 Lorrie and Labelle (who arrived at the CAPE Animal Sanctuary last week) are growing a friendship right before our very eyes. They both have an incurable viral disease that is contagious to other goats, so they live in a cozy separate enclosure that we built in 2019. It’s just the two of them right now, with lots of visits from CAPE animal caretakers, Bogart the turkey and occasionally Howard the pig. It’s brought us so much joy watching Lorrie and Labelle get to know one another and we’re so grateful that we could help!
Labelle took some time to settle in, crying when we weren’t with her. Now that she’s been introduced to Lorrie, she seems to be getting more comfortable in her new setting. They enjoy sunbathing in their separate piece of the pasture and they snuggle up and sleep close to each other at night in their stall. It’s very sweet to watch their relationship grow! Interested in sponsoring Labelle or Lorrie? Please visit www.capeanimals.org/goats
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 When a family found out that one of their goats, LaBelle, who they describe as "the sweetest thing ever!", tested positive for CAE - an incurable viral disease that is contagious to other goats - they tried separating her from the herd. But LaBelle cried all day and night wanting to be with her companions. A vet suggested culling her but they would not even consider doing that to LaBelle. They started reaching out to rescues to find a safe place for her. CAPE was contacted and we knew that she would be the perfect companion for Lorrie, a sweet goat with CAE already living at the sanctuary.
Last year we built Lorrie her own enclosure with a separated piece of pasture and she has settled in very nicely to her routine. We are thrilled that she will now have another goat companion. Although Howard the pig and Bogart the turkey may be a little disappointed as they have been excellent company to Lorrie. Labelle will be quarantined in a separate stall when she arrives, given a full health check by CAPE’s trusted vet, and then introduced to Lorrie. We’re crossing our fingers that these two sweet goats become the best of friends! We are celebrating Old Friends this week! Today we will be showcasing 16 year old Rootie with a message from CAPE’s Animal Care Director.
Rootie is a 16 year old pig, approximately 350 pounds, and was one of the first animals I met at the sanctuary when I began working as a caregiver. Rootie was the first pig I had ever met, and I wasn’t sure how he would act and I was slightly intimidated by his size. But it was obvious quite quickly that Rootie is gentle, loving, hilarious, and easy to care for. Rootie has spent nearly his whole life at the CAPE Animal Sanctuary and he is interwoven into the fabric here. There are spots all over the pastures where he has rooted up the soil or cleared it for a perfect sunbathing spot. There is a mud puddle on each side of the barnyard pasture and can I tell you that there is no greater enjoyment than watching a pig soak in his puddle. There are small rakes all over the place that Rootie loves to be used to scratch his belly and underarms with. The staff loves making two daily homemade meals for him. Rootie’s presence brings so much joy to all of us who care for him. For the past two months, Rootie’s needs have become much more intense. Several weeks ago, Rootie began to show signs of weakness in his back legs. While this is common in older pigs, there is no clear treatment or diagnosis. So, we worked around the clock caring for Rootie: providing him with medication, ensuring he was staying hydrated and fed, helping him up every few hours to walk or shift positions, and getting him comfortable in his cozy bed of straw. While he does have days where he regains some strength, he continues to need much more support than he used to. Through this new period of caring for Rootie, my relationship with him has deepened. These past few weeks, we have shared many powerful moments where Roo’s emotional intelligence has been very clear. It started with him sitting up when I came into his stall, then he started resting his head in my lap while I gave him meds, his eyes looking at me with such love and trust. Recently he has started gently pushing his snout onto my cheek, like he’s doing in the video. Rootie may not use words like we do, but I understand what he is telling me. In this video, I say to Rootie that he is the sweetest pig that ever lived. But the truth is that he is a representative of all pigs and their ability to communicate and have emotional connections. Rootie is a daily reminder that pigs (just like dogs and horses and chickens and goats and all animals) have an ability to process their circumstances and they clearly appear to experience joy, gratitude, pain and fear. It is up to us to make choices to ensure that all beings, human and non-human, have the path to a peaceful life free from suffering. I want to thank you for your continued support of CAPE’s various rescue programs. Animals like Rootie are getting the best of care and it is such an honor to care for them all. If you would like to know more about Rootie, please go HERE! 
We are celebrating Old Friends this week! Here is 23 year old Papa Antonio’s story.
Papa Antonio was once wild, living on public land in Nevada for 21 years until he was rounded up by the Bureau of Land Management. He then was transferred to a holding pen in a Nevada prison where he stayed for months. CAPE, in partnership with American Wild Horse Campaign, rescued Papa almost one year ago to the day and brought him to the CAPE Animal Sanctuary. He was very scared. He did not want anyone to touch him, especially on his face and ears. With time, love, patience, and the help of our trusted vet and farrier, Papa has been able to settle into his new life. He’s the smallest in the rescued herd, but has gained respect and formed relationships with his new family of burros. He now walks right up to CAPE’s animal caretakers for scratches and he loves to have his face gently rubbed. Papa Antonio’s transformation has been heartwarming to witness. We are so thankful we could provide him a safe and loving home to live out his life in peace. In celebration of Papa Antonio’s one year anniversary of being rescued, we will be sharing videos throughout the day. |
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