BB’s Animal Rescue & Nature Sanctuary

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Bushnell, FL
BB’s Animal Rescue & Nature Sanctuary

(B.A.R.N.S.) is a 501c3 nonprofit exotic and farm animal rescue dedicated to loving the unloved.

06/05/2026

We are heartbroken to share the sudden and unexpected loss of our beloved livestock guardian dog, Willow. 💔

We found Willow on Tuesday laying in one of her favorite spots under an oak tree, overseeing the front barn area. She appeared to be sleeping and we were devastated to find out she had passed away sometime overnight or possibly in the early morning. Willow had a normal evening prior and did not show any sign of distress or being unwell. She was likely only about 6 years old.

We have taken her body to the Animal Diagnostic State Health Lab for a necropsy so we can get some answers on what happened. As of right now we only have the preliminary report with the gross findings that seem to point to something cardiac being the possible cause of death.

Willow stole many hearts and was loved by everyone that crossed her path. She was a gentle giant at about 90 lbs, made of pure love. She was never anything but kind, patient, and gentle with all the animals here at the sanctuary. She was the only dog that we noted could seemingly get along with our VERY dog selective dogs that had lots of trouble making canine friends.

We are all mourning her loss and still in disbelief. We have close to 140 animals in our care but Willow somehow seemed to be the main character of many days. She was terrified of storms and needed rescuing from the scary thunder quite often. She loved to dig holes (as most livestock guardian dogs do) that we would sometimes fall into when we didnt realize she’d been working hard digging halfway to China.

She came to us in late 2023 from Wild Horse Rescue Center along with her mama (who crossed the rainbow bridge in later 2024 after a battle with renal disease). Willow and her mama both took a little while to adjust but when they did, they were right at home. We are so grateful for the time we had with both of them. 🩷

We will miss you beyond words, Willow. We know that Mama and your other friends that have passed away here at BARNS, are waiting for you on the other side of the rainbow bridge. 🌈💕

05/24/2026

Miss Petunia 🌸 FINALLY got her first heartworm injection this past week! She is doing great so far after the treatment. 👍🏽

This sweet girl was diagnosed as very Heartworm positive when she first came into our care back in August 2025. When we found her, she was running stray in the road, no ID/tags/microchip, infested with fleas, about 20 lbs underweight, missing patches of hair, and as dirty as can be. Since she was a stray and under the care of our local animal services, we had to wait until they had availability to start her treatment and unfortunately, we waited for over half a year but they were not able to follow through. So we now have her officially in OUR care and got started on treatment through our vet right away 🎉

Her medications alone will total around $305 during this process and each of her 3 heartworm injections will cost about $220. Our total is looking to be close to $965 😮 Petunia is on the road to recovery now and she is such a sweet happy little soul that loves every day with all her heart. ❤️ She is available for foster at this time and will be ready for full adoption after her treatment is complete!

As always, any likes, comments/engagement, shares, or donations are immensely appreciated 🙏🏽

💰Zelle to [email protected]

💵Cash app to $BARNSnonprofit

📲Venmo to

✅Mail a check to P.O. Box 193, Bushnell, FL, 33513

And you can always donate via PayPal at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3LQL8DUGE7FNA&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

05/17/2026

Wilbur’s 🐷 favorite way to drink water from the trough is with the hose on full blast and the trough overflowing with cool water straight from the well 🚰

With most days now in the low 90’s, who can blame him?! ☀️

05/05/2026

We recently updated our Amazon Wish List to add some new items that are much needed right now (dry cat food, wet dog food, fly spray for the barn animals, etc.) and we also have still listed items that are ALWAYS needed (detergent sheets, baby wipes, disinfectant wipes, paper towels, etc.) 🙏🏽

Thank you so much to those that have bought items for us from it before, we appreciate it beyond words 🩷

https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/1MFF5AYCUBHFK?ref_=cm_sw_r_mwn_ggr-subnav-share_JA4FVXCZJZ5ZJ22B7E71&language=en-US

✨ Buford (still available for foster or adoption!) picture included for attention because he is so handsome ✨

04/24/2026

Olive the Gulf Coast box turtle 🐢 versus a ripe mulberry!

Berries and other fruits make up only about 10-20% of her diet, so berries are a special treat for Ms. Olive. While mulberries may look similar to blackberries, they are different plants entirely. Mulberries grow on trees and are higher in Vitamin C and Iron than blackberries, which grow on low, thorny bushes.

Olive came into our care back in 2018, when she was nearly hit by a lawnmower at a public park in Baltimore County, Maryland… which clearly is not the gulf coast region. We believe she was likely a released pet. While there are similar looking Eastern Box turtles in that region of the US, they are a different subspecies than Olive.

She is very friendly and does not pull into her shell to hide like wild box turtles do. Our veterinarian stated it is likely she was wild caught at some point and kept in captivity long enough to lose her fear of people. This loss of fear in combination with no possibility of finding her native region made it unlikely that she could ever be released to the wild again. Wild Gulf Coast box turtles live within the same few acres their entire life (which can be over 100 years!) and so once removed, it is essential they return to their exact home location for their best chance at survival.

We may never know exactly where Olive came from or how she ended up in Maryland, but we are so glad she is here with us in Florida, as a beloved animal ambassador. ☀️

04/23/2026

Our rescued donkeys, Asim and Lotfi, love their farrier, Abbie with EquiSense Central Florida LLC- Barefoot Trimmer/Massage & Bodywork 🩷 She keeps them on a regular schedule of hoof maintenance every 6 weeks 🫏

Donkeys, and most equines, require regular hoof maintenance. This is essential for their comfort, health, and happiness. We adore our donkeys here and encourage people to meet them and see how affectionate, curious, and intelligent they are. Unfortunately, donkeys are an often abused animal due to their stoic nature, incredible strength, endurance and resilience.

Their care requires dedication and patience. The average life expectancy can be well into their 30s but with proper care, 40s or 50s even!

As always, your support is much appreciated and certainly needed 🙏🏽🩷 If not able to donate, liking/sharing/ or commenting on our posts are great ways to support as well💕

💰Zelle to [email protected]

💵Cash app to $BARNSnonprofit

📲Venmo to

✅Mail a check to P.O. Box 193, Bushnell, FL, 33513

And you can always donate via PayPal at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3LQL8DUGE7FNA&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

04/15/2026

Rudy 🐷 the pig is one of our senior residents who requires daily medication to manage chronic conditions. He is so sweet and gentle and always looking for attention and affection 💕

We have found that FIG NEWTONS work amazing as pill pockets for his medications, and for our other residents on medications as well. Fig newtons are ALWAYS on our wishlist. If local to the Bushnell/sumter county area please message us if able to donate any fig newtons! They are available at almost all grocery stores.

You can support BARNS in many other ways as well, please like, comment, and share our content!

✅Mail a check to P.O. Box 193, Bushnell, FL, 33513

💰Zelle to [email protected]

💵Cash app to $BARNSnonprofit

📲Venmo to

And you can always donate via PayPal at https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3LQL8DUGE7FNA&mibextid=Zxz2cZ

04/06/2026

🐰Happy Easter 🐣from Letty 🌸🩷 Our little miracle goat is doing great and recently had her leg cast removed! Letty 🌸 came to us almost two months ago with a bad break in her leg and was to be put down by her previous owners. Now with her second chance at life here at BARNS, she is absolutely THRIVING. She spends her days nibbling on grass, frolicking, and following you wherever you go.

Her leg is healing well and while she cannot bend it, it’s looking like amputation will not be needed. She is young and has her whole life ahead of her and we are so grateful to have her here at the sanctuary 🩷

How to support our work:

💰Zelle to [email protected]

💵Cash app to $BARNSnonprofit

📲Venmo to

✅Mail a check to P.O. Box 193, Bushnell, FL, 33513

Website: BARNSFL.org

Thank you for being part of our rescue family!🙏🏽

03/28/2026

While we were taking a break for a few minutes today and waiting for a water trough to fill up, 🐷 Harold Stargazer 💫 decided to use that opportunity to remind us that he would love some scratches and love 💕

Harold came to us in December 2023 as an approximately 4 month old piglet. He had been on the loose in The Villages for several days as a stray pig and was only caught once he was accidentally hit by a car which shattered his hip and leg. He has since made a full recovery and continues to be loving, affectionate, and so full of life 🩷

Frodo laid nearby, relaxed as well. Miss Hillary on the other side of the fence probably wanting some love too but still to shy to join in on the cuddle puddle 🤣

03/20/2026

Stanley 🐐 doing what he does best, loving life 🩷 and gobbling wild greens 🥬

Stanley came to us back in December 2025, along with 22 other animals, from an awful cruelty case near Tampa, Florida that animal services and the sherrifs department had been working on for 4 years. We will never forget the horrors we witnessed that day but more importantly, we will always remember how grateful we are that so many lives were saved. There were over 100 animals in need of rescue and they were all given a second chance thanks to several other rescues ( rock, ladybug_farm_sanctuary, and with the amazing davison and Chris Leinfelder).

We adore Stanley and he has become a favorite with his outgoing personality and affectionate nature. 💕

Address

Bushnell, FL
33513

Website

http://www.barnsfl.org/, https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=3LQL8DUGE7FNA

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