We are excited to announce that we will be reopening for workshops in 2022 after a two-year hiatus due to COVID.
Use the button below to go to our Workshop page to learn more about the two different workshops Dawn is teaching and for the 2022 dates. There is a form on that page to request more information and to sign up for the workshops.
All of us humans and animals look forward to seeing you! We’ve missed you!
Th
is week we lost one of the biggest characters in cat form that we have had here at Spring Farm CARES. O’Malley was larger than life and one of a kind. He had many nicknames over the years but most prominent was Mr. O’Malley or Professor O’Malley. He just had that sort of persona that deserved a title of respect.
O’Malley came to the farm when he was found as a stray in very poor condition. He hardly had any hair and was covered in open sores. It turned out that O’Malley was FIV positive and that autoimmune disease was causing or contributing to his skin condition. It took months and months of medications and daily baths to finally get him through it. Now this illustrates just how unique O’Malley was because he LOVED his baths. We had never seen a cat like baths as much as he did.
O’Malley’s trademark was his incredible purr and his incessant drooling when he was happy. He loved to be held and carried around and cuddled. And whoever did so, was sure to be soaked from his drool. He also loved to be dressed up in outfits. This all started when we had to put little shirts on him to protect his skin and keep him from licking himself. But out of that grew a whole line of customized O’Malley wardrobe. He even had some with his name embroidered on them.
O’Malley was as easy going as could be. He was an ambassador for peace and love. His energy was deeply appreciated and anyone who spent time with him ended up with the therapeutic benefits of being loved by him. He was an old soul in a cat body. And he was so loved.
One of the greatest things we witnessed through all the years that O’Malley shared with us, is how he made people feel. O’Malley had the greatest ability to connect deeply and embed himself deep within the hearts of those who chose to connect with him that way. And he had a way of letting each of them know that they were his absolute favorite person. Writing this from a Director’s chair, I can tell you that there are several people out there who know for sure that they were O’Malley’s cherished friend. His favorite. And he meant it! He was not just saying that. This was the very special gift that O’Malley had. It came from his soul, through his heart, and into the hearts of those he loved. This included veterinarians, caretakers, volunteers, and even visitors. To have felt this myself and watched him do this with others was something I have cherished about him. He had a magical way of making you feel incredibly special. And it was genuine.
In the end, his heart and lungs gave out to the disease he had kept at bay for so long. His body could no longer continue and it was time to help ease his transition. As we sat with him in those final moments, O’Malley continued to radiate that peace and love and compassion. It’s been an honor Mr. O’Malley! We say good-bye with tears but with profound gratitude for all that you brought to so many hearts.
Our featured animals of the week are our American Guinea Hog pig family. Eloise came to the farm in 2018 from an animal neglect case. She was in very poor condition and we soon after found out she was pregnant. She gave birth to 6 piglets. All seven will stay here in our sanctuary for the rest of their lives.
Shawnee is a very special horse who came to the farm when he was only 12 hours old back in 2005. He was an orphaned foal after his mother died shortly after giving birth to him. He was in a place where they were unable to care for an orphan. However we were called in by law enforcement who had been called to the scene because of the circumstances on the property. Shawnee was found just in time because he had some serious injuries (that no one ever figured out what happened to him) and he was lacking in the precious nutrition of the colostrum, or first milk, from his mother. He was rushed by police escort to a place that could give him that much needed nutrition and then brought straight to Spring Farm CARES where he has been ever since. This has been a challenging week for all of us at Spring Farm CARES. We had two cats who passed away on the same day, just hours apart. One passing was expected as she was peacefully transitioning after 17 amazing years with us. The other was a complete shock. Normally, we would be doing two separate memorials as each of these beings was so different and brought so many different things to this farm. However, for some reason, it feels that they need to be written together so we will honor that for them.
Our beloved barn cat Izzy, age 17, peacefully left this farm and joined her littermate sister Bella in spirit. Izzy and Bella came here at just a few weeks old. They were born on a farm and it just so happened that we were looking for the right pair of barn cats for our barn. Because they already knew the ropes of barn life, we felt they were the right pair to try. However, Izzy had a severe eye infection that needed a lot of medical care and that is why the previous farm asked if we could take the two of them together. In the end, we couldn’t save Izzy’s eye and it had to be removed. But that never slowed her down a bit. Izzy and Bella were the head barn keepers for about 14 years together. We lost Bella two years ago to renal disease. Izzy insisted she’d be ok and stayed on in the barn. We had offered her a spot indoors if she wanted to retire but she was just not ready to do that. We know she missed her sister terribly. But she told Dawn that she now had to work for two of them and that is how she wanted to honor Bella most.
We watched as Izzy also started to age. She also had early signs of renal disease. Being a head barn cat is not an easy job. It’s a huge responsibility. Izzy and Bella did their jobs extraordinarily well. Many visitors to the farm hold incredibly warm memories of one or both of them as they showed visitors around the barn and made sure everyone was accounted for. Two years ago, our barn was visited by a mink who was determined to get our ducks, chickens, and goose. We had to evacuate the fowl from the barn until we could capture and relocate this mink who thought he found his free meal ticket. Izzy went inside. At first, she was not so thrilled with the idea. She’d sit in the window looking out over the farm and we could all feel how badly she wanted to get back to work. But the nights were getting cold and she ended up inside for a couple of weeks before the mink was caught and relocated. By then, Izzy decided that maybe it indeed was ok to retire and have a different life. She lived in our Library where we also hosted workshops and she still got to greet and visit with people. She loved her new life, helping in the office and sleeping in a nice soft bed in the sun.
Izzy had been slowly fading in the past couple of weeks. We knew she would be leaving us soon but she was comfortable and peaceful. Izzy passed in her favorite bed with the most amazing grace and peace and dignity. She quietly slipped away and joined Bella who we know was waiting for her. We are honored to have had Izzy with us for all these years. It was wonderful to see her enjoy every single aspect of her life. Bella was the same. They radiated joy and happiness and contentment. And what they gave to us and to so many other animals and humans over these years is more than we can even know or express.
Max left us completely unexpectedly. He was only 8 years old. While we were holding space and keeping watch over Izzy, Max was just feet away in his own area where he slept for the night. We were shocked beyond words to go over to give him his breakfast only to find that he had passed. He gave us no indication at all that anything was wrong with him. Max had many medical issues, but nothing that seemed remotely indicative that he was ill at all. Max left without explanation or any way to say good-bye. But that was so like Max. He wouldn’t have wanted his special people to be sad. Yet, sad we are. Heartbroken for our loss, even though we know he is ok. Because of Max’s medical situation, there are numerous ways his life could have gotten difficult. He had been through a lot already. But Max was filled with life and with joy.
Some of you may remember when we featured stories of Max in the past year. He came to us in 2016 after he was hit by a car and lost the use of his bowel and bladder. We spent years expressing his bladder for him until one day something stopped working in his bladder altogether and we could no longer manually express it for him. Right there would have been the end of the line for Max. But his journey continued on with him riding each wave with joy. Thanks to our own on-staff veterinarian and Max’s best friend Dr. Christine, we found alternative options to help him. Many may have considered it radical and for many cats we would have too and would have never done it. But Max was clearly all in. He was amazing. A medical apparatus was surgically installed into his bladder that emptied out through an external port in his abdomen where we could attach a syringe and empty his bladder three times a day. Max took to this port very well. And his life improved dramatically. Max was Dr. Christine’s office mate and he adored her. We have photos and videos of him, even just in his last few days, where he was lounging on his bed on her desk and purring and kneading and clearly beyond overjoyed with his life. Max was a huge spirit. He literally filled a room when he was in it. And now, there is a huge hole in his absence. It is hard to understand from our perspective why this would happen and why now. He was at the top of his game. But for Max, when we really look at Max and understand who he is and how he moved through his life, it is actually not surprising. Max lived on his terms. He beat the odds so many times out of shear will and desire to be here. Max was also impulsive at times, bolting out a door when he knew he wasn’t supposed to. Leaving people exasperatingly shouting “ugh, Max got out again!” I think he loved to watch us scrambling after him. It was the game, the joy, the challenge. It was Max simply being Max. So when he bolted out that final door, he left us all scrambling. Trying to make sense of something we can’t make sense of. Yet, knowing in our hearts, that Max was simply being Max. Grateful for all we gave him. Grateful for every second. But now it was time to go.
We want to thank Dr. Marcus Hetzner and Dr. Paul Bookbinder for not just their surgical skills but for their willingness to step outside the box for Max. What you gave him by being brave enough to do so made a whole world of difference to one cat and you have a debt of gratitude from everyone who loved that one big soul in a gorgeous cat body.
Oh, and one last thing Max…. since you bolted out another door…. We will say what we always used to say to you when you did that.
Max, you’d better get back here!
Minnie came to the farm in 2018 as a companion for our lone sheep Daisy who had just lost her goat companion and needed a buddy. Minnie also needed a place to retire as she had incurred a hernia after lambing at the farm where she lived. At the time, it wasn’t obvious how large the hernia would become or that it could not be remedied. We didn’t know how long Minnie would have with us, which depends on her comfort level, but Minnie is still going strong. She is a lady who clearly has her own timeline and lives life on her own terms. She is a great companion for Daisy. Now a third sheep, Mary, has also joined their little flock. In the good weather, they spend time grazing up on their hillside pasture. But right now, they are hunkered down in the warmer barn where they have not even cared to venture out even on sunny days. They all said, no thanks, we are good inside here! Sheep are not dumb!Lucy Goose turns 25 years old. That is very old for a goose! Lucy came here when she was already 19 years old and we are so blessed to have this incredible lady with us. She has a heart of gold and is such a vibrant part of this farm.
Happy Birthday Lucy!
Eloise came to the farm in spring of 2018 from a horrific neglect situation. She was in bad shape and had been bullied by the other pigs. She came to our sanctuary to be by herself where she could decompress and heal. And Eloise did just that! Within a few weeks of her arrival, Eloise started to trust her caretakers. Soon, she began coming out of her pile of straw to receive her food. And it wasn’t long after that she began to let us touch her. Eloise, as it turns out, is quite a love.
Kernel is estimated to have been born in 2010 and came to the farm in 2017 from an animal cruelty case. Kernel came in with three other horses from extremely poor conditions. While he has healed from his physical neglect, Kernel still struggles with confidence issues in life. However, he has made huge strides forward. For his first few years with us, he was kept together with a mare named Cami who came with him from his previous place. The two of them are very bonded. Then two years ago, another gelding named Finnegan arrived at the farm. He is a very easy going and affectionate guy and we thought he might fit in the pasture with Cami and Kernel for turnout. It was an instant friendship between the two geldings. Every day when they go out, the Finnegan and Kernel stop to groom one another. Their friendship has really helped Kernel to settle down even more and be more confident.
Dusty is estimated to have been born in 2008. She came to the farm in 2009 after she had been found as a stray. Dusty had some sort of trauma to her tail when she was found. This injury causes her to leak urine. Because of that we need to be sure to keep her clean and free from any infections. She also needs to have her bladder expressed a couple of times per day to help empty her bladder completely.
“I am an old man now. When you get to be old, you realize that there is a certain wisdom that comes with that. It’s a wisdom I didn’t have when I was younger. I still feel young at heart. But there is something sensationally exquisite about savoring the knowledge that I’ve gained. I watch some of the younger ones here carelessly living their lives as if they have 15 lives to live yet. Sooner or later in life, you learn to appreciate the most simple of things as being total blessings in your life. Not a day goes by that I do not feel gratitude. It can be for a cloud on a hot day that offers a few minutes of shade. It can be a patch of grass that tastes so good in that moment. It can be my horse friend who comes and stands by me so that I don’t feel alone. Here is my advice to you: Live your life in harmony with your heart. Allow yourself time to give thanks. Help others by being kind. Let joy fill you up. And know that when you are down, it will get better. It always does. Even when it feels like it won’t. If you do these things, when you are old like me, you won’t have any regrets and you will have so much to be thankful for. In time….. gratitude is ours to find and spread to others.”
“Sometimes life is full of surprises that are amazing. And sometimes there are twists and turns that are hard to take. But what I have found is that you just have to keep walking forward and show up on the path. I love being with my duck friends. I love being out in the sun and feeling the warmth spread through my body. But I also like standing in the rain because that makes me feel good too! Sometimes, you have to look past the negatives and remember all the positives. That is a great strategy for a duck and I bet it is for you too. But, I’m just a duck. But for me, that is everything!”
“The thing that brings me happiness is feeling safe and being part of a wonderful family. My family consists of other donkeys and horses and chickens and ducks and cats and even little wild animals that come by our barn and yard. All of them are unique and special. I love learning about each one and how they feel and what they like and how they see the world. Because even though you may think I have nothing in common with a little bird flying through our barn, we have more in common than we have differences, when we stop and ask one another, ‘what is most important to you?’ When is the last time you were inquisitive about someone you feel is totally different than you? If you’d try that, you’d see that you have basic things in life that are important to both of you. That very small act of kindness can open a common ground on which you can stand together and accept your differences without judging them. I’d love to see more of that in this world. Now is as good a time as any to start.”
“Life is never all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes you have to understand the beauty in the rain. I like finding the uniqueness to each day. I love my friends and showing them affection. If you are my friend, you know it. I am never shy in letting people know that I care about them. Life is meant to be experienced day by day. And it is important that love is shared every day. We all are responsible for contributing to the good things in the world. If you don’t like negativity, then be sure to contribute goodness every single day. Kindness multiplies. Love magnifies. If you need a hug, just come find me. But I am also known to drool on people. Like I said, you need to find the beauty in the rain too.”
“Hi there! Marco Guinea Pig here. It’s a pleasure to chat with you today. Although this is a mostly one-way conversation now isn’t it? I hope you are listening and enjoying the messages we are sharing with you. I love it here. I love hearing all of the different points of view and there is such wisdom everywhere. Even the cats have interesting things to say. Some of them are a bit on the pushy side if I may say so. But each of us has our own place in life. I love to take little pieces of food and stash them away for later. I don’t think my humans have caught on to that yet. But some things in life are just meant to be savored. You know what I mean? I’m told I can ask you to participate here. Tell me what are some of your things in life that you savor? Come on, make this little guinea pig’s day and share your thoughts with me.”
Today, Christmas Eve, we said good-bye to a most beautiful soul who graced this farm for nearly 30 years. Belle was a Morgan Horse mare who came here in 1993 at just three years old. She was a determined youngster who made it clear to many who tried working with her that she was not here to be ridden or trained. Belle was here to do her own thing. Spring Farm CARES was approached to give her sanctuary where she could do just that and where she’d be guaranteed a place to live out her days. Otherwise, she was destined to be euthanized because her free spirit just did not fit into a life of servitude to humans (and that is just how she looked at it.)
Belle ended up living with three other horses here where they shared a small barn/run-in shed and the run of a huge hillside pasture overlooking the entire farm. The four of them all grew old together in harmony with the farm and living the life they craftily had created for themselves. In many ways, they lived the best life, living the life the way a horse was intended to live. And they thrived together. One by one, over the past 5 years, Belle watched them all leave as time took it’s natural course. She was the last of that amazing little herd. And she also was the last of our original horses. Her passing truly marks the end of an era of this farm.
Belle would not be thrilled that I’ve written this much about her already. One sentence would suffice for her. Something like: “She arrived, lived, dreamed, connected and now she has left.” Yes, that is what Belle wanted me to say. But I need to share something more. Sorry Belle.
Belle not only came and lived her life here, but she also gave a lot to this farm. She held a space. You see, Belle was not very handleable and that is how she wanted it. She wanted to experience living free and having things done “with” her but not “to” her. She participated when she chose to. Over the years, Belle chose specific people and situations to interact with. Sometimes they were her caretakers, sometimes students who came for workshops and left here with amazing heart connections with Belle. Sometimes it was her veterinarian when she needed help, or her beloved farrier who worked with her so incredibly patiently when in her final couple of years she really needed special help with her feet. Everyone who was chosen by Belle knows who they are. And we thank you for seeing her for who she was and not trying to make her who she never wanted to be. She was a free spirit and she lived her life that way here on this farm and left the same way.
As co-founder of SFC, I have known Belle since she stepped off the trailer here in 1993. We went through a lot together. Her little barn/pasture where she lived with her herd is right outside my window for the past 25 years. To wake up this morning and not see her standing there was painful. She was the first thing I looked for each morning. She also was known to come over to the fence closest to our yard when we had our dogs out late at night in the dark. I could hear the occasional gentle nicker or snort to let us know she was right there. Deep connection and relationship isn’t always about touching or owning anything. Belle taught me how to be together in the deepest sense. It wasn’t always an easy lesson for me to learn with her. But she was an amazing teacher.
Each time one of Belle’s pasture mates has died, she has done the same thing. We find her standing at alert staring up the hill to the big pasture where they once ran together and galloped in their younger days. In their elder years they could no longer do the big hill and had a smaller pasture that was easier on old bones. But as each of her friends passed, she would stand staring at high alert for hours just looking up the hill. When her last buddy Viva passed two years ago, we were worried for Belle as to how she would do by herself. For two days, she stood looking up that hill as if she were watching something moving.
“What are you looking at?” I asked her.
“Can’t you see them?” she replied. “They are all there. They are still all there.”
Chills ran down my spine. The ghost brigade. Her herd was letting her know she was not alone at all.
We brought up another mare to occupy the other part of her little barn so she wasn’t alone. Whisper was also kind of a loner but the two mares could visit over the stall door between them and they could visit over the fence of their pasture. And each morning and evening from our window, we’d watch the two mares stand where they could see one another. It reminded us of coffee time. They’d just stand and enjoy each other’s company.
Belle’s condition deteriorated more rapidly than we anticipated. She had a cancer that started filling her lungs. She didn’t respond to drugs to ease her breathing. She totally let us try to help her but nothing we had to offer brought her any peace. We knew it was time for our free spirit to fly free and join her herd. For the past two days, she spent a lot of time just staring up that hill and watching. I had a feeling they were here to get her and take her home. She knew something that we hadn’t yet discovered. Her time here with us was drawing to a close.
As we led her out of her barn one last time, Whisper gave her that soft nicker that mare friends give one another. She said good-bye and let Belle know she was there. Belle left this world facing up that hill, where she knew her friends were waiting and they could be reunited once again.
Fly free Belle. Say hello to all the others for us. And we will be watching for you all up there on that hill, lovingly standing watch over this farm forever.
“Oh, let me tell you, there is so much in life to be happy about! I’m on my second lifetime in just this one body. No, I’m not talking about a past life thing. This is a present life thing. You see I started out in life born in a horse barn. It was a noble start to be born in the stable. Then, I had an injury to one of my eyes and it was really bad. My humans knew they couldn’t take care of it so they sent me and my sister Bella to this farm. After a lot of trying to save my eye, it was not successful so they had it removed and that was a good thing. Bella and I became THE barn cats here at SFC. Bella died a few years ago but as she got ill, the humans here brought her inside to be warmer and it was the right thing to do. But I wanted no part of that. There was a barn to take care of and I made it clear that I was not ready to retire. I had to do this for me and Bella too. But then 2 winters ago, I changed my mind. It was time for my second career. Now, I am inside and enjoying the life of an indoor cat. I help in the office with important projects and meetings. Sometimes life is not just about seeing things but it is all about how you look at it. I’m hoping that with all the changes you humans are going through right now, that you will take a moment to realize all the things you have to be happy about. Really look at them. Life is full of incredible beauty. And we must see it through the challenges.”
“Do you know all the things that I know? I bet some of you think I’m just a pig and what could I know. Ah, but you would be silly to think that. I know the different smells in the air on any given day. I know when the weather is changing. I know the different smells of food and dirt. I have happy days. I have sad days. I love the comfort of my pig family, even when they get on my nerves. I love snuggling in the straw and hearing my pigs snore. All of these pigs with me are my children. I got to know that they are safe. Sometimes we argue but that is usually because they don’t listen to me. But I have the joy of knowing they will forever be safe here and that makes my heart feel good. I have deep feelings just like you. My body may look different. But my heart beats just like yours. Please get to know me before you pass judgment on who I am …. Because you may not know the truth about being a pig. But I’d love to get to know you and for you to know me too.”
“I volunteer every year for this mission of messages. Are you listening out there? We think we have lots of people following us even though we never see or hear them. But we feel you out there. This is a special time. Why? Because you allow yourself to look for hope and compassion at this time of the year. Have you ever noticed that? Hope is actually something that is around every single day, yet humans seem to need to have an excuse to indulge in it now and again. We wish we could fill you with hope! I want to say that I have come to rely on hope and trust in compassion every single minute of my life. Yes, I’ve seen terrible things. I’ve gone through some really tough things and had a rough start. But that didn’t define who I am, but it did make me appreciate all I’ve got now. You are not defined by your pain unless you let that happen. Define yourself instead by your happiness. You are a beautiful being. You are filled with a light that no one else has but you. The world needs to see each light. We are meant to shine our lights together. Will you join me today? Just try it. Stop throughout the day and find one thing to be happy for in your life. And you will see that there is more than you realize. And hope will fill your heart. And your light will get brighter. And then I want you to simply smile at another fellow human today and share that moment of light. You will touch their hearts in a way that helps them feel kindness. And the magic will spread.”
“I always love to be asked to share in these communications. I sit here on my favorite chair as Dawn asks me if I want to share. And I settle in and take a deep breath. I’d love to share. I have so very much to be grateful and happy about. And I have so much I’d love to share with people. If you meet me in person, the first thing you’d likely notice about me is that I am missing a back leg. People instantly feel sorry for me and wonder what horrible thing happened to me. Well, if all you see about me is that something is missing, then you are not seeing all that is here. And if you walk away from me feeling sad that I lost a leg, then you are failing to understand what I found instead. I lost my leg in an accident. It is as simple as that. But what I found was a home with extraordinary people who have loved me and nurtured me and cared for me in ways that I never had before. I found comfort and I healed. I find joy everyday. I have lots of cat friends with whom I have lived for many years now together. We are a family. And when we lose one, we are all sad. We lost our friend Nemo this year and I’d like to give a shout out to him and the magnificent friend he was to all of us. Ok, I admit sometimes I bopped him now and then. But that was lovingly done. Sometimes adverse events happen that bring us to other places where we find our deepest blessings. But we have to be willing to accept those blessings when they come. If all you see is what is missing, you will never find the blessing that is there in front of you to replace the thing you lost. Trust me, it’s true.”
“Listen to me my human friends. It is far greater to try things in life and fail than to never try anything at all and die empty. I may be just a rabbit to you. If you are thinking that, then you don’t understand rabbits. Actually, you may not understand one another either. I think indeed that is the case. You look at each other and animals with expectations of how we would think or not think or be. You categorize everyone and everything and label it so that you know what you can expect. But you don’t accept anything outside your own silly parameters. You box yourselves in. It’s ok, because we still accept you for who you are anyway. But you limit yourselves with your limiting thoughts. A rabbit is just a rabbit after all, you think. What would a rabbit know? But I’m here to tell you that this rabbit knows a lot. And your limitations are holding you back from great growth and from receiving great gifts from animals and nature around you. That is just what I see. I have tremendous respect for you. Truly. Now go carry on with your day.”
“I’d like to talk about friendship. When I came here to the farm as a baby, I was surrounded by older horses that took me in and raised me as their own. My own mother had died when I was born. I never even knew her. But my new surrogate mother and friends saw me through. But they were all older and while I benefited from their wisdom, I watched each of them die of old age and illness. At first, I thought this was going to be a life of loss. I got a bit lost in that sadness. I lost my way. I disconnected from others. And I kind of fell aside from the herd. But then one day, a horse came in who needed a friend. He was old. He was in bad shape. But my human friends trusted me to be with him, because they knew I understood how to be with the old and frail. Something happened to me in that moment where I suddenly realized I had a great purpose. This wasn’t about loss and sadness at all. This life was about companionship and healing. Because even if my time with them is shorter, what I learn from them is far greater than anything I could ever know. I have the richest life! Now, as I grow older, I have a deeper wisdom within me. Love is the greatest gift we can give to another, no matter how long or short a time we have with them. There is no time to waste. Love is now.”
“Play, eat, sleep. Run, leap, spin around. Find things, hide them on the humans, and make games out of everything. Snuggle for just a second, then move on as if there is something urgent to do. These are the things I busied myself doing. But sometimes I don’t know what I’m here for or what I’m supposed to be doing. I nearly died, yet I fought back hard and survived. There must be something bigger for me in this life. But sometimes I can’t find myself with all the chaos going on around me. Do you ever feel that? Does this happen to you too? Maybe we can figure this out together. I am curious about all of it. Are you?”