This Litchfield couple created a refuge for neglected animals in need of a home

“What we do here is show compassion to the animals we take in, and try to inspire compassionate living,” says Oscar. The couple (together with Oscar’s sister, operations supervisor Britt Janssen) provides refuge to animals that, for a litany of causes, not serve a function in the agribusiness trade — like Belle, the cow who fell sick and was deemed not succesful of breeding; or Rusty, a rooster who escaped a reside market; or Victor, one other rooster escapee who lived fortunately in a apartment group till he ticked off the neighbors by crowing an excessive amount of.

The animals have come from breeding farms, livestock markets, even a college agriculture program. The sanctuary’s day-to-day mission is to maintain the animals that reside there well-fed, groomed and looked-after. At final depend, they housed three steers, 4 cows, 4 pigs, two hens, three roosters, two canine — and Ronnie (who was grieving his late buddy, Bernie, which is how he ended up on the home). The operation is small, however the enterprise of working it’s onerous and soiled — if immensely satisfying — work.

Make no mistake: At the guts of JP’s mission is the conviction that folks ought to cease breeding, confining and killing animals for meals. Oscar, Lynn and Britt are strictly vegan, however they know that labels might be polarizing to some. “If you eat meat or not, it’s up to you,” Oscar says. “All we hope is that we can inspire you to think about where your food comes from.” 

“We don’t try to mandate or dictate a lifestyle,” Britt says. As impassioned as they’re, they are saying it’s nice with them if the message they ship is much less stern. “We’re 100 percent behind the softer message,” she says. “We want people to be mindful, to think about being kind to animals.”

Just beneath 10 years in the past, Lynn and Oscar had been having fun with profitable careers in company aviation (he’s a pilot and she or he a flight attendant) whereas renovating a charming farmhouse in Newtown. Life was good and so they had been pleased, however they felt like they needed extra — to do extra. 

After a lot dialogue, they arrived on the concept of offering a home for farm animals in need. “We hadn’t really been around farm animals growing up,” says Lynn. “But we both had the same feeling that perhaps we could do something, that we should be doing something to help give farm animals a better life.”

Oscar had all the time been intrigued by an uncommon breed of Scottish Highland cattle, so the couple took to visiting some at a farm in jap Connecticut. They received connected and a plan received underway. They volunteered to foot the vet payments for poor Belle, and original a small refuge on their property in Newtown so they might undertake her and her calf. In brief order, they took in one other cow and her calf, and two steers, all candy creatures with thick coats and outstanding horns.

It wasn’t lengthy earlier than the land proved too cramped and the couple’s ardour too nice for the undertaking that had began percolating in the couple’s minds. Soon to comply with could be the acquisition of the Litchfield property and its ongoing enhancements.

The JP sanctuary is small by measure of many others prefer it, however it’s half of a bigger, numerous system of rescue organizations across the nation. The greatest recognized could also be Farm Sanctuary; based in 1986, it has grown from a grassroots group that relied solely on volunteers to a nationwide group with 100-plus workers members and greater than 1 million members and supporters. “We provide lifelong, individualized care for animals at locations in Watkins Glen, New York, and Los Angeles,” says Ashley Pankratz, senior supervisor of rescue and placement. 

Oscar and Lynn had been following Farm Sanctuary for a very long time earlier than they rescued their herd, and it was by means of the group’s Farm Animal Adoption Network that two congenial calves, Bruce and Evan, got here to reside with them. The two arrived from completely different however equally dire circumstances. Bruce, a Scottish Highland, was born on a beef farm, whereas Evan, a Jersey, was a dairy farm reject. They didn’t feed correctly after they had been born, and as soon as it was decided they had been failing to thrive, time began working out. The Farm Sanctuary workers took them in, nursed them again to well being and shortly after transported them as much as Litchfield, the place JP welcomed them home.

“We’re always inspired by Lynn and Oscar’s dedicated and thorough approach, and by the kindness of their communication,” Pankratz says. “We appreciate the photos and updates they share with us of animals placed with them through our program, and we’re excited to continue to work together. Collaboration between sanctuaries on rescue, placement and animal care is essential to our work,” she says.

A tour of the property is stuffed with laughter and anecdotes tinged with melancholy as tales are advised about how the animals received there — and the way they now reside collectively in concord. “Oh, they absolutely all have relationships with each other,” Britt says. “Sometimes the relationship is, ‘I like you.’ Or, ‘I don’t like you.’ Or, ‘I love you.’ Or, ‘You know what, you were annoying me the other day.’ ” 

She calls out to Tallulah, a Scottish Highland grazing in the sector past the barn, and the large cow lifts her head, starting a gradual stroll towards Britt, who recollects the day Tallulah arrived from the Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen. “She had not been handled at all. They fed and cared for her but she was a little bit wild and afraid of people,” she says. “When she got out of the trailer, she just strutted into the barn and went directly to her room.”

Tallulah simply stared at them in silence for the following three weeks — or at the very least they assume she was staring, as a result of she’d by no means been brushed and had dreadlocks hanging over her eyes. “One day we noticed she had a cold. Oscar decided he’d take the opportunity to brush her — and she let him,” Britt says. “He just kept going. She just stood there. He broke her in. A while later I was cleaning another room and I hear a really low moo. I said, ‘Tallulah? Is that you?’ I turned and looked at her and she looked at me and she mooed again. Now she’s just a honey who needs to be loved.” 

Belle, one of the unique Highland cattle, seems to be up. She’s the boss, Lynn says, however it took a little time for the newcomers — Copper and Allie had been nibbling close by — to study that when Belle comes over to eat, they’ve to maneuver over. “It’s not that she’s mean. Not at all. She’s just saying, “Hey, I’m here.’ ”

The tour continues down to go to the pigs, 4 of them — Mozza, DJ, Beanie Tofu and Dolphin — all seemingly content material, even on a day getting hotter by the minute. Oscar picks up a backyard hose and commences cooling them off. They roll in the mud, however wait patiently for treats as Oscar brings out a bag of peanuts. The pigs routinely get stomach rubs and have lotion utilized to their ft as a result of they’re liable to calluses, Lynn says. She explains that as a result of pigs are being genetically modified to provide lighter meat, they need sunscreen on them on a regular basis. And they eat effectively. “I cook for them and Britt cooks for them,” Lynn says. “We cook veggies, food that’s good for them.” Adds Oscar, “Sometimes I come in from working and see something cooking on the stove and I have to ask … ‘Is this for us?’ ” 

The brood is tended to twice a day — for 4 hours in the morning and 4 in the afternoon. At 10 p.m. all of them get a late-night wellness test. “It’s supposed to be to replenish water and pick up poop,” Britt says. “But sometimes we’ll all go out there, and we’ve been known to hang out and play with them. Everyone is equal, if one gets a treat or a hug, they all do. There’s no favoritism.” In the identical approach, all three caregivers share the majority of the workload — from feeding and watering to cleansing out stalls and administering drugs.

“We’re always talking about what comes next,” Lynn says. “We’re getting older and we want to keep this going.” Oscar provides: “The plan is for this place to always be here, so the animals will always have a place to go.” They say they should mood progress with practicality. “There are a lot of people out there with big hearts and they make the mistake of overdoing it. They mean well, but rescue too many animals,” he says. “It breaks our hearts but we decline animals all the time. These guys are treated so well. If the standard goes down, then it defeats our purpose.”

Britt says the toughest factor is getting assist: “We have volunteers and one steady person, but need two more. It requires commitment and stamina; we’ve never been in better shape,” she laughs. “We need people to work four-hour shifts, but just one a day, and they need to live within, say, 30 minutes. It can be hard in winter. Every sanctuary we work with, that’s the ongoing crisis, getting steady help.” 

They finance most of the day by day operations themselves; as a 501(c)(3) group, they settle for tax-deductible donations, and maintain fundraising occasions all year long. Visitors are welcome by appointment; data is posted on their web site and on social media. They’re additionally intent on rising the academic element of the group (Lynn and Britt held digital courses for college teams throughout the pandemic).

Animal rights activists say sanctuaries like JP’s play a key function in the motion nationwide, however does it ever really feel like they’re not doing sufficient? Oscar thinks for a minute: “We consider these guys ambassadors for what we’re trying to do,” he says. “We do it day-after-day, three hundred and sixty five days a yr, whether or not it’s scorching or it’s chilly. If I ever need motivation on a 2-degree day, I simply assume of how a lot they need us. 

“It’s like I have this metronome in my head … with every tick of the meter, I know there’s an animal being taken to slaughter,” he says. “So, in our own way, I feel if we take care of these guys, we’ve contributed some semblance of relief, in the big picture.”

MEET THE HERD

Belle, a Scottish Highland cow, was the primary animal adopted (along with her calf) and the rationale JP was based. They name her “the alerter.”

Rusty, a Rhode Island Red rooster, escaped from a reside market, and now loves tractor rides and mingling with the cows and pigs.

Ronnie is a heritage turkey who was adopted by means of the nationwide Farm Sanctuary’s adoption community. 

Ethan is a Scottish Highland steer who was rescued from the identical meat-breeding farm as Belle. They name him a “gentle giant.”

Tallulah is a Scottish Highland cow who was neglected and had her calf taken from her. She was very apprehensive at first, however is now trusting and likes to be brushed.

Beanie Tofu and Dolphin, “the pink girls,” are 5-year-old Yorkshire Cross pigs rescued from a school agriculture program.

DJ is a Yorkshire Cross pig rescued from a school agriculture program. He loves mud baths and exploring in the forest.

Bruce (a Scottish Highland/Angus steer) and Evan (a “deer-like” Jersey cross steer) are greatest buds. They had been named for the title characters in the flicks Bruce Almighty and Evan Almighty.

Copper is a cross between a Holstein and Jersey cow and was unable to breed after giving beginning solely as soon as. 

Allie, a Holstein cow, was rescued from a dairy farm when her milk manufacturing slowed. She’s greatest associates with Copper.

To study extra about Belle, Tallulah, Rusty and associates, go to jpfarmanimalsanctuary.org and comply with them on Facebook at fb.com/jpfarmsanctuary and Instagram at @jpfarmanimalsanctuary.

To study extra in regards to the wider sanctuary motion, go to farmsanctuary.org.

Maria LaPiana is a freelance author who has labored as an editor and workers author at a number of publications, together with Connecticut Magazine. She lives in Southbury.