Every day animals and children are rescued from difficult circumstances. In many cases they each need kindness and time to heal. Lisa Chelenza has more on a place where kids heal from emotional trauma with the help of rescued farm animals in this edition of Pet Pointers.
From horses and goats to chickens and pigs, the Purpose Farm in Baldwinsville, New York, has rescued a wide array of animals. But this isn’t just any animal sanctuary farm, this farm has a greater purpose, helping children who suffer with difficult circumstances. Founder Sandra Seabrook explains why her family decided to start the Purpose Farm.
“We started Purpose Farm because we wanted to connect with troubled youth in our local community, and show them that there is a different way of life. And that even though they are going through something right now, it is not the end of everything and that there is something different. They can grow up and become something,” said Sandra Seabrook, the founder of Purpose Farm.
When kids come to the purpose farm they are not just petting the animals and walking away. Sandra wants each visitor to understand how to care for the animals and that everyone can have a chance at a life with meaning.
“When they come, they do a small chore to learn to give back to the community, so that might be like cleaning water buckets or feeding the animals. Then they get to choose what animal they want to work with for the session. It might be a horse so they will pull the horse and groom it. Might be a pig, so they take it to the river, and let it go swimming. It might be playing with the goats, so there are mulitple animals on the farm they can choose from,” said Seabrook.
To learn more about the “Purpose Farm” go to www.purposefarm.org.