Meet Bo-Peep, the little lost Babydoll sheep. She was found wandering out in the county and we believe she is a Babydoll breed. She is between 40-50 pounds and is sweet as can be. She loves people, especially children, and is friendly toward other animals including dogs.
We need to have her assessed by a veterinarian to see if there's anything we need to address before making her adoptable. We'll keep everyone posted!
More about Babydoll sheep:
Babydoll sheep have adorable, teddy bear-like appearance and friendly disposition. Their gentle nature and manageable size also make them perfect for families with children. These small sheep typically stand between 18 to 24 inches at the shoulder and weigh between 75 to 125 pounds, making them ideal as pets as well as for small farms and hobbyists. Their wool is highly prized and is often compared to cashmere.
Babydoll sheep require basic maintenance similar to other sheep breeds, including annual shearing, regular hoof trimming, and vaccinations. They are hardy animals, resistant to many common sheep ailments and are not prone to wander, which makes managing them relatively straightforward. Fencing is needed more to protect them from predators rather than to keep them in.
Babydoll sheep are also utilitarian, often used in vineyards and orchards where their grazing helps control weeds without damaging the trees. And they are natural lawn trimmers, too. Their manure serves as an excellent organic fertilizer, enhancing soil fertility wherever they roam. Like many animals, Babydoll sheep are sociable creatures and do best with the companionship of their kind or other livestock.
Ozzy is a 22-year-old Standardbred bay gelding who came to us via Snohomish County Animal Control. He was seized due to neglect and came to us with a body condition score of 1.5, which is essentially emaciated. So far, his foster home says he has been easy to handle and he is dealing with the re-feeding program well. And we're happy to report that he has improved to a body condition score of 4+ (with 5 being ideal).
He is gaining strength, is bright-eyed, and is interested in engaging socially. On arrival, he was unable to whinny properly but now has a beautiful, strong whinny.
His teeth are in pretty terrible shape. Now that he's gotten stronger, we'll be scheduling his dental soon.
No, your eyes aren't blurring...that's just Smudge, an 11-year old Appaloosa gelding who came to Skagit Animals in Need via a law enforcement seizure. He has recurrent uveitis and we are treating that condition, which is an inflammation of the layer of tissue that lies between the eye’s outer layer (including the cornea) and its inner layer (the retina). As a result, he has suffered some vision loss.
UPDATE 3/17/2024: Happy news for Smudge! He recently saw an equine ophthalmologist to evaluate his uveitis. Turns out that it is not the progressive, autoimmune type. And he doesn't appear to have cataracts or glaucoma. We're awaiting the results of some tests that will help us determine the best course of treatment for him.
Hazel is a Morgan cross mare, approximately 25 years old. We don't know all of the details of Hazel's prior life but we're sure it wasn't all peaches and cream. She was at a 1/9 on the body condition scale (BCS) when she was initially seized by law enforcement (1 being severely emaciated and 9 being severely obese). She had gained enough weight to reach a 2 on the BCS scale when we first met her. She has had very little handling in her life, spent her entire previous life on one property, had not been seen by a vet or a farrier in a very long time, and had never been hauled anywhere.
She has settled in quite well with us in foster care and is eating well -- which is a good thing because, as you can see from the picutres, we still have some work to do to help her reach a healthy weight AND to help increase her ease with people. It's imperative that she is able to be safely handled before we can consider her adoptable. It's going to be quite a journey for Hazel.
This cute bay roan mare has made slow but significant progress while in our care. With the help of knowledgeable trainers, we are building trust and teaching her that not all humans are scary. Though she is still cautious about humans, she is very curious.
This courageous gal continues to make progress that frankly brings tears to our eyes. In early February, with the help of some sedation (Dormosedan), she had her first pedicure. Overall, she handled it well, and we hope to be able to trim her next time without sedation.
Hazel can now be caught, haltered, and led. She can be brushed all over her body, and the old matted hair in her tail has been cut off and the rest brushed out. She still doesn't love being touched, but tolerates it once she is caught.
Once she can be handled reliably, she will be available for adoption as a companion/pasture pet.
Handsome Khalil, a gelding, is one of two Arabs who came together to SAIN on June 16, 2023. He and Shakira were both born on their prior owner's property and have lived their entire lives there. Neither had seen a vet or farrier on a very long time. We are told that 17-year old Khalil had 30 days training to get started under saddle many years ago, but nothing further.
Khalil is the thinner of the two but is now putting on weight. We've had a trainer working with both Khalil and Shakira, gettting them reacquainted with picking up their feet in preparation for their first farrier appointment in some time and -- success! -- the appointment went great. Khalil is adjusting to the new environment and is becoming more interactive.
Stay tuned for updates on the handsome Khalil.
January 2024 Update: Khalil has become much more social since coming into our care, and is currently in training for basic handling and trailer loading.
Once he has learned a few more life skills, he will be available for adoption as a companion/pasture pet.
Thor is one of two Swiss Shepherds (along with Frigg -- who is now adopted!!) who came to our rescue from the recent puppy mill seizure of more than 100 dogs here in Skagit County. Thor is a male thought to be between 1 and 2 years old. These beautiful dogs were in the worst of that terrible situation of cruelty and neglect, kept essentially in solitary confinement: an outbuilding with no windows, air conditioning or ventilation without proper food and certainly without even meager socialization or love. The woman responsible has been charged with felony animal cruelty in the first degree.
Thor has been receiving diligent care and rehabbing slowly, carefully re-entering a better world. But given his history, it's slow going. So SAIN stepped in on the heels of the work done by the Humane Society of Skagit Valley. We are providing safe, patient, loving foster homes and all the food and veterinary care these dogs need while they learn to trust humans first, and then move on to the other things dogs need to be good companions, like training. Since they have been getting proper nutrition, they have started to put on weight and were both recently neutered.
Watch the video below...You can see that Thor is really making progress in the trust department with his foster dad. Just look at his eyes. Dogs are made to connect with humans, but it can be difficult for those that have experienced such terrible cruelty and neglect. Thor and Frigg were essentially feral when they came to rescue. Great progress, pup! We have a lot of hope for Thor.
We will support Thor for as long as it takes. We anticipate he will be in rehabilitation for quite some time.
UPDATE 6/12/2023: Thor's foster dad reports that he is sweet and friendly, though still not a huge fan of being touched. He has learned to sit, stay, catch treats, and will lick your hand. He loves to run around in the play yard and hang out with his foster dad's dog, but doesn't really play with the dog. He hasn't yet been able to get a leash on him and he's still working on potty training, among other things.
UPDATE January 2024: Thor is doing well in his new foster home. He is still cautious about people, but is very curious and likes companionship. He is learning to accept the touch of a human hand and other objects, in preparation for leash training. He has shown no aggressive behavior toward humans or other dogs.
