Lemon and her sisters were rescued right down the road from us in 2017. One of our neighbors called us after 11 turkeys showed up at their house…

Mr Rojas was rescued from slaughter at a cruelty case where we rescued his mom. The previous owner hid him to sell for Christmas dinner. Because of…

Pebbles survived severe neglect at the hands of a backyard butcher, escaped slaughter, healed from pneumonia, recovered from a double mastectomy,…

Cinnamon was ridden so hard for so many years that when we found her she was in pain and could barely walk. At The Gentle Barn she is given deep tissue…

Sophie was rescued from an abusive petting zoo with her son, Billy. Her toe nails were a foot long causing deformities in her joints. She is a loving…

Langhorn was one of twenty chicks rescued from a poultry farm and brought to The Gentle Barn Tennessee to live a better life and spread awareness of…

We lost our sweet precious ginger this week. Ginger was already old when we rescued her 4 years ago from extreme cruelty. She was extremely sick when…

Angel was hatched as part of a classroom project. The birth delighted the children, but once the fascination was over and Angel turned into a big hen,…

Mars was rescued from the animal shelter in his last hours before being put to sleep. He was at least eighteen years old, and because of that he was…

Billy was rescued from an abusive petting zoo with his mom, Sophie. He had pneumonia, and sounded like Darth Vader when he breathed. After healing his…

"Mamma Dear" was rescued from the racetrack, where her frail body was severely damaged. She was several hundred pounds underweight and her muscles were…

Rebecca was handed to us over the fence by someone who could no longer care for her. We normally do not intake animals that way but we just so happened…

Tommy the turkey was raised by someone who thought that it would be cool to raise their own Thanksgiving dinner. But when it was time to kill him, the…

Perfect came to us in September of 2017 right before we opened to the public for the very first time here in Missouri. Her story is similar to that…

We are so sad that our Blossom has passed away. It was sudden and, although we knew he didn’t have long, unexpected. Blossom was a broiler chicken,…

Karma was rescued from a cruelty case many years ago. She cried and cried until we finally realized she was crying for a baby left behind. We…

Poppy came from a home where her and her 6 sisters were loved and cared for as family members. When the family moved they quickly found out their home…

We rescued Linus 8 years ago from a terrible cruelty case. He suffered so much! We brought him home and gave him daily tummy rubs, treats, and love…

A Tennessee Love Story

Rosy was originally thought to be a female, but when he was a little older and started…

Kahlua belonged to a nice family along with other chickens. Tragically, a predator broke into their pen and killed all but Kahlua. We were asked…

Reina was rescued along with sixty other animals from a horrendous cruelty case. She had seen her friends and family members slaughtered right in front…

Charlie and Lacey left us this week after having the best year of their life. When we rescued them last year, they were 14 years old and were being…

Daisy was one of the original chickens to be rescued by The Gentle Barn. She came along with 30 other chickens who were living in a homeless woman's…

Nalla was rescued along with the 30 animals from a backyard butcher with her mom. She was designated for slaughter, and treated with a cruel hand and…

Socks was about to be euthanized at an animal shelter after being adopted and returned three times because she had so much energy. She could get over…

Sir Lancelot was originally a racehorse, and when they were done with him he was sold at auction to people who treated him like a car and not…

Emily was rescued from an extreme cruelty case and saw the worst of humanity. When animal control brought her to us, along with sixty other animals,…

Chewbacca and two other alpacas were headed for auction and we were able to bring them to The Gentle Barn instead. They were weanlings, very…

Amelia came into The Gentle Barn with her sister, Hannah. Extremely ill, it took many months to resuscitate her, but with great vet care, Sun Chlorella…

Katie was a pony who spent her life giving rides to small children. She wore a saddle that did not fit, so her back was sore. They did not trim her…

We rescued Susie many years ago when we discovered her and her 29 sisters at a pet store. They were all crammed together in a filthy cage and when customers…

Whisper was rescued from one of the worst abuse cases in the history of The Gentle Barn. She had cigar burns on her behind, holes on either side of…

Aretha was raised to be eaten and advertised on Craigslist that she will be delicious. We went undercover and brought her home to The Gentle…

Holy Cow has shown immeasurable resilience in her almost fourteen years of life. She was taken from her mom at birth, stomped so she could not walk,…

Bloom and her sister, Brave were raised by a woman who loved them very much. She hand-fed them, cuddled with them, and saw them as family. When…

Julian and his mom were rescued from a cruelty case and rushed to the hospital. His mom did not make it, but after months of hospitalization,…

Barnie was not wanted in his home because he is a rooster and cannot not lay eggs. We took him in because we love his song and his rainbow. He will…

Gertrude was our most cuddled chicken, when all of the other hens were busy running around looking for bugs or scratching in the hay, Gertie preferred…

Mango was rescued from extreme cruelty with many other animals, including her son Thumper. One of the sheep they came in with was Shirley Temple…

Scout was found standing in the rain on a vacant lot with no food, water, or shelter. His coat was bleached from the sun, his hooves were way too long,…

Bonsai Warrior was an enormous, mighty, strong, brave, courageous, opinionated, and feisty giant who ironically came to us in a miniature horse’s body.…

During the first six months of the pandemic, slaughterhouses were shutting down, ranchers were panicking, and animals were being sent to slaughter pregnant…

Faith was rescued in 2008 along with five other calves taken from their moms at birth, put into crates so that they could not move, and sent…

Alice was rescued from Thanksgiving along with four other turkey sisters. They were all nervous and scared of us at first, but soon began to heal and…

When we rescued Sir Fancy Pants from Thanksgiving in 2011 he was a tiny, scared baby. He soon became comfortable in our barnyard and we watched him…

Wilbur was rescued from severe physical abuse. He was smashed over the back with a chair and was permanently crippled by his "person."

He was…

The first time we saw Blue she was in a back stall with her head to the wall at a rescue facility in Ojai, Ca. We were giving carrots and apples to…

Meep was brought to The Gentle Barn at only a day old, a tiny ball of yellow fluff. Way too young to be unescorted in the barnyard, we brought him into…

Braveheart was brought to us at 3 months old by someone who found him running away from a goat farm. He was raised to be eaten and had no idea that…

Victory as born inside a slaughterhouse and saved her mother’s life. In a rare act of compassion, the slaughterhouse owner allowed us to have them both…

Pixie was at the animal shelter, we don't really know how she got there. She was only 10 weeks old, thin and infested with mites. We got rid of her…

Mario was going to be euthanized in the animal shelter and we brought him home to The Gentle Barn to be part of our family instead. He quickly became…

There are three reasons why animals come to The Gentle Barn: So they can heal and live the life all animals deserve, so they can die in the arms of…

SusieQ was raised in a factory farm where she was poked by electric prods, had her ears shredded, was torn away from her mom, and then sent to Farmer…

Lyra came to us from an animal shelter just before she was supposed to be put down. Someone had impulsively brought Lyra home and got rid of her when…

Eliza was rescued from the animal shelter. Chickens typically live between 7 and 10 years, but Eliza lived with us until eleven years old! She absolutely…

Magic was taken from his mom very young and sent to a horse sale. He was bought by an animal trainer for the movies and taught many tricks, which he…

Wild turkeys are smaller and live for about 25 years. Scientists have taken the DNA of a wild turkey and genetically engineered it to create a man made,…

We rescued Sassy from an extreme cruelty case, along with 60 other animals. She was underweight, scared, filthy, and traumatized. With top quality feed,…

Bodhi was on a truck with many other pigs headed for slaughter when he had the courage to jump off and save his own life. He thankfully was not harmed…

Rascalina was someone’s treasured riding horse and they had many adventures together. Once she was older however and could no longer carry anyone she…

Horton was rescued from slaughter when he was only three months old. He came to us covered in ticks, underweight, and terrified of humans. With time…

Penelope was used for breeding so her offspring could be sold for slaughter. When she got older and could no longer breed, she was "useless" to her…

Wild turkeys live about 20 years and are able to run, fly and mate . They live in large family groups and are very social and smart. The meat industry…

Jasmine and her sister Jellie were taken away from their mom at only 4 weeks and put up for sale. Knowing that they were not ready to eat solid food…

Puffy was a happy backyard chicken, along with her sisters, when neighborhood dogs broke in to the yard and started killing off the birds. The family…

Rosey was one of our very first chickens we rescued at the start of The Gentle Barn Tennessee location. We brought Rosey and his sister, Jessie's Girl…

Serenity was enslaved at the dairy industry where she had many babies taken from her before she herself was sent to slaughter. Luckily we saved her…

Rama was rescued from Thanksgiving. She lived in so much fear for the first several years believing we would harm her. But slowly she realized she was…

Caesar was a movie horse but had none of the wealth, fame, or glory that humans enjoy. He was asked to do very strenuous work and was not allowed to…

Surprise was born unexpectedly at The Gentle Barn months after rescuing his mom from slaughter. Our bovine family encircled Surprise and watched the…

Spencer was rescued along with his sister from the animal shelter on his last day before he was killed. He was the quintessential dog: loyal, intelligent,…

McKenna Rockett was rescued from Thanksgiving. Filthy and terrified, it took months to get her healthy and happy. McKenna Rockett soon became the love…

Rover was minutes away from being put down at the shelter when we found her. Shaking at the back of the cage, she would not let anyone get close to…

Forgiveness was born at a dairy factory farm and taken away from his mom at a day old. He was then put in a veal crate where he could not move…

Amber and her 28 sisters were rescued from a pet store where they were kept in very cramped, dirty conditions. After the customers complained they…

Einstein was feral, living in an abandoned 20-acre lot. People from the community tried to capture him for three years to no avail. Einstein…

Girlfriend came from a home where she and her six sisters were loved and cared for as family members. When the family moved, they quickly found out…

Zena was rescued from an abusive petting zoo where she had been forced to get pregnant every six months for 7 years. While she was nursing one baby,…

Yoda the emu was rescued from a hoarder where he was left for dead along with 400 other animals. He was terrified coming in to our place but very quickly…

Andrew was one of twenty chicks rescued from a factory farm where he would have been slaughtered at 7 weeks old, along with 120,000 chickens. He was…

Zoe's mom was rescued from an abusive petting zoo when she was still a baby herself. We didn't know she was pregnant, but within a few months, she gave…

Sunrise was one of 45 chicks rescued from a crowded, filthy pet store. They all came to The Gentle Barn to live the good life, and one by one pass away…

Hosanna was rescued from a hoarder with her two friends, Lynus and Snoopy. They were very scared when they came here, and would even charge us to defend…

We got Zoe 14 years ago when she and her twin brother were three years old. They were from the premarin industry and had gone through so much…

Zeus was born at a county fair. When a teenager found out that all the animals were going to slaughter after the fair closed she bought Zeus for $50…

Peyton Manning was rescued along with two other turkeys from Thanksgiving in Tennessee, in 2015. After learning he was safe and could accept…

Monique was rescued from a live meat market along with her sisters. The animals are kept in small, filthy cages, and the customers pick one out and…

Willy Wonka was a professional jumping horse, competing around the world and winning millions for his humans. Worn down, he eventually collapsed in…

For the first part of Dunkin's life he lived with a human family and thought that he was one of their dogs. He rolled over for tummy rubs, chased cars…

We first rescued Adeline with her four sisters. They were scared, filthy, and sick. Once healed, staff and volunteers sat with them each day,…

Charlie the rooster was rescued from life in a cage. He was incarcerated for so long that his toes were deformed, and his nails curled into his foot.…

Chloe was rescued just before Thanksgiving. Her toes and beak had been cut off, she was black with filth, and had lost all trust in humans.

To…

Ora and her sisters were rescued right down the road from us in Missouri. One of our neighbors called us after 11 turkeys showed up at their…

Sarah was wild in our neighborhood, we were never able to find out where she came from. She emerged one day with 15 babies and we knew that if she remained…

Bluebell came in with over 60 other animals, rescued from a severe cruelty case. She and her sister, patience were very sick and scared,
and we…

Freedom was thrown out because she had a congenital birth defect; she had no eyelids. At The Gentle Barn we believe that everyone should have a chance…

Tinkerbelle's mom was rescued from an abusive petting zoo. She had a small baby at the time so it did not even occur to us that she might be pregnant.…

Star was part of our very first veal calf rescue years ago. He was taken away from his mom at a day old, put into a veal crate alone, and at eight weeks…

Jasmine was rescued from someone who was planning to eat her and her family. But when she had deformed toes they brought her to us to help. After a…

Along with the wonderful work that we do here at The Gentle Barn, and the joy that comes with restoring new lives and new hope in the animals, comes…

Thumper was 1 among over 100 animals rescued from a cruelty situation. At that time, he came to live at The Gentle Barn, but was too young and sick…

Darshana was rescued from Thanksgiving with her two sisters. She was dirty, scared and angry when she came here. But after a short while here, she forgave…

Crystal was one of six calves born at a dairy, taken from their moms, held in veal crates, sent to auction at 8 weeks, and saved by The Gentle Barn…

Buttercup was rescued from extreme cruelty where she had no food, water, or shelter. She was used as a dairy cow so every year she was impregnated,…

Monty was rescued from Thanksgiving. Instead of ending up on someone's plate, he came to The Gentle Barn where he charms hundreds of people and teaches…

Patrick was a trail horse for 30 years, carrying children on his back and taking great care of them. When his back wore down and he could no longer…

Annie was rescued from euthanasia at a high kill shelter after being hit by a car and breaking her pelvis. We brought her home and with good vet care,…

Sun Dance came to us at a day old and grew up right in our barnyard. We don't know why he was brought to the animal shelter right after being born,…

Chance was rescued from a backyard butcher along with many other animals. She had no food, water, or shelter there, and saw many unspeakable things…

Valentine was actually born at The Gentle Barn a few weeks after we rescued her mom, Tia from an extreme cruelty case. Unlike her mom, Valentine only…

Benny was rescued from being eaten on Thanksgiving. It is very common for turkey farmers to carry them by their legs and in doing so, they broke her…

Betty Morgan was purchased from a turkey farm by an eight year old girl. When her parents wouldn’t allow her to keep Betty as a pet she begged one of…

Marilyn Monroe was kept as a trophy pet for a wealthy man. When the stock market crashed he lost his farm and with it, all his animals. The other animals…

Prince Charming was ridden so hard his knees swelled and he could barely walk. He was then tied to the bumper of a car at a boarding stable and abandoned…

Sid and his sister Sam were backyard dogs for 15 years. When they were old and arthritic and incontinent, they were sent to the pound to be put down.…

Nalla was rescued from Thanksgiving in 2014. She came in filthy and terrified. After several months of good food, clean water, and gentle hands, Nalla…

Betsy was a happy backyard chicken, along with her sisters, when neighborhood dogs broke in to the yard and started killing off the birds. The family…

Sasha was ridden by an extremely impatient person who did not give her enough time to figure out what she was being asked to do. Every time she made…

Vegan was born blind, on a beef ranch. Ironically, his blindness is what saved him. The farmer's wife fell in love with him and wouldn't let the farmer…

Sidney was rescued from a woman who loved him very much but didn't know how to care for him and he eventually went blind from malnutrition. It look…

Sparrow and his sisters were being sold at a pet store as babies. They were kept in a small, dark box in cruel conditions. People complained and they…

Andrew was used as a stud horse for twenty five years. Kept in a twelve by twelve stall and treated aggressively, he lived with loneliness and sadness.…

Charlie and Lacey left us this week after having the best year of their life. When we rescued them last year, they were 14 years old and were being…

We rescued Diamond in 2017 when she was around the age of 2. Diamond was used for her egg production, but when her laying slowed down, Diamond was going…

Dolly was kept outside with little shelter before she came to us, she developed cancer in her eyes from the sun as well as her back. The cancer on her…

Dudley was taken away from his mom at a very young age and was being raised for slaughter. He accidentally got baling twine wrapped around is ankle…

Jewel was a wild peacock wondering the neighborhood. He slept in our neighbors trees at night and soon started showing up at our place for meals. After…

Before she came to us, Lilly was kept as a breeding pig. She had her food thrown over the fence to her and her babies taken away. For 15 years she lived…

Sunshine was rescued from a pet store where she and her 29 siblings were crammed in a dark, dirty, crowded cage. After many complaints they released…

Marsha was rescued from Thanksgiving and then was attacked by a dog. After healing at the hospital, Marsha was brought to The Gentle Barn to charm people…

Spirit is the 6th cow of the St Louis Six. He escaped the slaughter house with his brothers but because of his injuries during the round up process…

Scarlet was one of four turkeys that we rescued from Thanksgiving. They were emaciated, filthy, and terrified. Rescuing them allowed us to discover…

Alex was saved from a market where people come to pick out animals to be butchered and bought. Living in a filthy cage, watching the animals around…

We first found Biscuit in a pumpkin patch exactly 10 years ago. We took our kids there to pick out pumpkins, having no idea there would be any animals…

Rooty had a good home and a human mom who loved her very much. Her happy life ended when her mom died suddenly. Because Rooty was older, no one wanted…

Bubble Gum was rescued from a backyard butcher where she was severely abused and neglected. When we brought her home she was riddled with parasites,…

Truffles was rescued from an abandoned pumpkin patch after Halloween. She was left with the trash, no straw, no food, and no shelter. We took her in,…

Snoopy was rescued from a hoarder with a few other pigs and 500 other animals. She suffered terribly when she was there with no food, extreme temperatures,…

Storm was raised by a lovely family who adored him. Because of this he grew up kind and affectionate. Because of the economy the family could no longer…

Jellie was rescued with her twin sister, Jasmine from an abusive petting zoo at only four weeks old. Taken away from their moms way too young, we bottle…

Carlyle was one of twenty chicks rescued from a poultry farm and brought to The Gentle Barn Tennessee to live a better life and spread awareness of…

Stanley was born as a twin in an agricultural college. The school kept the brother and his mom to breed again but was going to send Stanley to…

Our beloved Fluffy came in along with a family of chickens who needed a safe, loving space to live and thrive. She lived the life all chickens deserve,…

We were about to start off a brand new week when our beautiful Freddy decided it was time to leave. Freddy Mercury was the last lady to leave of the…

I am so sorry to say that our dear sweet Bella has passed away. We never know exactly how old chickens are when we rescue them and with the genetic…

Peggy was the most famous and well loved chicken in the history of The Gentle Barn. She was born with only one usable leg and was almost euthanized…

January 14th, 2018 was a very cold day. Our founders Ellie and Jay made a special trip to Missouri to help us rescue a sheep and a handful of…

Buddha is our therapy cow here at The Gentle Barn. When disabled kids come to visit, they gather around Buddha in their wheel chairs and hug her and…

Ten years ago we went to look at some horses at a local horse rescue. Other organizations know that we take in animals no one else wants, so they call…

Tulip is the longest-living chicken in the history of The Gentle Barn! Chickens typically live between 7 and 10 years, but our beloved Tulip gave us…

Milo was given to a family for a Christmas present, but they didn’t want him. So they put him in the backyard where he lived alone for 9 years. Finally…

Ari was born to a mom imprisoned by the dairy industry. He was taken away from his mom at birth and put into a veal crate where he could not move, had…

This week we helped Claire out of her body, walked her home, and set her free. Before she left, I told her that she had done an excellent job here,…

Wild turkeys live about 20 years and are able to run, fly and mate . They live in large family groups and are very social and smart. The meat industry…

Our sweet girl, Daisy, left her body today. She had breakfast this morning and joined her turkey and chicken friends in the barn for the day before…

Daisy was only a yearling when we rescued her from severe abuse and neglect. Grossly underweight, afraid, dirty, infested with lice and parasites, she…

Gentle Ben was rescued from a petting zoo that was closing down. After holding still for pats and being kind to all their guests, he was being sent…

Mavis was one of 102,000 chicks born in an incubator and raised in a poultry farm. Genetically engineered to be full grown at 7 weeks old and destined…

Zen was brought to us by a Buddhist temple. They loved him very much, but the neighbors did not. They asked us to take him and care for him, allowing…

Gus came to us along with several other goats from a cruelty case. After suffering tremendous abuse and neglect, it took a while to rehabilitate…

Kaylee was hit by a car in a bad neighborhood. We scraped her off the street and took her to the hospital. Little did we know that healing her body…

Duchess was left in the dessert with her younger brother King with no food, water, or shelter. Desperate, the two found their way closer and closer…

Toulouse was raised in a house like a dog, slept in the bed, watched television on the couch, and went for walks on a leash. She was happy and loved…

Rick Springfield was found at the Nashville international airport, obviously waiting for a flight to The Gentle Barn. He was one of the founding…

Fawn was one of over a hundred animals rescued from a cruelty case. She had twins shortly after arriving. She was very sick and it took…

Mufasa was hatched in a classroom and sent home with one of the students. When he started crowing it became a problem with the neighbors and we were…

I wish with all my heart and soul that every cow in the world would have a life like Charlie had. Charlie's life was a fairytale from beginning to end!…

Esther was rescued along with ten siblings from a very busy road. Neighbors had no idea where they came from, and after knocking on all doors could…

Eric was raised to fight. When they noticed that he is a lover not a fighter they were going to eat him. Able to intervene, we brought him home to charm…

Phoenix was one of five chickens rescued from a slaughterhouse. They were left alive and the customers could pick out the one they wanted and then they…

Carrie was one of twenty chicks rescued from a poultry farm and brought to The Gentle Barn Tennessee to live a better life and spread awareness of the…

Valentina was a Japanese Silky chicken, rescued from the animal shelter just before she was going to be put down. She was way too cute and innocent…

Hannah was rescued along with dozens of others from a cruelty case where she lived in the very worst and harshest conditions. When she came to…

Willy the rottie was rescued from a hoarder. He lived in a cage in a place with 200 other dogs, also in cages. He only knew cold, fear, hunger, and…

A Solute to a Gentleman

When I first met Dylan he was so handsome that I caught my breath and stared.…

Annie was rescued off the back of a pickup truck on Fathers Day. The back of the truck had a bar-b-q and all the makings of a Fathers Day BBQ feast.…

Drew was being sold at a live meat market in China town where people come in, pick which animal they want, and they are "processed" in the back and…

There was a woman who wanted a female chicken as a pet for her apartment. She ordered one to be delivered to her from an egg company. When she went…

Honey Bear was found running down the street, malnourished, underweight, wounded, and clearly escaping something horrid. He was picked up by animal…

Chili was rescued from a very bad East Los Angeles neighborhood where every house had a pure bread Pit Bull tied to a tree, and by the looks of the…

A family raised Cybil until she was about a year old, and then moved out of state and abandoned her on the front lawn. She waited for months for them…

Joy was rescued from a backyard butcher. She was emaciated, very sick and had we come just a day later she would have not survived. She is slowly gaining…

Divine was rescued from a backyard butcher where she was fed nothing but rotten tomatoes. Starving to death and terrified she now has a long way to…

Krishna was rescued from Thanksgiving along with her sister, Rama. They were not given food, water, or shelter where they came from and were emaciated…

Josh was rescued with his late mom, Noni, from an abusive petting zoo. He was a youngster and terrified of humans. She was crippled by overgrown toenails…

Ryan was one of the smartest, funniest, most resourceful friends we have ever had. He played with all the other goats and they all loved him. He fell…

In the 1980s Vietnamese pot bellied pigs where being imported into the United States and were being sold as pets. Because they were so cute when they…

Sunshine was part of a big cruelty case we investigated. Over the course of four years, we took in over a hundred animals confiscated by animal control,…

Ginger was rescued from the animal shelter. We don't know why she was brought there, but we are sure glad we found her. She loved talking and had a…

Flash came from a home where her and her 6 sisters were loved and cared for as family members. When the family moved they quickly found out their home…

Bella was best friends with a dog. Apparently, they had an argument that left Bella with a ripped open shoulder. Bella was left without treatment…

Patience was rescued from a cruelty case and was very sick when she arrived at The Gentle Barn. After working round the clock for months to save…

Luigi was left at our veterinarian's office because his family could not take care of him. After having him there for months, our veterinarian asked…

Maddie was rescued from the streets of Los Angeles where she had lived for years as a feral dog. She ate our of the garbage to survive and staid clear…

Bob was born to the very cruel dairy industry where he was taken from his mom at birth, put into a…

Sun was the oldest living turkey in the history of The Gentle Barn! Because turkeys are genetically engineered to grow very big very fast so they can…

Lucy was rescued with two other cows from a very wealthy man who had many exotic animals as pets. When he sadly lost everything in the stock market…