The Gentle Barn

The Gentle Barn Teaching kindness and compassion
🐄🐖🐑🦃🐐🐓🫏

06/22/2026

Truth was once a baby cow facing an uncertain future. Today, she enjoys her days safe, loved, and right beside her mom, Audrey, at The Gentle Barn TN.

Their stories remind us how every animal deserves a chance to live a happy life 💚

06/21/2026

Some dads teach us through words. Others teach us through their actions 💚

Merlin shows his love by staying close to his family, looking out for them, and cherishing every moment they spend together.

Today we celebrate all fathers and father figures. The ones who choose to love, protect, and be there when it matters most.

Happy , Merlin 🐐💚

06/20/2026

We have some very sad news to share. Our beloved and sweet girl Rosie has passed away.

Rosie joined our family after surviving incredible odds. Born on a pig farm and raised for slaughter, she was swept away during a flood as a baby. A compassionate family found and cared for her, but as she grew larger, they were unable to keep her. Facing the possibility of being sent to slaughter, Rosie was welcomed to The Gentle Barn, where she would spend the rest of her life surrounded by love and safety.

Rosie embraced every moment of the life she fought so hard to keep. She formed deep connections with her piggy family, enjoyed hugs and cuddles from guests, and helped countless people see pigs for who they truly are: intelligent, emotional, and deeply loving individuals. She had a kind and calming spirit, with a way of getting people to slow down, take a breath, and simply be present with her.

Like many pigs genetically engineered to grow very big very fast, Rosie faced mobility challenges as she aged. Our team was dedicated to keeping her comfortable and happy through specialized treatments, expert veterinary care, and lots of love. But recently, Rosie reached a point where her body could no longer support her. When it became clear that her quality of life was declining and she was ready to rest, we made the difficult decision to help her pass peacefully, surrounded by love.

We are so grateful for the nearly ten years we were able to share with Rosie. Thank you for knowing and loving Rosie with us. She will forever hold a special place in our hearts ❤️‍🩹

06/17/2026

After Ruby lost her husband Thor, her love continued to grow. Not just for one of our animals, but for 5. She took on the role of a mother figure for all of our donkeys. She cares for them, eats with them, and spends every moment by their side.
Every morning, when we bring them out to the corral, Ruby waits for each one to join her. Calling out to them, until they are all together again. Our animals are constantly teaching us lessons, and this one we wanted to share with you, love has no boundaries. Love is love 💚

06/15/2026

6 years ago, David Bowie entered our lives and captured everyone's heart. Especially our chicken, Opal's. Wherever you found Opal, you found David. They shared every moment together, he was her protector. Sadly, Opal crossed Rainbow Bridge, but David's love story didn't end there.
Our hen, Zailey, had lost her partner, Nigel. With heavy hearts, we watched these two rise above their tremendous losses. They came together to comfort one another, love one another, and choose family.
It doesn't matter what species you are, we all have love in our hearts and yearn for belonging. Sometimes we are born into our families, and sometimes we choose them. We are so happy David Bowie chose us to be his forever family 💚

06/13/2026

4 years ago we rescued Han Solo and Jar Jar, they have come such a long way after nearly being sold off at a livestock auction. Many people aren’t aware of the trauma animals endure in these horrible places. Since then, we’ve made sure they know a life filled with love, safety, and compassion 💚

06/10/2026

Some friendships have the power to change the way we see the world 💚

When John Lewis arrived at The Gentle Barn as a sick and orphaned calf, our founders Ellie Laks and Jay L Weiner were determined to do everything they could to save him. Through his healing and care, the most unexpected and extraordinary friendship blossomed between Lewis and their dog, Sky. Their bond became a beautiful reminder that compassion knows no boundaries and that love can be found in the most unexpected places.

Inspired by the true story of Lewis and Sky’s friendship, Ellie's new children's book, Gentle, celebrates friendship, kindness, resilience, and the connection that unites us all.

Gentle is now available for pre-order anywhere books are sold and when you purchase from our Gentle Barn website, you’ll receive a signed copy that directly supports our sanctuary and the animals in our care.

Pre-order at the link here 📚: https://bit.ly/4mY3phO

06/08/2026

When visiting our animals in the barnyard you will notice how calm and relaxed they are. When these sweet beings first arrive at our sanctuary, some take longer than others to feel comfortable and fully trust humans again. Our wish is for all animals to feel like May in this video, completely at peace, knowing she will always be safe and deeply loved 💓

06/05/2026

When children have the opportunity to connect with animals, nature, and the world around them, something beautiful happens: their imagination and creativity begin to flourish 🌎💚

Through field trips, family visits, and meaningful interactions with our rescued animals, we hope to inspire the next generation to see animals with compassion, understand their place in our world, and develop a deeper connection to the environment we all share.

Because when children learn to care for animals, they learn to care for the planet, too. Happy 🐮🎨🌱

06/03/2026

It has been 11 years since we brought Destiny home to The Gentle Barn TN 🥹
We’re so lucky to be able to celebrate this wonderful girl and the beautiful life she has built with her chosen family.
Many of our cows come from places where families are torn apart, but when they arrive at our sanctuaries, we make sure they have a safe place to heal and form lifelong friendships 💚

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Santa Clarita, CA

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