This was not my first time at Barn Sanctuary, but it was my first time on an official guided tour. My first visit was in 2019, where Kelly was kind enough to give us a private tour. It was an amazing afternoon spent with some of the most wonderful animals. I've visited other times to pick up and transport rescued animals (Iowa Hens) The last time I was there was during the height of COVID, so it was just a quick in-and-out visit. I didn’t get to see any of the residents besides those in the quarantine area (CJ and Johnny). This visit was my first time seeing the expansion and the new beautiful pig barn, as well as all the new residents.
Barn Sanctuary is located in Chelsea, Michigan (20 minutes from Ann Arbor) and about three hours from Columbus. It's a pretty easy drive from Columbus. These guided tours are fantastic, and I just want to give a shout-out to our tour guide, who was amazing, charismatic, and clearly passionate about what he was doing. He was fantastic. I highly recommend going to their site and booking a tour with your friends and family.
Barn Sanctuary operates like many other sanctuaries. They emphasize that there's a significant distinction between a petting zoo and a sanctuary. They explained that this is the animals' home. It's for them, not for us. They live there; it's their home and safe place. Some residents, like the goats can be petted, but they ask that if the animal is acting uncomfortable, you back off because it’s their home. Petting them is on their terms, not the guests. The guided tour ensures safety for both the animals and visitors, preventing the animals from getting stressed or overwhelmed. Being July it was definitely a hot day, so some residents were keeping cool in their barns, so we will definitely be back in the fall.
Barn Sanctuary was founded in 2016 with the rescue of the famous cow, Cora. I'm so glad I was able to meet her. She has now passed, but her legacy lives on. Because of her, all these animals have an amazing home and will always continue to have all the love and care they need. In 2020, Barn Sanctuary was featured on Animal Planet's show "Saved by the Barn." The 12-episode series highlights and documents the everyday rescue work that goes into owning and running an animal sanctuary. You can still find it on Animal Planet, so I definitely recommend giving it a watch to learn about these animals and how you can help and get involved and maybe inspire you to getting involved with sanctuary near you.
A great new addition to the Barn Sanctuary family were the hilarious and lovable potbellies.
Cora's Legacy Society
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