Meet Our Rescues!
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❤️ Sanctuary residents ❤️
Oliver
Oliver
Oliver is in his late 30's. He had a really rough beginning! We do not know everything about his past, but when he was saved by a wonderful rescue located in Appomattox, he required surgery because he couldn't urinate properly and had to gain 200 pounds. He is now thriving wonderfully here and slowly learning to trust people!
Lizabeth
Lizabeth
(Sponsored by Shannon F.)
Lizabeth is 28 years old. Believe it or not Jackaroo and Elizabeth are brother and sister! Just like Jackaroo, she's happiest when she's getting all the attention from humans, more so than she is playing with other donkeys! We are pretty sure she thinks she's a human too!
Jackaroo
Jackaroo
Jackaroo is 29 years old. We call him the treat stealer! He loves to greet people by searching the pockets of visitors to see if you brought him anything! He loves to give donkeys hugs and get his ears scratched while doing so...and for some reason he hates when he's not getting all the attention, he's the king of photo bombing people while they are taking selfies! It's hilarious!
Gus Gus
Gus Gus
Gus Gus is 18 years old. He is a very kind donkey and he loves both ear and butt scratches! He has this big bottom lip he lets just hang when he's content and it makes him look like he's just the happiest donkey on earth! His favorite toy is old discarded boots and can be seen throwing them in the air to see how high they will go!
Hatter
Hatter
Baby Hatter is 15-16 years old and is a hospice case. We are giving him a place to live his best life possible-for however short or long that may be! He can occasionally be seen having bursts of energy, kicking up his feet even, running as fast as he can across the field from time to time! He sure seems to be happy here at Finally Home Haven, getting as much love (and treats!) as his little heart desires!
Meet Piglet and Wilbur! Wilbur is 8 and Piglet is 6. This father and son duo arrived from a lady who loved them dearly and tried everything possible to make sure they stayed safe. She needed to move and reached out to several different sanctuaries but to no avail and the only other people who were interested in them, wanted to send them to slaughter. She couldn’t bare to have that become their fate since she had raised them since piglets and Wilbur had the habit of following her son around like a puppy dog. We told her that we would help ensure her beloved animals would stay safe. This duo and Wilma are beloved pasture mates! ❤️
Meet Wilma! Wilma is just a baby who escaped slaughter by jumping off a transport truck headed to a meat farm. Her start to life was a rough one as the others trying to escape weren’t so fortunate. She landed herself in the hands of kind samaritans, who immediately got her help as she struggled with potential blood in her lungs from her hard asphalt landing and lots of scrapes and bruises. It was a touch and go situation for a while as she struggled to heal…but in the amazing hands of Pigsburgh Squealers Rescue, their never ending faith and love, all of their wonderful fosters and volunteers, they worked wonders to save her. She is still healing from a swollen joint that they believe was from impact that day but is on the mend to a completely healthy lady! She wasn’t ready to leave this world that day and her fight to live and escape from the meat industry, captured our hearts and inspired us as her story is a part of everything we believe in…that all animals matter. Wilma was transferred to us rescue to rescue yesterday as she will live out her life with us as a sanctuary resident!
Meet this beautiful mother and son duo Marley and Millie! These two sweet donkeys are a bonded pair and they are so incredibly cute together. Millie’s motherly instincts are so apparent as she is always checking and watching over her son Marley. Twenty years ago Millie (who is now 26) arrived to her owners and a couple of short months later delivered Marley, (who is now 23) who was a complete surprise to all. Their owners and their kids loved them dearly and they all grew up alongside each other. However as life happens, the kids eventually went away to college and their owner started dealing with disabling health issues of her own. She desperately tried to find someone to help with them but was unable and they started developing painful white line disease/thrush in all of their hooves and weight issues, which overtime can impact their health and make them lame. She knew it wasn’t fair to them and because they loved them so dearly, she knew she had to do what was best for them. Being able to make such a selfless choice like this, even though it is so very hard-is such a admirable and necessary quality to have when making decisions for the animals we love.
Click the arrow to see more pictures of her and how she used to live.
Meet “Willow” We were contacted by a kind samaritan who had secretly been watching over Willow and bringing her food. Willow lived alone in the woods in a small round lot secluded at the end of an empty property where no one knew she was. She had another mule for company, her best friend, prior to the owners deciding to "humanely" put him down with a gun rather than incurring a vet bill.
There she stayed for years without another animal.
For years her owners only visited once a week ...enough to give her enough hay or water to keep her going. Her trough, (which contained merely an inch or two of water most days) was full of leaves and dirt. The owners would top it off with a little more every time they came, just barely enough to get her through. They also added bleach to this every now and then instead of cleaning it.
Her blanket tattered and torn was tied on her with twine and left on her for months at a time, even in 80 degree weather.
There she sat, alone, for YEARS. No one to love on her, nothing to occupy her, no shelter-ever. When the neighbor through the woods found out about her, she tried calling animal control multiple times asking for something to be done. But as far as she knows-NO ONE EVER EVEN CAME.
When the neighbor reached out to us, we tried contacting the owner, but our calls were ignored. So we visited the property and were able to get the owner to surrender. She admitted to everything- including that Willow was deathly scared of men because her husband had beaten her so bad-including a time when she accidentally stepped on his foot so he tied her to a tree and beat her so badly that she submitted to a sitting position. She also admitted that she had considered shooting Willow as she had done to the other mule.
Luckily Willow is in her safe haven now, here with us, but she needs a lot of TLC and gentle hands knowing we won't ever hurt her. Her hooves are overgrown and misshapen from years of having laminitis, she needs a farrier to correct her hooves so she can stop tripping over her feet, she needs vet treatment, daily medication, and special feed, and nothing is cheap. According to her owner, her teeth have never been floated...we can't imagine what pain she has had to endure daily while just chewing!
Charlie
Charlie
Click here to see his weight loss journey!
Charlie is a charming and gentle 7 year old mini Juliana. He is severely overweight making it difficult for him to get around. These guys are typically around 75lbs. His weight makes it hard for him to do things like even get up from a lying position, hear clearly or even see. (It appears that he can only tell the difference between day and night but is unable to see anything other than that.)
It will be a long journey to help him live comfortably again but we are determined to get him there!
Our first and biggest concern is pain since he appears to be experiencing arthritis with the extra weight he is carrying around. Since moving is the best medicine for losing weight and it’s already hard, we want it to be as painless as possible so the vet has prescribed him medication that should help.
We have a plan set in place to encourage him to take more and more steps each day. We have to take it slow because he drags his belly and the biggest risk right now are developing scrapes that could lead to infection. Currently he tries to place his feet carefully to avoid stepping on his own belly.
Thank you to Loving Acres for helping us develop a weight watchers plan and suggested supplements for Charlie! He has a long road ahead of him but a village cheering him on along the way!
Petunia
Petunia
Click HERE to see updates!
This cute gal is our newest intake! Petunia is overweight and has partial fat blindness causing problems with her vision. She startles easily due to the fact that she cannot see things that are coming towards her unless she positions her head in a specific way. Our number one priority is to help her lose weight so that she can see better and so we can clean up her eyes a bit. After that the second priority is to have her spayed, which will be pricey but a much needed necessity for her health! Spaying pigs no matter what age can literally extend their lives for YEARS, (yes YEARS) as not doing so can almost 100% guarantee uterine infections, tumors and other reproductive diseases that sadly end their lives very quickly!!! She is such a sweet girl and deserves to be happy and healthy!
Autumn
Autumn
Click here for updates!
This sweet 1400lb Holstein gal has come to us almost completely blind. We believe that she can see a very small amount (enough to know that something is coming towards her) but that’s basically it. She arrived here startled and scared, but curious. She relies mostly on hearing as she turns her head when she hears noises, relying on her sense of smell more than anything. This older gal has been through her share of trial and tribulations.
Her story began when she was born on a dairy farm. They didn’t notice her little body in the field during a winter storm and it was midday before she was found. Her mom wasn’t interested in her so after birthing she simply walked away.
As a young and wet calf born in the snow, she was lucky she survived. However her ears and tail were so frostbitten that they couldn’t be saved. She was a smart calf and was adamant to nurse from another mom (a big no-no in dairy farming as they rely on the milk for human consumption). Unfortunately dairy cows don’t just make milk on command, (as some people still think) and the baby had to be removed to make a profit.
They moved her in with the bulls to prevent her from nursing other mommas, but soon after being added to the “big boy” pen she developed pink eye. Without treatment she lost most of her vision.
Time passes and she was nursed back to health by a kind Samaritan. She learned how to make life work despite permanent vision loss. She had several horse friends and lived on a farm with other animals and produced a couple of her own offspring. She was a good momma despite her disability.
Life happened and the worry waned of her ending up in the wrong hands. She no longer produced offspring and the cost of her keeping would be more than she could give someone in return. Unless someone could just give her a safe haven, well…just BECAUSE...
She needed to be in a place that could adjust her pasture and lifestyle so that she could adapt, despite now being a blind older lady in completely new surroundings. She easily bumps into fences as she cannot definitively see them and is learning how to find the location of her new shelter and water. She extends her head and bumps them with her nose when she can’t actually tell if something is in front of her.
She’s a very gentle girl and we know with faith and love that she will find her way.
Estella
Estella
Click here to see her story
URGENT SAVE!
SHE WEIGHS 3.9 LBS
WE COULD USE YOUR HELP!
We were tagged to help and once we learned of her condition, we COULDN’T turn her away.
We pulled a “Hail Mary”.
An INCREDIBLE advocate in the animal rescue world with less than 24 hours accomplished a MIRACLE and put together the legs of her transport that we weren’t sure could happen in such little time. Four selfless, loving and kind people took the time to help assist in her travel to safety.
We brought this lady in because she was a very sick senior, at a CODE RED shelter and at risk for euthanasia at any point that she started declining…with the long holiday weekend coming we couldn’t risk it.
However her journey is only the beginning. It will be a long one, combined with MANY vet visits, MULITIPLE meds, LOTS of critical care food in addition to TLC but we will do EVERYTHING in our power to help her return from the condition her owners left her in. Her hip bones stick out by at least a 1/2 inch and you can literally locate and count every single vertebrae in her back with the slightest touch.
In addition to being EXTREMELY emaciated (she has multiple issues) but the main ones are: nonregenative anemia and a severe upper respiratory infection. With every feeble step you can tell shes weak, but she doesnt hesitate to come to you and lift her head to yours, stare into your eyes and lovingly rub her head against your face. A undeniable act of love to a stranger. Animals always amaze me, she knows we’re here to help.
Our hearts BREAK for those broken seniors just abandoned in their time of need. She was dumped in this state…literally someone’s pet at some point who mattered until the day…she just DIDN’T. She didn’t deserve this. She is the most LOVING to anyone willing to give her attention, no matter how bad she feels.
It took a tribe to pull her transport together and it will continue to take a tribe to get her better. From the vets, to the caretakers, to the volunteers and possibly you. If you could find it in your heart to help and make sure this broken senior lady gets all the care she needs: we promise with one look into her eyes, you will not find another as appreciative as this one.
Welcome to the FHAH tribe “Estella”, your loved and you matter. We got you.
Meet Scooby & Shaggy!
While this is one case we cannot share (due to confidentiality), they came to FHAH because they needed a SAFE and loving landing…QUICKLY. A fellow donkey rescuer needed our help and asked us to say yes just one more time.
While we are currently quite full with heavy cases, we knew we’d just figure it out.
These guys needed us.
This bonded pair is already settling in with the herd and loving attention from our volunteers.
Welcome to FHAH boys!
❤️Animals who will be ready for adoption in the next couple months ❤️
❤️Animals who will be ready for adoption in the next couple months ❤️
Evie
Evie
Click here to see her story
We literally had to make the tough and almost impossible choice of narrowing it down to two of the highest need cases medically. Two of the “they won’t make it if we don’t”.
“Evie” was in dire need of care. Losing drastic amounts of weight, suffering from urinary issues, eating constantly and drinking huge amounts…her owners began to lose hope. When her spine started to show they didn’t know what else to do. They had limited veterniary services in their area.
Meanwhile, Evie couldn’t wait…she was wasting away.
Finally this young gal (2 years old) was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. The more severe form in felines. Insulin could help, however her owners couldn’t afford her care much longer and were gone long hours, making it impossible to administer insulin shots. Dangerously high, Evie would continue to decline (with a blood sugar of 480), eventually becoming blind, experiencing coma or death.
Every single shelter would put her down. They are all full and literally don’t have the time or staff to administer insulin twice a day on a schedule. We wish there were more resources of support for diabetic cats, but there just isn’t. Euthansia is too often the common choice when there is no other hope and owners can’t handle the medical commitment.
We were Evie’s only hope. She needed help that no one else was willing to give.
Even $5 goes a long way for Evie. She didn’t deserve to leave this earth so soon and we promised her we would help her find her way.
Zuzu
Zuzu
Meet our newest intake: ZuZu.
This girl’s story is a little bit different…as she found US!
She was spotted multiple times around Finally Home over the last month, but always too skittish to come near. After several failed attempts, we were actually able to trap her.
Extremely cold and shaking, we were able to get her out of her cage and into her own safe space. She hid in a cat tunnel for several days, refusing to come out. However, once she realized that we always brought food, her hunger overcame her fear.
We searched for owners, but no one ever came forward. Who knows how long shes been out in the freezing cold.
This little gal finally started trusting us a little more day by day…always greeting us with a hiss but ending with her seeking out attention from us.
We were able to get her to the vet and (as suspected by her protruding hips and spine), she’s full of parasites.
She’s started her treatment and is already gaining weight. She’s getting used to being served several meals a day…especially liking not having to hunt it down!
You’re on the track to better days sweet girl!
❤️Animals who are ready for adoption! ❤️
Roscoe!
Roscoe!
🛑 CUTE PUP ALERT!!! 🛑
SHARE and help Roscoe find his home! ❤️
This happy boy has been looking for a place to call his own for a year now. Saved from euthanasia just in the nick of time only because he was one animal too many. We know that he wasn’t meant to leave that day and he wasn’t meant to live his life out in a shelter. He just needs that special someone to open their heart and home to him!
He is a sweet boy who loves to play. He is UTD on all of his shots, neutered and in great health. He is 9-10 years old, would do best with older kids and as a only dog.
Finally Home Animal Haven
Adoption fee is $75
Johnny, June and Melody
Johnny, June and Melody
While stocking up on supplies for the animals, we came across baby ducks that were basically being given away. There were 3 smaller than the others that no one wanted who were shivering, overstimulated, scared and hiding. They were “too old” (at over a week old!! ) to sell and anyone willing to take them and raise them as “meat birds” were encouraged to get them out of there before they would be “of no use” when the other shipment came in. We know we can’t save them all but we just couldn’t imagine walking out that door leaving these sweet little faces behind to have no purpose in life other than being raised simply to be sent to slaughter as soon as they were able. (Which usually happens as early as 7 weeks old!)
Click HERE to see the ducks at 5 weeks old!
Click HERE to see the ducks at 6 weeks old!
Click HERE to see the ducks now
Meet Lucy, Ethel and Ricky!
This young trio was rescued from somewhat of a hoarding situation where they had to get rid of them quickly or their lives would have been cut drastically short (they are only 6 months old!) We agreed to take these babies in to prevent them from being sent to slaughter before they even had a chance to live. ❤️
👇Click the video below!👇
309425745_184409174073999_4571043690223533630_n (1).mp4
Jolene
Jolene
Click here for updates on Jolene
Meet Jolene!
Jolene is a pony who is very skittish of people…who can blame her when shes been running LOOSE for the last 20 years….no really…she was running loose in a local county for TWENTY long
years.
We transferred her here to assist one of our favorite horse rescues (Hope's Legacy) so we could spend more time helping her learn to trust humans.
We can tell she’s curious but she needs patience and a gentle hand to figure out that we’re only trying to help her. Currently she starts breathing hard and attempts to jet when you try to touch her. She has so many burrs in her mane and tail (which we will work on overtime as she allows us to care for her).
We can tell she’s a sucker for treats though, so we’re sure with lots of TLC it will eventually be a way to win her heart.
Tina
Tina
Click here for updates on Tina
Meet Tina!
Tina arrived to us along with Jolene as we are assisting Hope’s Legacy in socializing these timid girls. Tina is much smaller and very jumpy, but she is much more curious than Jolene. Tina will come right up to you for treats but doesn’t like to be caught as it makes her nervous to be cornered.
Our assumption is that she fails to remember what it is like to be doted on and shown love by someone. We will work with her slowly so she understands that humans aren’t all that bad.
❤️ Resting with the Angels ❤️
A tribute to our elderly sanctuary friends and hospice cases who called FHAH home.
Dillon 🐾
"If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever." ️
This cuddle bug has spent his entire life, a long 8 to 10 years- tethered to a chain, starved and abused. He was supposedly used for breeding at some point, and we are not exactly sure how but at one point his leg was very badly wounded causing extensive bone damage. Due to lack of care the bone tried to repair itself overtime, so he walks with a permanent limp. He is timid and scared of everything but loves people so much already. Looking into his sad eyes, you can tell he’s never felt a loving hand, so he soaks every second up that he can, lying in your lap, just wanting to be with you, never knowing what the next second will bring. He needs to put on a lot of weight and has a long road ahead of him, learning to heal not only physically but learning that not all humans are bad. He has such a special sweet, sweet soul we can tell already, that’s why he deserved a special name- Dillon, meaning “Ray of hope” because that’s truly what he is. ❤️
To learn more about Dillon's Story, Click Here!
Click the arrow to take a look at Miltons life and how happy he was.
A picture that was painted of a beautiful moment that happened right before he passed. He was consoling her and telling her that is was going to be ok. Painted by a wonderful artist JA Wilson ❤️
Milton ❤️
We’ve thought long and hard about the right words to say…meaningful words to honor Milton’s life and the lives he’s touched.
But, how do you find words for a soul that meant so much to so many?
Milton, who was 37+ (in which the vets think he was actually much older) crossed the rainbow bridge yesterday afternoon. He began to have more bad days than good and he started to slowly become unstable on his feet over the past several weeks. His arthritic body could no longer support him and he was in pain. We tried EVERYTHING but in the last 24 hours he just didn’t want to walk anymore. He was tired, he hurt, and we knew it was time. It wasnt fair to keep him around because we were the ones who weren’t ready to say goodbye.
In the hours before his passing, while we were mourning the fact our time with him was coming to an end, he leaned in to nuzzle one of his favorite girls faces as she was crying and all that we can say is in that moment-we knew he was saying “Don’t cry for me, I’m going to be okay.”Our sweet beloved Milton…was trying to console US.
He spent the entire day enjoying more fig newtons and animal cookies than we could have counted, being loved and kissed on. He passed painlessly and peacefully, surrounded by so many that loved him. The sky and the stars shone brightly last night as we buried him in a spot that he could watch over all of his friends.
Milton came to us about a year and a half ago and we knew going into this journey with him that our purpose was to offer him a happy, comfortable end of life for whatever length of time he had left. However, we never knew just how much he would capture the love of everyone around him and what kind of profound impact he would have on our lives and our hearts.
We racked and racked our brains to figure out how to honor his memory, but we think instead we actually want to share with you how he LIVED. He loved long walks in the woods, playing with an old boot, grazing all the grass his heart could desire, but most of all he enjoyed people. He loved spending his time next to anyone and everyone who came to visit. In the short time he had here, he was loved and spoiled, his life mattered. Our purpose was to keep him happy and comfortable and we did just that.
Rest easy sweet Milton, we are so very thankful to have had you in our lives.
Grumpy
Grumpy
Rescue is hard. You save so very many, but you also experience loss along the way. You wish each and every one of them could live forever, but that’s just not how life works. Providing a sanctuary for seniors is even harder. You know from the beginning that their days are numbered and life is unexpected, so you never know how long you have with them. They often require much more care as they age, they develop cancers such as our dear Grumpy, arthritis and many more health issues. However, the need to provide them a place to live out their days being cared for, loved and doted on near their end of life is also what drives us to continue to do what we do. Letting them live out their golden years as comfortably and as painlessly as possible, until their aged souls know it’s time.
Grumpy AKA Fig Newton (who was estimated to be in his late 30’s by the vet) is the reason we’re here. It all started with a 3 year old little girl who fell in love with a donkey. He was very scared of sudden movements and lots of people, but he loved that little girl. He lived near, so she went to visit him frequently, he often stood from afar watching carefully-eventually being lured in with what became his favorite treats (Fig Newtons) and over the years they developed a extraordinary bond that was deep and unparalleled. He taught us how affectionate and loyal donkeys can be if you only give them a kind hand and time to trust. He is the sole reason we fell in love with donkeys.
We were so blessed to have been given the opportunity for him to be with us in his final years and to provide a permanent home with the little girl who is now a 14 year old. He was the inspiration for Finally Home Animal Haven and all the donkeys we have here. He is the reason we will continue to provide a sanctuary for other donkeys just like him, especially seniors. His passing is harder than most, but knowing how much love we were able to give him in his final years helps greatly. He knew he was loved and he gave SO MUCH LOVE to his people in return, he was finally at home.
In his memory, if you’d like to make a small donation in tribute of helping more seniors like him live out their golden years, we would be forever grateful.
Clarence
Clarence
Click here to see his story
It is with saddened hearts that we announce the cancer was finally too much for Clarence to handle as it continued to spread to different parts of his body. With steroids he had a prognosis of 1-2 months and he comfortably made it to 3 months and 1 week. His days were filled with lots of naps, bird watching from the window, a warm bed & free area to roam, lots of people to spend time with and more food than his heart could desire.
We knew going into this with him that our sole purpose was to keep him happy and pain free for as long as he had left, as the lymphoma was not something he was going to recover from. The last couple of days he stopped cleaning himself and slowed eating until he just stopped, subtle signs that began to become more obvious that he was tired and we knew he was preparing us for the fact that he had begun to let go. The spots on his lungs had continued to grow and he started to become out of breath with any activity.
He passed surrounded by people who in the short time that knew him, had already grown to love him deeply. There was not one single dry eye in his passing. In his frequent visits to the vet, we were moved by the fact that he not only impacted the lives at FHAH but the people at Old Dominion too. He had become known as a “heart cat” in their office because of his affectionate nature, he loved anyone and everyone he met. He walked into the office like he owned the place…walking right up to the staff, giving nose bops and plopping right down in your lap, purring louder than anyone knew a cat could. That was Clarence- he was always purring and he loved people.
While we are saddened to see him pass, we are so thankful to be able to have provided him the comfort he deserved in the last leg of his journey in this life. We are so very grateful to Old Dominion for helping us provide just that.
Fly high Clarence…you were already an angel…but now you finally got your wings
Ester
Ester
Click here to see her story
With saddened hearts we laid beloved Ester to rest after being able to call FHAH her home for a little over 4 months.
Esters life was not an easy one. This elderly lady weighed in at around 3 1/2 lbs when she was first abandoned…it was clear she had suffered for a very long time. Despite her long fur, her hip and spine bones were easily visible (which had to be shaved on arrival because she was covered with feces). Blind in one eye and arthritic-her owners had let her condition go on for far too long without seeking help. Her life could have very well been prolonged her and her disease may have not taken such a toll on her organs by the time she received help.
When she arrived to our doors we knew she was a hospice kitty and that her time was limited. Regardless, we wouldn’t let her live her last days in a cage (which she hated) so we immediately agreed to have this special girl transferred into our care. Chili Childress (an incredible and fierce animal advocate) knew when she contacted us that Ester would be welcomed with open arms. Thank you Chili for looking out for her like you did, as you do with all animals!
While in our care Ester received antibiotics, small feedings 4x a day, fluids to help her kidneys function better and several supplements to keep the nausea at bay. She gained weight and she played. She couldn’t see well so we kept her litter boxes close because she’d sometimes have accidents.
The moment she arrived she walked in like she owned the place. She claimed her very own couch and we could tell that she felt at home. That’s just who she was.
Ester was a volunteer favorite. She oddly was a cat who LOVED her belly rubbed. She jumped down and greeted everyone at the door, followed them to her couch, waiting patiently to climb in their lap. She laid sweetly at their chest and was a constant purrer. She could spend hours there and easily made people feel like they never wanted to leave. She felt love, she knew kindness, quiet and comfort.
The last couple of days of Esters life our very social girl told us she was no longer comfortable. She slept constantly, didn’t rush to the door anymore and her nausea was making it hard for her to keep things down. Her disease had progressed and her kidneys had become large and painful. We knew she was telling us she was ready to let go.
Allowing hospice animals into your heart is not an easy thing. Knowing that one day (sometimes sooner than later) you have to let them go…even harder. It’s literally impossible not to get attached and they will undoubtedly make a way into your heart. Not only that, but senior and sick animals always have a way of returning a wonderful yet undeniable love in return…like they know you are trying to help. Loosing them is hard, but knowing you may of given them the only kindness they have ever felt..always worth it.
Ester was no exception, her love simply radiated towards anyone she ever met.
Thank you always to the incredibly kind Dr. Sirk (among the many others at Old Dominion Animal Hospital Charlottesville) that helped keep her comfortable on the last leg of her journey.
Rest in peace Ester-you will be missed by so many!
Ellie
Ellie
Click here to see her story
Life is just way too short.
A couple of days ago, early in the morning we found Ellie lying in her field, too weak to get up. We immediately called the vet who said she would be there as soon as she could. The night before she ate her meal as usual, licking the bowl clean. During the time it took for the vet to arrive we were able to coax her to her feet several times. It was a struggle and we knew she was suffering. The vet performed her exam and determined it was a probable strangulated lipoma, which often comes on suddenly and without warning in these older ladies. Lying there, she looked into our eyes and we knew she was telling us it was time.
Ellie came to us over 6 months ago, a beautiful… yet broken hearted red mare. She looked like she had given up hope. Given up by her owners in her time of need.
We visited with her in a round pen in the back of a field, surrendered because her care had become “too difficult”. Employed as a riding horse (which she could no longer do) she now had to be fed large amounts of mush, multiple times a day, and required too much care to handle. We observed initially that she could barely put weight on her front leg. She hobbled over to us, as we were informed that she also experienced some pain in her hip. She kept her head held low but she stood there as we spoke to her, soaking in the attention. We honestly did not know what we could do for her (if anything) at a remarkable 35 years old, but we knew we had to try.
From the intake visit, the vet spoke to us about her quality of life and knowing when it was time. Since we take in many hospice animals, this is something we are very well accustomed to.
We dove deep into her care from the beginning -she received weekly massages, red light therapy, wraps for her hooves, and special supplements. Our beloved volunteers even practiced Reiki sessions on her joints. Slowly she improved and while still moving like an older horse would, over time she no longer had intense pain in her joints. Ellie was a fighter.
She developed a close bond with another eqine named Willow (whom she refused from then on to let out of her sight). She was no longer alone, she loved having a companion.
She roamed a large open field and she no longer hobbled there! She galloped to her feed buckets often, grazed on green pastures, enjoyed the autumn breeze and adored being devoted on.
We couldn’t believe the progress she made and she surprised us every day. She had hope and she gave us hope. Each new day with her was a gift as we knew with her age we were on borrowed time.
In our opinion-we were blessed. You see, we were LUCKY enough to have her at the time in her life when all those things mattered. We gave her the love she deserved and that is what she gave us in return-tenfold.
She knew love, true love, from the moment she entered our gates. She had the end of life she always deserved. For the time she was with us, she mattered.
Rest in peace beautiful girl.
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