In early January 2022, Woodstock Sanctuary was asked to help another local sanctuary with a case of neglect nearby. The owners of the property had goats and sheep but were only feeding them once a week as they lived in New York City. The owners were trying to sell the house and wanted the animals gone. It was a time-sensitive situation—the owners were planning to send all the animals to slaughter if the sanctuaries couldn’t provide placement. Sadly, some were sent to slaughter before help could step in. We worked quickly with two other sanctuaries to help save all the lives we could.

When we arrived to help, all the sheep’s wool was very matted and knotted. Their water bowls were dirty, their food bowls too. There was barely any shelter to protect from the harsh winter temperatures. These poor animals were forgotten about and viewed as trash by the owners. Thankfully, all the remaining animals were placed in sanctuaries, and Nora was the last sheep who needed a home. We had intended only to help with medical triage and transportation with this rescue, but we knew we couldn’t say no to her. We took her home to Woodstock right away. Despite it being winter, we gave her a haircut because her wool was so matted and heavy alongside the immediate care she needed to overcome this neglect.