Welcome Mamas and Babies!

There has been a lot happening at Catskill Animal Sanctuary over the last few months! Last fall we rescued over 100 animals from Westport, MA, in the largest farmed animal abuse case in the Northeast. Among the animals who found sanctuary were four ewes. When they arrived we were assured that they had a clean bill of health and that none of them were pregnant.

We quickly learned that actually every single one of them was pregnant … but not for long. We soon welcomed five babies, doubling the number of sheep we planned to take in. While we have encountered many roadblocks along the way, we couldn’t be happier that the four mothers finally get to live their lives in peace with their babies.

Double the sheep means double the food, bedding, and medical supplies that we didn’t anticipate. Will you help care for the sheep by sponsoring them and being their best friend?

As our special thank you for becoming a sponsor, you’ll receive two consecutive nights at The Homestead for the price of one! We’ll welcome you with open arms through Memorial Day (May 29) or in the fall (starting Nov 1) through March 31. Sponsor someone today and start planning your visit!

Ferguson

Ferguson was the first of twin lambs, born on December 20 to Cleo. They were stillborn, but Dr. Ferguson was able to breathe life into one and welcomed the little baby into the world. Despite a rocky beginning, Ferguson is a happy, healthy boy. He is extremely playful and loves to play tag with anyone who visits him. He has adorable brown tips on his ears which don’t seem to be growing out anytime soon. He is learning how to use his voice from his very vocal mother, and you can often hear the two chatting off in the distance. He is kind to all beings and gets along famously with the chicken he lives with, Uno. It is impossible to walk past Ferguson without him bleating a, “Hey friend! Come on in!” Sponsor Ferguson so you can give this loving boy the frequent visits that he adores!

Cleo

Mother Cleo had a very tough birth with son Ferguson and losing his sibling, yet she pushed through and successfully delivered her baby. Despite it being a natural occurrence for a mother to neglect her baby after a painful birth, Cleo didn’t let the hours of arduous labor stop her from loving her baby. She is a very talkative gal and constantly has something to say. If you visit, there is a very good chance that you can hear her yelling out to her friends in other pastures. She has big, beautiful eyes, and an even bigger heart. Sponsor Cleo so you can visit this kind mama and chat with her!

Bertha

Bertha was also rescued from Westport, MA. A few months after she found sanctuary, a caregiver went into the sheep’s barn one morning and there lay Bertha with two babies. Out of all the Westport sheep, Bertha is by far the timidest. She is extremely protective of her babies, and we suspect this is because she has had babies taken from her in the past. Although she is wary of us, her babies are not and Bertha is learning to trust us by seeing how much we love her children. She is slowly warming up to us, especially if we have treats, so we are more than happy to provide an extra treat for her now and then. She adores her babies and is everything a good mother should be. She loves to snuggle with her girls while basking in the sun, and we couldn’t be happier that Bertha finally gets to keep her babies. Through the love she sees us give her babies, her heart is finally starting to heal. Sponsor Bertha and help her have the life she so badly deserves with her babies!

Liza and Susie

Liza and sister Susie were the second of the lambs to be born. Born to Bertha, Liza is a very kind gal who loves to play. Between the two of them, she is the more outgoing one and loves to explore wherever she goes. She is an absolute snuggle bug and if you sit with her long enough, chances are she’ll snuggle with you. But if she’s feeling energetic, she’ll jump on your back as if you’re a human jungle gym. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, she’ll even try to nibble on your clothes! She loves her mom and enjoys snuggling with her mom and sister while basking in the sun. She relaxes when you scratch her chest and goes into a euphoric trance because this girl loves affection that much. Sponsor Liza so you can have one-on-one visits with this friendly girl!

Sister Susie comes off as the shyer of the twins, but when you’re not looking, she may just jump on your back to play! She follows her sister Liza’s lead and loves to get into the mischief that her sister starts. Despite being the tinier of the two, she is already growing cute little horns! She loves to snuggle with Davey, and has even been seen stepping on sister Liza to get to him. She loves her mom very much and seems to enjoy Bertha’s protective nature over her. Susie is very loving, and like Liza will snuggle next to you if you sit with her long enough. Sponsor Susie so you can get to know this kind, loving girl.

Laverne

We initially thought Laverne was carrying triplets because of how big she was when she was pregnant, but she was just carrying one massive baby! Like Cleo, Laverne had a rough time giving birth to son Davey. Davey was breech and too big, so we rushed her to the vet where Davey was delivered. Laverne loves her son so much that sometimes she wants to be the only woman in his life. When we first introduced lambs Liza and Susie to Laverne and Davey, we could detect some jealousy from Laverne. She has since come around, but it’s still apparent that she wishes Davey were purely a mama’s boy. Laverne is the most dominant in the new herd of lambs and sheep, and she makes all the rules. Laverne is very comfortable with humans and you get bonus points with her if you give her treats. Sponsor Laverne so you can get to know this personality-packed mama!

Davey

Davey is the not-so-little baby of Laverne. He was breech and born blue from oxygen deprivation because of how long Laverne was in labor. Davey already has nubby horns and is a big, wooly boy. He is extremely interested in other species of animals and is in awe of goats, roosters, and specifically Oreo, a barn cat who strolls past Davey’s barn every day. While his mom has a harder personality, Davey is a softy and is very attached to her. He grows bigger by the day, and we can’t wait to see what a grown up Davey will look like! He follows around Susie and Liza and loves getting into mischief with them. He’s a jumpy, playful, happy boy who we are blessed to know. Sponsor Davey and get to know the largest and sweetest baby Catskill Animal Sanctuary has ever seen!

Lena

Sweet Lena was so young when she arrived that she was considered a lamb, so we were not expecting her to be pregnant. She was the last to give birth, and she finally did in early March. Lena is an absolute sweetheart and is very maternal to her baby even though she was considered to be a lamb herself just months ago. She seems to have the normal bewilderment that first-time mothers get, but she does a great job being attentive and protecting her little one. She is still warming up to us a bit, but we’re confident that she’ll soon be living her life free of her old fears. Sponsor Lena to help give her the life she deserves with her newborn! 

Seneca

Little Seneca was the last of the lambs to be born. Born to Lena on International Women’s Day, she’s named Seneca after the Seneca Falls Convention. Even though she is the smallest, she’s always leading the herd! Her herd-mates are constantly chasing after her to play, and we can tell that she loves the attention and the authority. She is quite the little athlete and can clear a hay bale with ease. Seneca is a bit braver than her mother and is constantly bouncing up to us like she’s made of springs to say hello. Sponsor Seneca so you can give this full-of-life gal a wonderful life!