Before coming to Farm Sanctuary, Amy Lynn and a companion lived in a tiny enclosure that had been built with pallets and plywood around them. It had no gate; the only way in or out was to jump over the walls. There was only a small overhang of plywood sheltering Amy Lynn and her companion from the elements. There was only old hay — no straw for them. They received no-hands on care or affection, and the small pen was dirty. In fact, she had received so little care that her guardians didn’t even know her gender. If anyone approached, Amy Lynn and her friend would run to the opposite side of the pen in fear.
Photo by Sierra Sundseth
Photo by Moniek Van Geem: former Orland intern and current Watkins Glen intern
Photo by Sierra Sundseth
Photo by Dakota Gale
Beautiful Amy Lynn in her new life at Farm Sanctuary’s Northern California Shelter. (Photo by Sierra Sundseth.)
They lived on a goat dairy that was in the process of transitioning to a
sanctuary, and we were able to negotiate for their custody. Sadly, the day
before the pair was supposed to come to Farm Sanctuary, we were told that Amy Lynn’s friend had died. We were devastated that this girl died before she was ever able to experience love, care, and freedom at Farm Sanctuary.
Amy Lynn has learned that Farm Sanctuary life, with all its amenities (including plenty of soft straw) is for her! (Photo by Sierra Sundseth.)
Amy Lynn came to the sanctuary alone and scared. Upon her arrival she was immediately started on pain medication for her painful arthritis, as well as antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection. Amy Lynn was suffering from painfully long hooves, as well as a very large and infected keel sore on her chest. She’d most likely gotten the sore from years of laying on the hard ground, only exacerbated by her need to lie down almost constantly due to her painful hooves and arthritis. We have been treating this sore on Amy Lynn ever since her arrival — she has needed injectable antibiotics, topical antibiotics, and daily care and monitoring of this sore to keep it clean and under control. Unfortunately, once these sores appear they are extremely difficult to treat. They take a very long time to heal.
Amy Lynn has suffered from a persistent sore.
In addition to starting her on pain medication, we also transitioned Amy Lynn’s diet to a soft grass hay, supplemented with soaked timothy hay pellets due to her age. Her thin physique slowly began to fill in, and she finally started to move around with greater ease. Even after a year at Farm Sanctuary, she still races to her food bowl every morning, and likes to take the first bites of fresh hay that is put down daily.
While her body was slowly recovering, her emotional recovery would take much more time. It wasn’t until Amy became a part of our geriatric sheep flock — known as the “Golden Girls” — that she really started to recover. She became very close with two rescued sheep, Laverne and Shirley. Another older girl, Helen, has since joined the group, and though Laverne has since passed, Amy Lynn, Shirley, and Helen are all still very close.
Hanging out with buddy Helen.
Amy Lynn found a new confidence after finding her place with these other rescued ladies, and with this has become more and more confident around the humanimal staff members and interns at the sanctuary. She welcomes one-on-one attention, and enjoys head and back scratches. She has the softest forehead of any sheep on the farm!
The softest forehead in all the land!
Amy Lynn will likely never fully recover from the emotional toll that was taken on her. She spends very little time out into the yard that she shares with the other Golden Girls, preferring instead to stay in the barn and lay in the soft straw by the door watching the day pass from the comfort and safety of the barn — something she was deprived of for most of her life. On winter days when there is grass to munch on, she will spend a little more time outside, but quickly retreats back to her spot in the barn, almost as if she is scared that she may wake up and realize the safety and comfort she has come to know have all been a dream.
Amy Lynn watching the world go by from the comfort of her favorite spot in the barn. (Photo by Moniek Van Geem.)
Amy is definitely the lady in charge in the Golden Girl flock. She is always the first one to eat, and can be very protective of her food — likely because she went without proper nutrition for such a long time. Once finished, though, she quietly checks on her surroundings. She watches Helen and Shirley to see what they are up to, and surveys the enclosure around her with a determination that seems to say, “This is my home and I will never go back or give it up.”
Queen of the flock! (Photo by Dakota Gale.)
Amy Lynn has gone through so much in her lifetime, and we are determined that her later life at Farm Sanctuary will be a glorious and peaceful one. She is so very shy, forgiving, and unique that we are honored to have the privilege of working with her on a daily basis.
Please share Amy Lynn’s story. Together, we can encourage awareness and understanding about the rich emotional lives of sheep like her. With your support, we can continue to promote compassionate vegan living through rescue, education, and advocacy efforts. A compassionate world begins with you!
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