My friend Janice alerted me to this website, The Gentle Barn and I just had to share with you.– an inspiring place!! They were recently featured on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
The Gentle Barn Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was founded in 1999 as a safe haven and place of recovery for abused farm animals and children. We are home to over 120 rescued animals and we are host to at-risk, inner-city and special needs kids.
Our unique treatment philosophy rehabilitates animals and connects their stories of survival and healing to the personal experiences of at-risk and special needs children who have suffered physical, mental or emotional trauma.
Through the interaction with our animals, the children learn forgiveness, courage, strength, leadership skills, trust, empathy and kindness. The healing that takes place is truly miraculous!
They also feature these two quotes below which really spoke to my heart, so wanted you to enjoy them as well. I don't know if there is truly a movement to the power of animals and what they can teach humans because I have been deep involved with it since all I've learned through my dogs the past two years, but it certainly feels like there is this amazing movement transpiring. I hope so as I believe our connection with animals could help our world find some peace.
I am the voice of the voiceless
Through me the dumb shall speak
Till the deaf world's ear
Be made to hear
The wrongs of the worldless weak.
And I am my brother's keeper
And I shall fight his fight
And speak the word
For beast and bird
Till the world shall set things right.
-Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919)
"The soul is the same in all living creatures,
although the body of each is different."
–Hippocrates