that would not have been possible if his life had not been saved that day. He makes every day a little longer, a little more tiring but a lot more entertaining and a whole lot brighter.

Murphy

Organized chaos, that is how I refer to life at Baby Goat Central right now. The babies all come bouncing out of the barn in the morning after their bottles and go in 10 different directions. My boys, Nicky and Nitro, go running and jumping out of the barn, caught up in the energy that babies bring to the farm. Only after they have investigated, moved and disassembled everything in the baby stalls once the babies go out for the day. Elliott is standing on the fence of his pasture "mooing" as he does for me to let him out for supplemental grazing. The pygmys he lives with, Dixie and Atlas, decide since Elliot is talking so should they while they bounce around because, well why not, everyone else is. Between working a very full time job and what I have come to refer to as feeling like I'm simultaneously raising toddlers, teenagers and a bunch of newborn babies, I'm in survival mode. Surviving we are, and quite well I might add. But two weeks ago when 4 more newborn dairy cull boys joined me at BGC and among them the adorable Murphy, I was on the verge of tears for 4 days straight. Tears of frustration. Tears of sadness. And finally, tears of joy. All because of Murphy and a bottle.

A fair number of our rescued babies arrive not yet on a bottle. We are no strangers to transitioning babies to the bottle and inevitably, every year, we have some holdouts. Typically the holdouts are a few days old and have spent a number of days nursing from their mom. Typically, the younger ones take to the bottle right away. Such was the case for the members of our most recent rescue. Except for Murphy. Given that Murphy was only a day old, we weren't expecting him to refuse a bottle. Not only did he refuse a bottle, he fought it. We spent hours upon hours trying every trick in the book. We've used them all before. Typically we find one that works but for Murphy, we kept hitting a wall. He was sad, I was sad. He was frustrated, I was frustrated. I felt defeated. It is heartbreaking to watch a baby who is clearly hungry and needing not only the nutrition of a bottle of milk but also the comfort, not make that transition. I became the bad guy coming in to scoop him up and stick a rubber nipple, one that he made it clear he wanted nothing to do with, in his mouth. I tried to counteract that by spending as much time snuggling with him without attempting to feed him as I could. He still knew what was coming every time he saw the bottle and would struggle.

We supplemented him through tube feeding him the first few days because he was so very young but the stress it caused him was by no means an ideal situation. So Barbara had the idea to take him over to the main rescue location and let him nurse off a doe there that was still in milk. Our hope was to be able to slip the bottle in while he was attempting to nurse off of L'Oreal, who by the way, was incredibly patient with the little guy. He wasn't falling for the switch trick but it did get him a tummy full of milk the natural way and much to our surprise, helped the process. We were concerned it might set us back. He now had a tummy full of milk and had gotten exactly what he wanted, to nurse, naturally. However in the bottle feeding attempts that followed, we seemed to make progress. Having him nurse seemed to have re-set him mentally. It calmed and comforted him and reignited his sucking reflex. He started nibbling on my clothes, lips and earlobes, he started watching the other babies take their bottles and looking to me for milk, all signs that he was close. But the following day we seemed to have lost all ground when I tried a bottle in the morning. After an hour of sitting with him, he took a few ounces from the bottle at his mid day feeding with Barbara. When I got home from work that night I prepared his bottle with little hope he would take it. The past few days had been so tough, I couldn't bear to get my hopes up again. I didn't lock the gate after I pulled in fully expecting to have to be going back out to take him to nurse from L'Oreal again. I fed the other 3 babies, including his twin brother Moose who is always by his side and he watched me and them intently. He lined up with them while they were drinking and started nibbling on my jeans. When they were finished I quietly picked him up, held up a bottle and he nibbled. I slipped it in his mouth and he drank. I almost didn't believe it and expected him to stop at any second and squirm away but much to my surprise and relief, he drank the whole bottle. I was so happy I almost cried. The sense of happiness and relief is one I can't even put into words.

Over the next 24 hours I watched him become a happy, bouncy baby who had the energy to keep up with his brother and crazy roommates, Tag and Renegade. He had some ground to make up but that he did. He received a few extra feedings and still, two weeks later, he drinks faster than anyone else. He loves to snuggle which is no surprise given how many hours I spent holding him in my lap those first few days. Holding him just willing him to give in and take the bottle.

Those 4 days were hard. Another piece of the baby season puzzle that we look back on and wonder how we survive it every year. The next time we have a holdout we can remind ourselves and each other, "remember Murphy's epic holdout?" Just like last year when it was "remember Guinness's epic holdout? Oh and Dexter's?" Like I said, we're no strangers to this but for me, this is my first time living rescued baby season 24/7 so much of it feels new again.

Another feather goes into the hat of the first year at BGC and now the adorable, sweet, little love bug Murphy is a constant reminder that we're going to get through this crazy, busy, deliriously exhausting yet wonderful time of year at the rescue. Even if some tears are shed along the way.

Family ties

"Hi baby" I said softly as I picked up Birdie, Bess's first born triplet, just seconds after she was born. It was one of those unexplainable, instant connections. The next words out of my mouth were "I love her!" Within minutes Gumby and Jackson had arrived and the love was tripled. Bess, one of the most gentle and sweet natured goats, had just given birth to 3 amazing babies 4 months after we rescued her from a local slaughterhouse and I was in love.

Every year we get the privilege of witnessing little ones make their entrance into the world. To watch one life we saved from slaughter become two, three or even four lives saved. A number of does that we rescue from the slaughterhouse each year are pregnant when we do, unbeknownst to us. A month after arriving at the rescue, we run pregnancy tests on all the rescued does and make our guesses of what the results might be. For the record, we're rarely ever right.

We were excited to learn that Bess was one of two expectant moms from the September rescue. Bess was one of those goats who we couldn't really get a feel for at first. She was nice, she allowed us to walk up to her at the slaughterhouse and pet her. She was easy to handle. But she kept to herself and didn't really seek out attention or comfort as so many of the others did. Once we moved her into the expectant does area, her personality really started to blossom. It became apparent once she was away from a big herd, just how truly charming her personality is. She loves attention but even more, she loves to rub on people. We affectionately refer to her as the "butt massager." She will literally move from person to person rubbing her head on each person, quite vigorously in fact. She is incredibly calm and gentle. Even while kidding and trying to figure out what was going on with three little ones crying out and wobbling around the birthing stall in three different directions, she remained unfazed.

There is something truly special about Bess and it is apparent that her babies have inherited that magic from her. Their individual personalities were apparent from the start. Birdie may be half the size of her brothers but she is full of gumption. Gumby is a snuggly little love bug who adores people as much as his mom and siblings and Jackson is full of goofy personality. Each posses their own truly unique personality but they all share that same special magic as their mom.

Bess and her babies represent the back bone of the work we do, rescuing goats from slaughter. I can't imagine a world where these babies didn't get a chance to make their mark on it. They have certainly made a big imprint on our hearts and we know they will on the family that will be lucky to provide this little family with their forever home. One life saved became four lives saved that day and Bess, who had never really bonded to any one goat at the rescue, now has 3 precious little ones to spend her days with. A perfect little family.

Sparkle

"Shine bright like a diamond" -Rihanna

In every slaughterhouse rescue run there is always a diamond in the rough. It never fails, each time we are there we come across goats who have succumb to the stresses of their experiences and surroundings. Experiences that can start well before they even arrive there. We never get to know their stories. We don't know whose stories include being shuffled through livestock auctions, who was purchased states away and thrown into a hauling trailer with no food or water while they traveled days to their destination or who was purchased off craigslist under the ruse of a pet home only to be sold to the slaughterhouse. All we know is that they are now on death row and in desperate need of help. There are always those whose bodies have given up. Those who have lost hope and take to standing in a dark corner letting the days painfully pass by until their number is up. On our last rescue run, that goat was Sparkle.

We found Sparkle hunched in a corner of a dark shelter area of the slaughterhouse. She was temporarily blind from an eye infection and was extremely emaciated. Upon arrival at the rescue she took a big, long drink of fresh water and although she seemed interested in food, she wouldn't eat.

Finally some fresh water

We moved her to our ICU area with fellow critical patients Lucky & Duncan. We tried every kind of hay we had, grain, fresh cut browse, even picking fresh grass and offering it to her but for days, she would hardly eat. We were thrilled if she took a few bites a day. Every night she would curl up with Lucky & Duncan and the three would sleep intertwined. It was a relief to see her take comfort in their company.

The first nights in the PSGR ICU

Finally a few bites a day turned into steady eating. She regained her sight and would accompany Lucky & Duncan on their trips out grazing each day. To most, Sparkle would have seemed beyond hope that day at the slaughterhouse but we have seen goats come back from seemingly impossible conditions. For us, there is always hope.

Over the past few months we have watched her blossom. Although she has been a very sweet goat from the time she arrived, she now seeks out attention and affection in a way she didn't before. We did everything we could to help her understand she was now safe and cared for when she arrived but she had to learn to fully trust that in her own time. It took her time to realize that she would never be put through undue stress again. That she would never be hungry or without a fresh drink of water. That she would never be neglected again. These days, she is fully embracing her new reality. She loves to be brushed and spend one on one time with volunteers.

Lamancha does often hold the alpha role in our main herd dynamic but Sparkle is quite omega. For that reason, Sparkle had been spending a lot of time in with the pregnant does the last few months. The afternoon Bess went into labor as we waited (for hours!) for the birth to begin, Sparkle climbed onto the wooden spool I was sitting on and stood next to me for quite some time while I scratched her cheeks and gave her the attention she relishes in these days. The babies finally started arriving and in the middle of the bustle of three newborn goats I turned around to see Sparkle, about 10 feet away, sound asleep. Such a sweet girl!

The day we rescued her she had all but completely given up but we knew this sweet girl could sparkle again and now, she knows it too!

Ober Obsession

If you ask Barbara, she will unequivocally say her favorite breed is the Saanen. For me, it would have to be Lamancha and Oberhasli. Lamanchas are by nature incredibly sweet & intelligent and the absolute cutest little babies. And yes, I’m biased as I think my Lamancha boys, Nicky & Nitro, are the most perfect little goats on the planet. But this past year through baby season and slaughterhouse rescues, it’s become clear, I have a real soft spot for Obers. I have always loved the Oberhasli breed. I’m drawn to their beauty, gentleness and calm demeanors. Obers hadn’t been all that common at the rescue. That is until Team Ober made its way to PSGR this past baby season. It started with two, our very first babies of the season, Remy & Bandito. I was instantly in love and so excited for baby Obers! Then there were 4 more a few weeks later. I took time off of work to be with them all day, every day while Barbara was out of town. Then there was Percy, my sweet, goofy little Percy who was like a little old man in a baby goat body. By the end of the season, 11 Ober kids had come through the rescue, via road trips in my Prius and I had a soft spot for each and every one.

Percy, the day he arrived

This past slaughterhouse rescue I was instantly drawn to a number of Obers amongst the countless number of goats there that day. Winnie was the first. When I entered the pen a number of Obers were around a feeder trying to eat the little bit of hay placed out for them. I reached down and touched the smallest one who immediately turned around and stared at me with these big, bright eyes. A moment that I knew was going to change her life because I knew in an instant, she was being saved that day. Something about this young doe captivated me. She is such a little love; young and innocent and so, so sweet! A few times I’ve caught a glimpse of a sassier Winnie, pushing some of the other Obers around. She is half their size but that doesn’t stop her. However, the minute she sees me, she gives up whatever point she’s trying to make with them for pets and kisses.

Winnie

As healthy and vibrant as Winnie was, Dante, a strikingly gorgeous Ober wether, was another story. He was clearly suffering from the stress and conditions of the slaughterhouse and was so very thin and weak. When we arrived back to PSGR from the slaughterhouse, he ate a few bites of hay, took a big drink of water and promptly laid down and went to sleep. A sleep that had me going over to check that he was still breathing every few minutes. Thankfully, he was. I sat down next to him and lifted his head up into my lap where we sat for a long time. The first few days we continued to be concerned about him and whether or not he could overcome everything he had been through. He received the necessary medical attention he needed, had an all you can eat buffet, and was segregated from the main quarantine herd with a friend so we could be sure he didn’t have to fight herd hierarchy for anything. We did all we could and we waited. Waited and hoped that all our efforts would be rewarded. And they were. Dante is steadily improving and gaining back his health and weight each and every day.

Dante, a few hours after his rescue

Dante now gets to share in the produce I always bring to the farm with me for Faye and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t often slip Winnie a handful of grain. These two hold a special place in my heart. I make sure that every time I go to the rescue I get some time with them. If Baby Goat Central was 10 acres instead of 2.5, I’d be pleading with Barbara to let me adopt them.

Dante

In just a few short months Team Ober 2.0 will start to make their way through PSGR and I can’t wait to have baby Obers descend on BGC. And when we make our next slaughterhouse rescue you can be sure I’ll have my eye out for Obers. So yes, it’s safe to say that I have a bit of an obsession with Obers. But don’t tell Nicky & Nitro, they are still number one in my book but maybe, just maybe, they’ll have a little Oberhasli sibling or two one day.

I milked a goat!

I will begin by admitting that I fully realize that the significance of this is likely lost on most, if not every person reading this blog. Some have been milking animals for decades. I even know of an adorable two year old, affectionately referred to as “the littlest milkmaid,” who milks goats. Others probably think, what’s so hard about milking a goat, especially if a two year old can do it? Well, in fact, it’s not hard. It just takes, at least for me, some getting the hang of. Over the years we have occasionally gotten in does at PSGR who were “in milk” and were in need of some relieving along the process of drying them up. I had tried, rather unsuccessfully, to milk a few of these does. A few ounces and I was satisfied that I had made an effort and called it good. Leaving it to Barbara who had far more experience.

Then last weekend 4 goats came to live at Baby Goat Central. Not our plan but rescue work is nothing if not unpredictable. You learn to go with the flow. You learn, as Tim Gunn would say, to make it work. When 4 lovely LaMancha ladies urgently needed a place to go, we figured BGC was ready enough and moved them in. Elsie, a beautiful young doe was in milk. A lot of milk. Barbara milked her out the first night they arrived. A few days into the week, both Barbara and I in the middle of a busy work week with our day jobs, I found myself late one evening, looking at a goat uncomfortably full of milk and realizing I had to take the plunge and figure this out. I put my arm around Elsie and reached under. After dancing around for a few seconds she stopped and let me start trying to teach myself to milk. She quickly grew impatient with my inexperience and decided it wasn’t worth it and went off to resume eating her dinner. The next night I was determined and bless her heart, Elsie let me have another go. I put an arm around her, fumbled around and then, there was milk, a lot of milk! I was ridiculously excited and Elsie seemed quite content with the results as she started to chew her cud and stood, perfectly still, in the pasture and let me milk her. No stanchion, no lead, no holding on to her; she just happily stood and let me milk her.

Elsie

For me, it was a milestone. One of many on this road of rediscovering my farm girl roots. Of taking on this new phase of PSGR. I had a lot of anxiety of how I would balance my very full time job and all the volunteer work I currently do for PSGR with now adding a barn full of goats to be responsible for. Elsie and the lovely LaMancha ladies have been the perfect transition into this new reality.

Yes, I now get up in the dark, at an hour no person should have to get up, so I have time to go out and check on them each morning. I come in for the night, 14 hours later from when I started the day, so I can spend time with them and make sure I am being the best “goat mom” that I can be. I worry about them during the day and am guilty of asking the wonderful neighbors to do a drive by the first few days to make sure they were all accounted for. But this new reality; worry, exhaustion and all, makes me so happy. This is what I signed up for. Sometimes I think diving into the deep end, unexpectedly, is the only way to do it. You just have to let go of the worry of how it all will go, adjust your expectations and make it work.

The day after my successful milking of Elsie, I was at work, visiting a pumpkin patch with the kids I spend my work day with and one of them asked what the white stuff was all over my boots. I looked down, not having noticed it before and with a beaming smile I answered, its goat milk! I milked a goat!

The Golden Girls

Every year at PSGR we see lots of youngsters through the rescue. They bring an energy and a life to the rescue that is nothing short of exhausting, entertaining and adorable. We also see a number of young and mature adults who come to us from a variety of circumstances. They know their way around the world yet often have a youthful spirit. Among them, every year, we rescue some more mature does. Does that have most likely been through a lot in their years and who arrive at the rescue ready to relax and ready take on the world to do so. The Golden Girls as I like to call them. Our current cast of Golden Girls is by far one of my favorites. Saffron was part of a June slaughterhouse rescue. I didn’t see her on my first pass by of the front pen, a pen that is the last holding area before animals are processed. But the final time I passed by for one last check, there she was staring at me with those big eyes. She was the last goat in our truck that day. When we arrived back at the rescue she didn’t really want anything to do with us. She was standoffish and honestly, who could blame her. She had given birth each year to triplets for her former owners who then traded her to the slaughterhouse for some pigs and chickens. She arrived back at the rescue, got poked with a number of vaccinations, received a toenail trim and just wasn’t all too happy with us. But as the days and weeks went on, it became very clear to us, she was one of the sweetest goats on the farm. One of the first to greet anyone who enters the pasture, she will stand by you for as long as you will stand by her. She finds people quite useful as a head rest. When we take the herd out forest grazing, instead of feasting on all the browse, she just stands with me, often resting her head on me. She has been one of the biggest surprises with how incredibly people loving she is and I absolutely adore her.

Saffron

One who wasted no time warming up to us was Chiquita. I cannot help but smile every time I see Chiquita. Chiquita was a standout during our last slaughterhouse rescue, following us all around the slaughterhouse and sticking her face in ours. This poor gal was extremely emaciated and her feet were in such neglected, poor condition that she had a hard time walking. I don’t think she has stopped eating since she arrived. Her favorite food, you guessed it, bananas! She got daily maintenance on her feet the first few weeks and she is now getting around without a second thought. She is the first out of the gate every day, always wants to have a conversation and is just one of the coolest goats we’ve had. We don’t know their past stories but if we had to guess, she was likely a dairy goat for many years until she was deemed too old or not producing enough milk and was sent to a livestock auction. We rescued another Saanen doe that same rescue, Athena. Chances are they came from the same place. Athena is much more reserved than her counterpart but she is another sweet, mellow gal that has likely seen a lot in her day. Currently Chiquita rooms at night with Jewel, an Alpine doe from the same rescue who, like her Saanen friends, was incredibly thin and could hardly walk due to the condition of her feet. She is incredibly sweet, follows Chiquita everywhere and has the same crazy appetite. Seeing them devour a bowl of food is a sight to be seen!

Chiquita

Jewel

Then there is Margarite, a goat who cannot be missed. She simply won’t allow it. Forget about the street sweeper brush, she uses anyone who will stand still as a human scratching post. A big, beautiful Alpine, she really is a neat goat. I will admit she drives me a bit crazy at times; she often catches me off guard when she comes up behind me to use me as a scratching post, she wants to be the one and only goat through any gate in case there just might be an apple slice involved and when she doesn’t want to move, she doesn’t move. Albeit stubborn at times, she has a fun, youthful spirit and clearly age has not slowed her down one bit.

Margarite

For most of these lovely ladies, we hope that wonderful adopters come along to give them that perfect “retirement” home they deserve. For some, such as our beloved Faye, that place is PSGR. Faye was one of the first stories I shared on this blog. Faye pretty much has the run of the farm. Sometimes she likes to spend time hanging out in the common area hoping to find the ICU stall open so she can sleep in the small straw filled area in there. Sometimes she’ll find her way into the kid areas while we’re cleaning and curl in their straw filled pools. Do you see a pattern here? She loves her beds. She still gets the pick of the produce from my refrigerator each week, she’s quite spoiled, just as she should be. PSGR just wouldn’t feel the same without our old gal Faye.

Faye

When I think about these Golden Girls, I can’t help but imagine them as retired ladies who lunch, in pearls and big hats, sharing stories of their years. I can just see them now…..Saffron; the wise one, Chiquita; the excentric, Jewel; always by Chiquita’s side, the voice of reason. Athena; the quiet observer, Margarite; the queen bee and Faye; just sipping her tea taking in a cozy day with friends. A sisterhood. One where after years of being a dairy producer, a brush clearer or a family pet, they were set aside but luckily, PSGR exists to make sure their stories don’t end there. They get to celebrate their golden years with beds full of straw, regular pedicures, friends and all the bananas they can eat!

Many of these Golden Girls are, or soon will be, available for adoption. Please email us at rescuegoats@yahoo.com for more information

The Name Game

“Do you name them all?” This is a question we are often asked by visitors to the farm. The answer: “Yes, yes we do.” And it’s not always easy. Occasionally a few private surrenders will arrive with a name but a majority of our rescues arrive without names. Some arrive as numbers from auctions and the slaughterhouse and the babies, they never have names. To us, they are individuals and we believe that everyone needs a name. So as part of introducing them to the new chapter in their lives, we name them. We like to give new arrivals names that “fit” them. A name that reflects their appearance, personality and/or their story. A name that celebrates who they are. For some, we instantly find a name that’s perfect. Others, it can take a while.

When I first started volunteering at the rescue, being a part of the naming process was very exciting. I spent hours combing through the name lists that Barbara has compiled over the years. I would find and bookmark websites with names from all over the world. I would make lists of new arrivals and name possibilities and run them by Barbara. We’ve found that bouncing names off of each other is far more effective. It’s fun to be creative but 20, 30, goats in each year, it starts to get a lot harder and the creativity gets harder to come by. Especially during baby season when dozens arrive at a time. So far this year, with the busiest baby season in the books, a slaughterhouse rescue and a number of private surrenders, we’ve named over 100 goats. We’re well aware of the fact that many goats get new names as soon as they take their victory walk and leave PSGR. However, in the time they are with us, they have a name that we choose just for them. Just how those names come about, well, just as there are 100+ names each year, there is 100+ ways on how we come about them.

Two months ago we rescued a wonderful group of goats from a local slaughterhouse. A small LaMancha doe was the “train wreck” of the group. She was in very poor physical condition; thin, losing her hair, caked in slaughterhouse muck, but this gal was spunky! The slaughterhouse experience certainly hadn’t killed her spirit. She was full of life and clearly had a strong will to live. A few days after her arrival we were still at a loss of what to name her. So I posted her picture on Instagram and asked our followers for name suggestions that represented her spirit; one of a fighter, a survivor. Within hours we had over 80 name suggestions. We sat down amongst the goats and I read through the names. As soon as we read Katniss, we knew that was it. Such a fitting name for this girl!

Katniss; Rescued, June 2015

In that same rescue was a sweet Nubian doe, temporarily blind from an eye infection and as thin as could be. She was wearing a collar, one with a name tag. Her name was Greta. But Greta was a name associated with a life that was now in the past. One that cared enough to engrave a name tag for her at one time but not enough to prevent her from ending up at a slaughterhouse. When we arrived back at the rescue, we threw it away. She would now be known as Daphne. We were so happy when Daphne regained her sight a few days later and was able to see her new life.

Daphne; Rescued, June 2015

During baby season we’re having to come up with a lot of names. 86 this year to be exact. One of the first groups to arrive was 4 Oberhasli kids that I picked up while Barbara was on vacation out of the country. The smallest had these little pointy ears and an adorable short little face. Immediately I started calling him Gizmo. I know Barbara well enough to know she would have nixed that name had she been there. I tried countless other names but I kept calling him Gizmo. The farm sitter started calling him Gizmo. The volunteers started calling him Gizmo. When Barbara got back, his name was Gizmo.

Gizmo; Born & Rescued, February 2015

When it came to naming my boys, who I still, and probably forever will, call “The Minis,” no names really stood out initially. These two were always all over the place, into everything, bouncing off of anything they could, moving 90 miles an hour. We thought of something tsunami or hurricane like but nothing fit. Until reading through a list one night in the barn we came across Nitro. As it often does, it just clicked and that was it. We decided to go with another N name for his twin. Nico was settled on when honestly, we had pretty much given up on going through the list again and again, but a few days later Nico just wasn’t fitting. So it was changed to Nicky and their names are now so perfectly fitting that I can’t imagine having named them anything else.

Nicky & Nitro, "The Minis"; Born & Rescued, March 2015

With so many kids this year and so many names to remember I had to make signs on each of the baby areas with descriptions of who was who. Cheat sheets if you will. Although that is not always a failsafe. With so many Saanen kids this year it was hard to tell them apart. Despite slight variations in size, facial features or ear size, it was tough to keep them all straight. Especially in the first few days of arrival when we have to monitor who has learned that their milk now comes from a bottle and how much they’re eating. So Kodiak became known as, nail polish on back right foot, Eljin; nail polish on back left foot, Yuki; nail poish on front right foot, etc.

Kodiak, Sundance & Yuki; Born & Rescued, March 2015

Some of our rescues get to bear a namesake of those who have come before them. When Levi, a longtime resident Saanen wether passed away due to old age last winter, we knew one of the kids would be named in his honor this season. The first Saanen that arrived this year was named Levi to carry on the legacy. We could not have picked a better namesake for Levi. I am still waiting for a special little doeling to come along to carry on the namesake of our beloved Mia.

Levi; Born & Rescued March, 2015

Whether their name is one that has a long story or one that is simply “just because it fits”, they are no longer an auction number, no longer one in a hundred babies born on a dairy or waiting to be sold for meat. They now have a name and a new life ahead. It is always a relief when all the current residents of PSGR are named. That is until another new arrival comes through the gate and we look at each other and say “we have to think of a name” and once again it's time to play the name game.

Homecoming

“Sometimes on your way to a dream, you get lost and find a better one” –Lisa Hammond

After weeks on the roller coaster that is real estate, PSGR now has a new, additional location! Just a few miles from our main location, the rescue will now have a smaller, second location that will enable us to continue to take in babies in the numbers we did this year. A total of 86 rescued kids rounded out the 2015 baby season at PSGR. In order to sustain those kinds of numbers, we needed some additional space dedicated to kids. 2.5 acres with blackberries, fresh browse and a big barn, it’s an ideal spot. We’ve been hoping to make this idea a reality for a while, and now it’s official, we have a new baby goat central!

The new baby goat central also comes with a darling little house that will be my residence. After over a decade of living in the city, I’ve been yearning to return to the farm life I grew up in. To go back to the country where things are a little simpler and a lot more peaceful. A place where I don't share walls with neighbors, where I can be surrounded by goats and a place where I truly feel at home.

There is so much to do at the new location. Not an inch of fencing exists yet. There is so much to plan out and as life on a farm, and in rescue work, is always filled with the unexpected, there will be a lot of figuring it out as we go. But we have a dream for PSGR, a dream that will be accomplished one day at a time, one step at a time. This is a big step in the direction towards the realization of that dream.

As I pack up my city apartment, I think about how 5 years ago, I would have never imagined myself moving back to a farm in the country. Today, I can’t imagine myself anywhere else. Because, sometimes on your way to a dream, you get lost and find a better one.

PSGR Kids, Class of 2015

It’s that time of year again when countless bottles prepared each day become just a few and we start to put another baby season in the books. It has been one of the busiest baby seasons the rescue has ever had. 79 kids have come to PSGR this year to find their forever homes. Over 35 have already graduated and are off to the next chapter in their lives. Last year I said that the 2015 kids were going to have some big shoes to fill after last year's group of kids. Well, did they ever! This baby season has been long, busy, challenging, and exhausting to say the least but it has been one of the best!

One of our adopters recently asked if adoption days were sad days or happy days. My answer was that it was both. We’re always a little sad to see them go. They often arrive just days, if not hours, old. We become their world and they become a central part of ours. But it’s a happy day to see them go on to get a chance at the life that they deserve, to see the happiness and life they bring to their new homes. It’s why we put so much into making their lives possible.

The 2015 kids have been truly wonderful and we have so many fun and heartwarming memories from this season. So without further ado, the highlights of our 2015 yearbook:

Best dressed: Cruiser

This guy sported a couple different “outfits” before we found the right splints to help correct his contracted tendons. When we found the perfect fit, he sported some Seahawks spirit. These days he’s out of his splints and doing great in his foster home!

Cruiser

Most Athletic: Bolt

Bolt mastered all the play equipment in record time, not to mention anything he could climb on including his 2 legged friends. Running, jumping, kicking; this little guy is a true athlete.

Bolt

Cutest Couple: “The Minis”, AKA Nicky & Nitro

They’ve held this title from the minute I laid eyes on them. Their big personalities are as adorable as they are and their presence around the farm is unmistakable. Always entertaining and wagging their tails, these little love bugs are always cute as can be!

Nicky and Nitro

Most Outspoken: Mack

“Who is that screaming?” "Mack." The answer to that question was almost always Mack. Nothing was ever wrong, he was just a bit of a fan of the dramatic. Super sweet and sensitive, this big guy always had a lot to say.

Mack

Biggest Flirt: Bosley

His eyes will instantly melt your heart. Not to mention, he is quite a good kisser. He doesn’t nibble or chew on you; he just wants to give you butterfly kisses and gaze into your eyes.

Bosley

Teacher’s Pet: Jasper

Hands down this little lap baby takes the cake on this one. The day he arrived he crawled into my lap and took a nap and since that day, it is how we spend most of our time together. He appears at my feet and I can never resist that darling little face. I pick him up, he stretches out, settles in and is asleep within seconds.

Jasper

Mr. Congeniality: Tigger

Everybody loves Tigger! How could you not with those cute little LaMancha/Nubian ears and those long eyelashes. He wants to be everyone’s best friend and often takes on the role of escorting people to the gate as they leave and making it hard for anyone to leave without him.

Tigger

Best Team Effort: Team Ober

11 Oberhasli boys made their mark at PSGR this year. A varsity team of 6 followed by a junior varsity team of 4 and in between there was Percy, who having grown up with “the minis," thinks he’s a bossy Lamancha. This team of kids proved just why we love Obers so much; beautiful, fun and gentle. They’ve cemented a place at PSGR for generations to come of Team Ober.

Team Ober

Rising Star: Flash

Don’t tell Rocket but he has an apprentice. Gentle, quiet and the sweetest of temperaments, like Rocket, Flash would rather be with his people than with the other goats. He loves being curled up at your feet, chewing his cud or having his cheeks scratched. He is a very handsome boy and a farm favorite of many. Watch out Rocket!

Flash

Each and every one of the kids this season touched us in their own way. We are honored to be where they come to grow up. They are a part of the PSGR family, no matter how long their time with us is.

Here's to the 2015 class of PSGR kids, a group that certainly made their mark in PSGR history!

We're all in this together

Yesterday was my maiden trip to the local slaughterhouse to help rescue, firsthand. I’ve been volunteering with PSGR for a couple of years now and have submerged myself into all that our work entails but I had yet to accompany Barbara on a slaughterhouse rescue. For a while, I wasn’t ready. Not that I think one can ever truly be ready to witness animals on death row at a slaughterhouse. I know myself well enough to know that for a long time, I just wasn’t ready to go there. Luckily, the need never arose for me to do so. As I learned more, experienced more, understood more and not just in my head but in my heart, I decided that when I was needed, I was ready to go. Yesterday was that day. In some ways it wasn’t as bad as I had imagined. In other ways, it absolutely was. Throughout the day I posted photos of our rescue on our fastest growing social media account, Instagram. The response was overwhelming and immediate. I was so clearly reminded of what amazing people there are intertwined in the world of goats and animal welfare. This past year, through our various social media accounts, I have met, both in person and virtually, some truly inspiring people who all share one thing in common; a love of animals and a desire to make the world a better place for them.

After the rescue yesterday, Klondike the sheep came up to me while I was sitting in the main pasture and put his head in my lap. He stayed there for what felt like eternity

 A few months ago, I had the privilege of attending a dinner with Gene Bauer, President and Co-Founder of The Farm Sanctuary. A man who years ago, sold veggie hot dogs outside of Grateful Dead concerts to fund farm animal rescues and was a pioneer for farm animals in countless ways. Today, he continues to put farm animal welfare in the national spotlight. I had the pleasure of meeting Matthew Dominguez, Public Policy Manager for the American Humane Society of the US. A man who is motivated, like no other, to fight for farm animals. Farm animals, who are often forgotten in a world that when it comes to animal rights, focuses more on companion animals. Every single day he is on the front lines fighting against AGAG bills, traveling the country and demanding a voice for the animals.

This past winter I fell in love with the stories and photos of some animals rescued from one of the worst animal cruelty cases in New Jersey’s history. For weeks, I sent words of encouragement and kept up to date on how they were doing through Instagram. Today, goats Ansel & Petal, calf Lilly and so many others, because of the caring people who invested in their recovery and care, have turned their tragic beginning into an incredible story of resilience and hope. They are helping shed light on the farm animal cruelty that happens every day in our world.

There is a kindred spirit amongst us all. The rescuers, advocates and sanctuaries who take to social media daily to share the story of our animals and raise awareness of the plight many farm animals face. Together, we reach millions of people. We touch lives, we help educate and are in turn, inspired and humbled.

The messages that poured in yesterday, from strangers, all over the world, were incredibly touching and motivating. Witnessing what I did yesterday, was heartbreaking, but we saved 13 lives. It may be just a drop in a much bigger ocean but it’s something. I believe that together, all of our drops can make a pretty powerful impact. Whether you’re on the front lines pushing for accountability for farming practices or simply sharing pictures and stories of rescued animals; whether you’re rescuing from the trenches of cruelty cases and slaughterhouses or adopting rescued animals of your own; we are all in this together. Each and every one of us is invested in these four legged friends that need our help.

Clementine, a young doeling from yesterday's rescue. She cried out to me as soon as we arrived yesterday. I knew instantly, she was coming with us

I’m honored to be a part of this community and when it’s time to go back into the trenches, you can bet I’m going right back in. I’ll be doing so knowing I have a pretty awesome group of people behind me.

All things considered

Earlier this week I took yet another baby goat road trip. It was a picture perfect day to take a ferry ride with two perfectly behaved little goat passengers. This trip was different from the many other baby goat road trips I’ve been on this season. This one completed a circle. The two kids made a similar road trip with me in March to the rescue. They spent two months at PSGR warming our hearts, entertaining us with their big personalities and being part of a great start to this year’s baby goat season. This trip delivered them to their new lifelong home with an amazing new family. The circle was complete.

It’s been a busy few months to say the least. Over 70 kids have come through the rescue so far this season to find their forever homes. Thousands of miles traveled to insure they are saved. Hundreds of gallons of milk purchased. Countless hours of measuring and filling bottles, feeding babies then washing bottles just to turn around and do it again a few hours later. Hundreds of volunteer hours to help lessen the burden of work on Barbara. Thousands of dollars in vet bills to save those who needed a little extra help. We’re exhausted. We’re often running on empty. Our respective houses are a bit neglected. A home cooked meal is a rare occurrence. My car has become a weekly baby goat and milk hauler. But all things considered, it’s been a pretty amazing few months.

Seeing the joy two little rescued baby goats brought to their new family, completing that circle; this is why we do what we do. This is why we sacrifice sleep, a social life, vacations, and pretty much anything not related to rescuing baby goats for these couple of crazy months. This experience, this outcome, this is what it’s all about.

Yes, there are the moments when excited baby goats spill a bucket of milk, evenings when it takes forever to get them all out of the pastures and sorted into their appropriate places for the night, days spent pleading with a hungry baby to realize his milk now comes from a bottle. Moments that sometimes make you just want to sit down and cry from sheer exhaustion and frustration. But these moments never dull our passion and commitment to the work that we choose to do. For there are also moments when we just get to simply be with the kids; one on our lap, one curled up on our feet and a dozen more within an arm’s reach and realize that they may not have had this chance at life if not for us. There are days when we get to complete the circle of the work we do and see them off to the next chapter in their lives. All of these moments make the life that is rescue work. It’s a life that comes with sacrifice but it’s a life I wouldn’t trade for anything in this world.

"The Minis"

Photo courtesy of tranimaging

Written by Volunteer Sarah

My love affair with "the minis" began within the first few moments I met them. These adorable twins were 2 of 14 breeder cull kids from a dairy, who made a couple hour journey with me to the rescue back in March.

As it often does, the numbers for this kid pickup increased last minute so I slipped two plastic laundry baskets into the car for the 4 newborn goats. While loading up the kids I put the youngest two in one basket and the smallest two in another assuming they were the other set of newborns. A few miles down the road, I began to question my assumption.

We got on the road and everyone settled in as they usually do, except these two. They were up, looking out the window of the car (what the people in cars next to me must have thought) they talked, a lot, especially the smallest one. I chatted with them, reassuring them they were going to be ok, they were off to the good life. The talker took that as an invitation to try and join me in the driver’s seat. Luckily the basket was tall enough that they couldn’t get out but that didn’t stop him from trying to chew on my hair, bump me for milk and being the cutest backseat driver there ever was. It was clear that these two, now named, Nitro and Nicky, were bound to be two of the biggest personalities on the farm.

Their first week with us they both fell a little under the weather but their feisty personalities served them well and they recovered quickly. During their recovery they needed constant monitoring however so they were granted overnight house goat status for a week. Nitro became a space heater worshiper.

They were quickly back in the barn at night and spending their days out exploring and grazing and being the cutest little Lamanchas. They are as energetic and entertaining as can be. They are also little love bugs, happy to spend the day in my arms, chewing their cud and watching the world around them.

They are still two of the smallest kids even though now they are two of the oldest. They are not a miniature breed, they are purebred, standard size Lamanchas. I just affectionately refer to them as "the minis" not only because of their size but because they are also miniature versions of a number of other Lamancha kids currently at the rescue.

The smallest goats often have the biggest personalities and these two are no exception. Their air-sucking routine, we could take that on the road! They now even try it with me when I'm holding them, pressing their cheeks against mine. They’ve recently learned they can jump straight up in the air, it is their new favorite playtime activity. When not in my arms they love to nap on the stanchion. One at a time, not allowing any other goat to join them. Like I said, little goats, big personalities!

They have a tight sibling bond, however they have welcomed little Oberhasli Percy into their close knit family unit. Percy arrived as a single baby, a little guy as well and we were having a hard time finding the right group of kids for him to join. The minis have been the perfect fit for him. His mellow demeanor seems to be a good balance for the crazy duo. They are quite the charming trio.

It never fails that every year, some just take a hold of my heart from the get go. This year, "the minis" have me head over heels in love.

Celebrity Status

“We can’t all be stars because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as I go by” –Sebastian Horsley

Rocket. You all know him. We all love him. And these facts, well, they have started to go to his head.

It didn’t take long after his arrival last spring as a bottle baby that we realized Rocket was something special and he quickly cemented a very special place in the hearts and lives of myself, Barbara and other members of the PSGR family. It also didn’t take long before Rocket himself realized he was something special.

Admittedly, I have certainly had a hand in inflating his ego. Rocket pretty much has the run of the farm. Upon seeing my car drive up and hearing my voice he makes his way to the gate and talks to me until I let him out to the main area of the farm. He often accompanies me in everything I do. Literally everything. Everywhere I go, there he is “helping”. Helping includes getting into everything, leaning on me, getting in the way of anything I try to do, chewing on my zippers and simply staring at me with those big puppy dog eyes. When I want him to go back out with the goats he acts like a toddler; he doesn’t listen, he looks at me like I’m crazy and goes back to whatever it is he wants to be doing. When he is amongst the other goats it’s near impossible to pay attention to or brush any other goat, the minute Rocket sees it, he will wedge himself in the middle and there he stays.

When this year’s new bottle babies started arriving at the rescue he was less than thrilled. He goes around to all the baby feeders and eats their hay from the other side of the fence, just because it’s theirs. If I’m sitting holding a baby and he is the same area, he will often come up and try and bite the baby and shoo any babies near me away. If I’m in a baby pasture he lays at the fence and stares me down. He has had to learn to share the spotlight which is not a lesson he has been happy to learn.

Yes, he was on local TV weekly during the NFL season wearing his Kam Chancellor jersey supporting the Seahawks and he won a local Santa’s Favorite Pet contest by a landslide. Most people who visit the farm know who he is without having ever met him and almost every family that has come to adopt goats would have chosen him in a heartbeat if he didn’t already have a permanent home with us. But these things aren’t what make Rocket a star. What makes him a star is he’s just simply Rocket. When you meet him you just get it. He’s pretty special.

Yesterday while the main herd was out grazing I sat down in the pasture to spend a few minutes with Harmony, a sweet mini Lamancha doe and within 10 seconds guess who was there pawing at me? So there Rocket and I sat, he leaned on me and chewed his cud. Best friends watching the herd enjoying a break from the rain. Yes, his diva like behavior drives us crazy sometimes but hey, someone has to be the star.

Whatever it takes

It is the nature of rescue work that the rescuing is only the beginning of saving some of the animals that come into our care. In Barbara's 10+ years of doing this, she has seen a lot. Each year we see animals with familiar and unfamiliar ailments. One thing remains the same however, we do absolutely everything in our power to save them. No matter what the cost. Because not only do these animals deserve a second chance at life, they deserve for someone to fight for that chance to be possible. When lamb Callie was literally dropped off at our front gate after being spared by a meat buyer because she was too small and ill, we knew we were her only hope. Her prognosis wasn't great. Even if we were able to manage her joint infection, vets believed she would be permanently crippled. Regardless of what her prognosis was, Callie deserved the best possible care we could provide her. She deserved for someone to care enough to try. Treatments were started immediately and incredibly generous and talented volunteers fast tracked designing and building a cart for Callie to assist her during her rehabilitation. Today, she has made a truly amazing recovery. She beat the odds and shows no lingering effects of her joint ill. She arrived terrified of anyone with two legs but with a lot of TLC, even when she wasn't sure she wanted it, those days are long behind her. Medicine is not the only thing in the world with healing powers.

Callie upon arrival, one month into recovery and now two months since arriving at PSGR

The first of our bottle raised kids started arriving back in February, an exciting but always cautious time, as their health is often fragile as they grow and develop immune systems. Boo had only been with us a few days when Barbara went out to the barn one morning to find him collapsed. The days that followed included an emergency vet hospital visit, multiple vet consultations and 24/7 care and monitoring. Barbara dropped everything to care for Boo, volunteers came on last minute notice to stay with Boo when Barbara needed to work and there was nothing that wasn't done to save him. Today, he's bouncing around playing with his friends and escorting everyone to the gate when they leave. Boo didn't have much fight in him that first week of his recovery, he needed to be fought for, and that is exactly what we did.

Boo got house goat status during his recovery

There is a lot of time, energy, emotion and money that is put forth to save animals in all stages of health at PSGR each year. Every bit of it is worth it. There is no greater reward than seeing Callie out grazing as far in the fields as the fences will let her, when she could barely walk just 2 months ago. To see Boo frolicking and racing around the pasture then curling up with his best bud Vespa for a nap, when just a few weeks ago he was too weak to even hold his head up.

There are so many things we have to consider and make decisions about on a daily basis in regards to the work that we do. When it comes to saving our rescues, there are no questions. We do whatever it takes.

Boo has made a full recovery!

Reunited....and it feels so good

Loki and I last weekend, I love that boy!

I recently received an invitation I could not refuse, to go visit 4 of my favorite bottle baby boys from last year. With new kids arriving weekly at the rescue, I often find myself wondering how last year's kids are doing. We bring these little ones in just days old, bottle raise them and find them the best possible home. We become invested. We often hear how they're doing shortly after their adoption but rarely do we get the chance to see how they're doing a year later. To see firsthand how their lives have been changed since graduating from the rescue and how they are changing the life of the family they have joined.

Milo and Zuma (now Oden) were some of our first kid arrivals last year. Two of a group of crazy affectionate and entertaining alpines. When prospective adopter Robin came to visit the rescue to meet the herd and select her new four legged family members, it was clear to us that whomever she selected was going to have an amazing home. A few weeks later Milo and Oden went home with Robin. We received occasional updates and pictures and kind words from Robin about how with goats now in her life, she was living her dream.

Oden (Zuma) and Milo upon arrival at the rescue at 2 weeks old

It didn't take long before she was ready for two more. Goats are addicting. A fact I'm sure many of you are fully aware of. It was perfect timing as the last of our bottle babies, Jet and Loki were still looking for their forever home. It's no secret that Loki held a very special place in my heart and I was dreading the day I would have to say goodbye. When I heard Robin was interested in the boys, I was thrilled. I couldn't imagine a more perfect home for them. And so they went.....

3 week old Jet and Loki

Today, the 4 boys are living in goat paradise. 15 acres, rocks to play on, forest trails to explore, a huge barn complete with goat bedrooms with sleeping platforms and a mom who loves, spoils and simply adores them. It is clear that not only has Robin given the boys an incredible home, they have given just as much to her in the joy and peace they bring.

Milo today

Seeing the boys so happy, healthy and wonderfully cared for, absolutely made my day. Not to mention loving on all of them and getting Loki kisses. It strengthens my resolve for the work that we do. Despite all the ups and downs that come along with rescue work, this is what it's about. People like like Robin who seek out rescues, who choose to adopt. The second chance we and our adoptive families get to provide for these innocent lives that otherwise would have faced an unknown future.

Oden today

I cannot thank Robin enough for inviting me to spend an afternoon at her farm. If I had a crystal ball, I'm willing to bet I'd see more goats in her future, I certainly hope so. I'm up for another reunion with those boys any day and any goat that finds a home with her is a very lucky goat.

To help us make the same kind of future possible for this year's littlest rescues, please consider joining our kids club. A one time $25 donation helps PSGR to rescue, care for and re-home our youngest rescues.