A Few Words From Our Newest Resident

This adorable little guy is Stephen Colbert. With the help of the woman who rescued him and brought him to live at SASHA Farm, he would like to introduce himself!

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Hellloooo…..

Uh hum…. Please let me introduce myself. I am a baby pygmy goat, my name is Stephen Colbert, and I am the newest resident at SASHA Farm. I arrived at the sanctuary on September 3rd, and I’m still trying to figure out how this all has happened to me so quickly.

I was with my mother when a big gruff man came and took me. I was handled much more roughly than my mother had ever treated me. I was put in this big thing called a trailer with other goats. Some were coughing, sneezing, or so sick they could not stand. Being so small, I was thrown all over the place. I was terrified. This trailer was very, very noisy and hot. After some time on the road, I arrived at a noisy place with lots of other animals. We were all unloaded and briskly herded down a long aisle. All the animals were scared, and since they were running so fast, I was really afraid of being trampled! Once we arrived in our holding pen, I really started to miss my mom. I started to cry and cry, but my loving mother did not reply. I am guessing that it was probably 12 hours since I had seen her, and I needed to eat and drink. I am still nursing and I still even have my umbilical cord, so I really don’t know how to do much without her. Fortunately, a nice goat let me curl up to her to try and stay warm through the night. It was so dark, cold and noisy in that pen that I barely slept at all.

The next day, they brought lots more animals in. Some were so thin that I could see their bones; others had cuts so deep I could see the fat in their legs. I could hear other babies crying for their mothers, too. There was a stench in the air of sickness and disease. Some animals were dragged by my pen, not moving at all. I think they were dead.

We got shuffled out of big pen to be “weighed,” and then we were put in different pens than the other goats we had arrived with. I heard that I was not going to be sold by my weight because I am so small. Some big man with suspenders said goats are only going for five cents a pound, and I would bring more money if I were sold by the “head”.

When it came time for me to be sold, some farmer started bidding on me. He owned a goat farm in southern Michigan. I was scared to travel to another place without my mom. Pretty soon, some lady picked me up and held me tight in her arms. She said she could not stand to see me suffer anymore. Even though my mom was gone, she was going to try to give me a better life than that farmer would have. We got in the front of her truck where I fell asleep in her arms for a short while until we arrived at a place that smelled like where I had come from. I thought my mom might be here, but she wasn’t. They fed me a warm bottle, but it didn’t taste or feel like my mom did. I had some because I was so hungry and thirsty, but being so upset, I couldn’t eat much. At least here I had quiet pen so I could try to sleep. I had not rested for a long time. From my pen, I saw others who looked like me and smelled like me. I cried and cried, but none of them were my mom either. I think she might be gone forever.

During the night I heard whispers from other animals who said they had come from the same place I did. Others were mistreated by their farmers. A couple said they had escaped from a slaughter house. I didn’t ask what that meant because it sounded too scary. Every animal had a sad story, some worse than mine. Everyone assured me I would be safe and fed here, and that I would grow to like it after I got over the loss of my mom. I guess most the animals here didn’t get as lucky as me. I was told I was rescued early, and that normally animals here don’t come from the auction. Maybe it was because I am so small, and they felt sorry for me! Or maybe it was because so many of the animals around me were suffering so terribly. I heard the lady that picked me up say at least in 24 hours all the animals suffering there wouldn’t be suffering anymore. It would all be over for them, whatever that means.

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Today is my first full day at the farm. I still am not very hungry. I just want my mommy back. I keep hoping everything I was told last night by the other animals is true. I hope if any of you know where my mommy is, you will tell her I’m here at SASHA Farm and I’m okay.

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“Are you sure these guys are friendly?”

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“You are NOT my mom!”

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“Look what I can do!”

Tune in every week to watch little Stephen Colbert grow! Before we know it, he’ll be all grown up.


Published by Amanda on September 4th, 2007 | Filed under New Arrivals



4 Responses to “A Few Words From Our Newest Resident”

  1. Shannon Says:
    September 4th, 2007 at 7:50 pm

    Aww!! What a beautiful story! I look forward to meeting stephen colbert at the fall festival!!
    Thank you for giving so many animals loving safe homes!! :)

  2. Duane McPherson Says:
    September 4th, 2007 at 11:23 pm

    Stephen is just a little darling. Life is so sad for some animals so SASHA Farm is a life saver for so many animals.

  3. Angie Says:
    September 5th, 2007 at 7:45 am

    I saw him on Monday, and he’s just the cutest little guy! Awwww! Who couldn’t love a face like that!

  4. gennifer Says:
    September 5th, 2007 at 2:18 pm

    i’m even more excited to come to the farm on sunday! didn’t think that was possible!

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