The Gentle Barn inspires kindness and compassion towards animals, the planet, and each other. Their sanctuaries help heal both animals and people alike through unique programs like cow hugging, animal therapy, and providing medical support for animals. The Gentle Barn has saved thousands of animals at their locations in Santa Clarita, Nashville, and St. Louis, and has shared the love of animals with almost a million visitors. Learn more here!
What kind of programs do you offer?
The Gentle Barn is both a sanctuary for animals and humans alike, and we offer many programs to help support the community for children and adults who suffer from abuse, addiction, depression, loneliness, and physical and emotional issues. Once our animals have been rehabilitated, have chosen to forgive, have learned to trust, and have been given sanctuary with us for the rest of their lives, we partner with them to help children and adults recover from the same stories of the trauma that the animals have endured. Every animal has so much to teach us and offers something unique to benefit people in need. The Gentle Barn offers many different programs including our world-renowned Cow Hug Therapy, along with Equine (and other animal) Therapy, Peace Enhancement Program, Literacy Program, Art Programs, and a Special Needs Program that runs year-round, in addition to Summer Camp and After School Programs.
What is the inspiration behind The Gentle Barn?
We live in a concrete, violent, noisy, high tech, busy world. We have lost our connection to animals, to nature, and most of all, to ourselves. Animals are living lives of torment from beginning to end, their cries are unheard, their pain is unseen, and they are suffering. The rate of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes has never been higher. The rain forests are being destroyed, we are in a global drought, we are polluting our air, and species go extinct every day. But by having reverence for all life and by reconnecting with Mother Earth we each can change all that. At The Gentle Barn we stand up for the innocent, and we help animals and children alike remember that they matter. We open people’s hearts to connections with nature. We open people’s minds to what is happening around us. And we inspire people to be an integral part of the solution. Through the stories and interactions with our animals, we can raise future generations to have reverence for all life, protect our planet, live good, healthy, happy lives, and we will all be closer to having peace on earth!
How did The Gentle Barn get started?
Ellie Laks founded The Gentle Barn in 1999; it was a dream of hers since she was seven years old. Animals were always very healing and nurturing to her as she faced the challenges of growing up, finding herself, fitting in, feeling understood, etc. She majored in special education and psychology, and with her special love of animals and children, The Gentle Barn was a perfect way of putting all her talents and passions into one.The Gentle Barn started on a half-acre property in the middle of the San Fernando Valley, CA. In 2003, Ellie moved The Gentle Barn to a six-acre paradise in Santa Clarita, CA. The property is complete with large horse and cow pastures, a red and white barnyard for the smaller animals, an organic vegetable garden, lots of shade trees, and a panoramic view of gorgeous mountains. There are nearly 200 animals that are safe and happy at The Gentle Barn, and there is plenty of room to welcome their visitors and the children they host.
Can you tell me about your animals?
The Gentle Barn has horses, cows, donkeys, pigs, dogs, emus, llamas, birds, chickens, turkeys, goats, sheep, and more. Every animal has a unique story, and you can read about all of them on our website. The Gentle Barn is currently located in Los Angeles, California, Nashville, Tennessee, and St Louis, Missouri. It is open to the public once a week for guests to hug the cows, give the pigs tummy rubs, cuddle the turkeys, feed the horses, hold the chickens, and learn their stories of resilience. We teach visitors a wide variety of things including what animals eat, where they sleep, how they have families, why roosters crow, why pigs love mud, why goats chew, and how each species communicates through body language. Here at The Gentle Barn, kids gain an understanding of animals, see how much we all have in common, and get to expand their empathy for all living beings.
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