by Susie
It’s that magical moment. You’re at a gathering, the same old scene. You’re hanging out, maybe munching on some food, not expecting to be noticed. Then you look up, and there she is. You’ve seen her before, in passing, but something has changed. Your eyes lock across the room. You walk toward each other through the crowd. You converge. The chemistry is perfect. She’s the one. It’s love.
It’s the sheep barn at Farm Sanctuary’s New York Shelter. This is where a sheep named Chico and a goat named Dorothy (pictured above) fell for each other. We’ve seen our share of special bonds at the shelter. Steers Larry and Kevin have stood by each other for 16 years. Bing and Bessie, two geese, have been loyal companions for 24 years. Friendships thrive here. Free from fear, stress and deprivation, which can stifle an animal’s personality, our residents are able to express their natures and, well, follow their hearts.
As in human relationships, sometimes those hearts lead their owners in surprising directions. Though our sheep and goats get along fine with each other, we rarely see any particular interest between members of the two species. Dorothy and Chico weren’t rescued together, and they live in a herd of more than 100 sheep and goats. People who have not spent time caring for these animals have a hard time telling them apart, especially all the sheep. But Dorothy recognizes Chico from the other end of the barn. They seek each other out, and when they meet, they exchange adoring greetings by rubbing their heads against each other. They spend hours each day grooming, playing and snuggling together. We don’t know how it happened, but these two are obviously smitten.
This is such a beautiful story! I must be in an emotional mood because I'm struggling to hold back tears. Farm Sanctuary is AMAZING!
Posted by: deana - gwg | February 12, 2010 at 12:47 PM
They are adorable! Interspecies relationships like this make me smile.
I love pet rats and I used to have a rescue ratty named Summer (who has since passed away).
Summer had the most wonderful relationship with my dog Charlie. She would sit on his back and groom him and at other times Charlie would lie on his back and try and lick her as she ran towards his mouth and then ran away again in a game.
She would also creep up and pull his fur for fun and Charlie would just wag his tail.
Posted by: Sanctuary Girl | February 12, 2010 at 02:22 AM
This is my kind of love story for Valentine's. Thank you for this heart-warming story, and for your warm heart taking care of these souls.
Posted by: Catherine | February 11, 2010 at 08:12 PM
A-A-W-W
Posted by: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1353638318 | February 10, 2010 at 08:56 PM
I love you guys ! This is a great project.
Posted by: Cindy | February 10, 2010 at 06:08 PM
Oh, how cute. And then people say animals don't have feelings! Thanks for sharing the story!
Posted by: Terhi | February 10, 2010 at 04:26 PM
Wow, Susie. How swoony.
Hooray for animals in love :)
Posted by: Karen N Encarnacion | February 10, 2010 at 01:40 PM