If you love cats, we’d love to have your help! Our dedicated cat lovers provide lots of TLC, pampering, cleaning and feeding one day per week. Cuddles and purrs are always available. Shifts begin in the morning and last 3 hours. Please contact Lynn at lynxdonell@aol.com to apply.
The cats are looking forward to meeting you!
Debbie, SASHA’s smallest and shyest mule, and Rosie, the smallest of SASHA’s donkeys, joined the SASHA Family in July of 2018. In their earlier lives they lived with a large group of horses and donkeys, receiving poor care and little human attention. Eventually both equines were rescued from their original situation by a loving, compassionate couple in Michigan and they all lived happily on a small Michigan farm. The couple surrendered Debbie and Rosie to SASHA Farm when they found they needed to relocate, no longer able to keep up with the work of their farm. They were happy to find a forever home where the two equines could be together in a safe and loving atmosphere.
As time passed, the two became more independent of each other, and have now joined different family units. Rosie the donkey has attached herself to Norman, our Mammoth Donkey, whereas Debbie the mule spends much of her time grazing alone or tagging along with the other mules. Debbie is approximately 18-19 years old, and Rosie is about 22.
At first, Rosie was pretty timid. She had a hard time fitting in and rarely showed her humans any affection. She often seemed lonely and unsure. Nowadays, our littlest donkey has warmed up to her caretakers and can be seen following them around the horse yard, braying for attention. She wraps herself around her favorite people to show her love and appreciation, while hanging out often with her biggest best friend Norman!
Debbie is our most cautious equine. She’s still in the process of getting comfortable with any human interaction. This meek mule will hang back so she is hidden among the other equines, avoiding any attention. However, she has come a very long way. She used to run away from even the slightest eye contact and wouldn’t go near any of her caretakers. Now, she will slowly approach us for treats and seems interested in our presence. It’s a start and we couldn’t be prouder of her progress.
Rosie the donkey and Debbie the mule are perfect additions to our animal family, and we continue to celebrate each as they find their own journeys to being individuals in their own right. It’s amazing to see them blossom into their own personalities.
OLGA THE ROOSTER
Don’t let a name fool you! Olga is a “he” – also known as the friendly orange rooster. I’m sure you’ll agree when seeing his picture that he is a quite a handsome fella too! His wattles (the fleshy growths under his chin), and his combs (the fleshy growths on top of his head) are large and distinctive. (Both male and female chickens can have combs and wattles.)
He was part of several chicks purchased by a family in a nearby community. His owners thought he was a hen, hence his name, but he started crowing. Unfortunately, once it was clear he was a rooster, he was violating a local ordinance, and he did not make the neighbors very happy either. Luckily for Olga, his owners found SASHA and he joined the SASHA Family. He’s never had to worry about leaving his home again and he can crow whenever the time is right for him!
His caregivers describe him as “a very sweet rooster who loves attention. Being the only rooster in the Main Coop means he has a big job to do on a daily basis. He has to care for many hens to ensure they are safe during the day and tucked in properly at night. Olga has a good relationship with most of the birds in the Main Coop, but he has a very special bond with Marty, our little chick rescued from a hotel room a few years ago – they are most certainly best friends forever. Like most birds, he loves to dust bathe with his buddies and lies in the yard on sunny days. In the evening, he snuggles up to Jack, our female turkey. Being a rooster at SASHA is pretty awesome!”
Olga makes every day better at SASHA for hens like Marty and the rest of his flock, and for sweet turkeys like Jack. And he makes his caregivers smile every day. Life is good at SASHA!!
SIENA THE GUERNSEY COW
Siena (sometimes spelled Sienna) is the name of a village in the central part of the Tuscany region of Italy, surrounded by hilly landscape. Siena, the Guernsey mix who calls SASHA Farm her lifetime home was named by her loving and compassionate sponsors, who had visited this village and would never forget the peace and beauty of the area and people. They wanted peace and beauty to be in the future for this beautiful sentient being.
Sadly, Siena had anything BUT peace and beauty in her young life up to the point of her rescue. She was very timid when she first arrived as one of the 8 survivors of the Livingston County Dairy Farm cruelty case. But, why wouldn’t she be? After watching 70 of her animal friends die in front of her, and spending her life up to that time with little or no care, we knew that she wouldn’t trust humans for a long while.
After a couple months at the sanctuary, Sienna and her buddies started to emerge from their shells – especially as our produce volunteers fed them treats every weekend in their barn. Though she wouldn’t come up to humans on a regular basis, she often found her way to the snacks and slowly started to open up to her human caregivers.
Today, Siena is very friendly, trusting, and a leader among the main cattle herd. Her personality has blossomed and we all are so thankful – proving that a little patience and a lot of love can go a long way. Farmed animals, too, should be treated with the same love and respect shown to companion animals. We are so thankful that she is happy and thriving at SASHA. We love you, Sienna!
