UPDATE

Dudley's new friends "Julie and Jessie" "Donkey" - our new 20+ year old Donkey!!

One of our new roosters "Ginger and Marley" (previously "Black-ie and White-ie") - ADOPTED!!

Tootie and Pork Chop w/friend in transport trailer. Goats - "Holly and Roxi" join "Henry, Blonde and Dagwood" in the large goat pen.

We will miss our wild rat friend Templeton! She became a pet when she chose to take up residence in our bunny cage. "Rodent control" issues forced us to cage her for her safety. She stayed with us 2 years, grew old, sick and passed away. Upon cleaning her cage, we discovered a rusted hole in the floor of her cage which would allow her to come and go if she chose to...but she was always there! Amazingly she became one of the most "asked about" animals on the farm. Thank you for choosing us Templeton.

We will miss you Blue Eyes! Raised at the sanctuary, Blue Eyes and his sister (Sissy) were always together. Very gentle piney wood rooter/potbellied pig mix, they were only 2 weeks old when the arrived. Blue Eyes developed neurological problems about 2 years ago. In recent months he was having trouble competing for food and loosing his balance. He was euthanized 11/21/07. We loved him dearly.

2008 Benefit

Our annual Benefit was a triathlon this year!

Our 3rd Friends of the Farm Benefit was A Success on February 10, 2007!

Our Benefit had competition due to a busy Community Calendar however, supporters made the event a success! Our profits matched last years! We thank you!

(For news coverage, check out our MEDIA page!)

Should the Sanctuary name change?

An anonymous poll said "It should remain the same!!"

to our family members who traveled from California, South & North Florida to help and the many "true blue" volunteers and sponsors who made this event possible!

Consider yourselves hugged again!

We would especially like to recognize following businesses for their support: Peacock Nursery, Hitchcock Super Value, Labrador Rescue of Florida, One Tail at a Time Dog Rescue, Just Fur You Cat Rescue, Rick's Tire Center, Humane Society of NE Florida & Thrift Store, Indian Branch Ranch, Stained Glass Artist Lori J. Malhoit, Bryans Ace Hardware, Palm Gainesville Chevrolet, Mr. Timothy Keyser P.A., Tractor Supply, Crescent City Farm Supply, Jacksonville Boat Club & Friends, Anita's Hair Salon, Linda Jackson's Paws & Treats, Florida Power and Light Co., Artist Gracin Gurtler, Tangled Oaks Vineyard, Avon w/Cristi Adams, Wal-Mart's Super Center, Niko's Restaurant, Lee & Cates Glass Co., Big Chiefs Farm Supply, Putnam Feed & Farm Supply, Staples, Corky Bells Seafood Restaurant, East Palatka Liquor Store, Mike McDaniel-Alchemy Sound & Video, Palatka Daily News, Pepsi Bottling Co., Shelton Veterinary Clinic (Interlachen), Animal Medical Clinic, Style America, Kathy's Pet Resort, Beef O' Brady's Sports Bar, Linda Myers-Dunkin Doughnuts, Wild Birds Unlimited, Artist-Beatrice Terrell, Gifts of Avalon

We received a surprise donation (below) from our new friends at the Jacksonville Boat Club in loving memory of Roxi (below)!

Club owners Chris and Ryan Walker also adopted 2 puppies from us in memory of Roxi - Cee Cee and Dee Dee have wonderful new parents!!

Thank you to all who help us help the animals!

We're growing!!

9 new pens storage shed Hospital Pen Chicken Retreat

Large Pig house Small Pig House Cart Storage Bldg. Dog Litter Pen

3 Large Custom Built Goat Playground Items: (Picture not available) Donated by Kathie Kelley from Kathie's Pet Resort, these playground items also came with a goat house and large feeding station! The heat and rain has halted any efforts to fence and arrange this new goat area but, when time and weather permits, we will have a goat area to die for!

5 Wooden Frames for Goat/Pig Barn: (Picture not available) Donated by Michelle and Filipe Novacco of Labrador Retriever Rescue of Florida, these structures have inspired what we hope to be a wonderful long barn for our future pigs and goats. The Novacco family have also donated numerous panels which we hope to use for the roof. Once again, when weather and time permits, this promises to be an exciting project!!

9 New Pens: Behind the Spear home is a large dog play yard around an oak tree. When complete, we will have 9 individual pens (or 4 extra large pens) surrounding the play area. Each pen will have its own entrance plus small doorway leading to the central play area. We wish to thank Dave Dacosto, Big Chief Feed & Farm Supply and Dick Clark for donating materials!

Our Large Storage Shed: (10'w X 24'L)was purchased after our 2006 Benefit and has proven invaluable! We now have a large dry area to store bags of feed which is easy to access from the car. The she is also used to store donations and will be our back up for small animals if threatened by Hurricanes and large storms.

Hospital Pen: Built from donated materials, this useful area is shaped like an ice cream cone! The largest section has a high frame with heavy tarp and the remaining area has a fence wire roof. Presently this area is being used for 4 baby ducklings, 3 large chicks, an injured hen and a new quarantined rabbit.

Chicken Retreat/Playground: Is an experiment to help our hens eat, sleep, lay eggs and be "merry" without the roosters attacking them. Spring has arrived and the large number of roosters has actually put our free ranging hens lives in jeopardy! On the ground they can be jumped by numerous roosters in a row. However, perched somewhere off the ground isn't conducive to this behaviour. If it works, I think we're on to something!!

Large Pig House: The donation of many defective solar panels from the Novacco Family has inspired the construction and improvement of many structures. The panels were used to construct both pig houses shown, the chicken retreat and a cart house. This large pig house measures 10'W X 12'L X 5'T (highest point). We plan to divide it down the middle and enclose it for Hurricane Season, with heavy plywood. The base is framed with 1" X 6" wood to hold in the hay and keep water out.

Small Pig House: This structure measures 4'W X 7'L X 5'T will also be enclosed with plywood. Both Pig houses will have a front and rear entrance. Pigs love to corner each other and this design ensures an easy exit!

Cart Storage Building: Our fancy new Cart House is designed to hold 2 Golf Carts. We presently have 1 Golf Cart and hope to acquire a second one soon. They will be used for touring, hauling etc... It was important they be protected from the farm fowl and weather. The materials were donated by Dick Clark, Michelle & Filipe Novacco and Big Chief Farm Supply. The Golf Cart: (a 2001 E-Z Go) was purchased along with a second Cart (a 2003 Club Car) on ebay. We anticipate selling the newer one and almost breaking even on the "keeper cart"! We've been offered a second E-Z Go Golf Cart, by a Gainesville dealership, at their cost.

Dog Litter Pen: This picture doesn't do the pen justice! This pen is actually 2 pens attached by a hatch door. The main pen is chain link fence with a cement slab measuring 6'T X 10'W X 10'L. It has a shade cloth roof. The second pen is a dirt area with the same dimensions (but 4'T) and wire roof. The step thru hatch design allows mom dogs to escape from playful pups. The dirt area has it's own outside entrance to allow for easy cleaning. This is the 4th litter to use this area and we love it!

Welcome Roxi and Holly Goats! In May, Tony and Terri Canady helped us move Roxi and Holly to the sanctuary. Adding them to the herd has been a blessing in disguise. Our problem child "Henry Goat" has become more manageable. He and "Dagwood Goat" are in love with the new girls. Thank goodness they're neutered!!

Tootsie and her 2 Potbellied pig friends were soon to be homeless when their owner, Susan, was forced to move. We didn't have room to take them but were able to introduce Susan to Renee Horace and her family who graciously took them onto there acreage. The move was difficult but, thanks to Terri and Tony Canady, we were able to persuade the threesome into the horse trailer and (eventually) out of the trailer. Thank you to all involved with this rescue. These are 3 very lucky pigs!!

Dudley was rejected by his mom and it soon became evident why...he was somewhat blind and crippled. His owner, Debbie, bottle raised him before he came to us. Now in his own large pen, Dudley is thriving. He appears to see shadows. The 2 front legs have become very bent but, he's getting around great. A three month old female goat is planning to join Dudley very soon. She appears to have the same affliction.

2 Special hens join our flock! In March, Ann Davis from High Springs brought us two special hens! I can't remember their names but love their "out front" personalities! Raised with tender loving care by Ann, after being rescued, these two hens are confident and very friendly. They're doing great Ann!

Louise Clark fostered 9 pups and a Yellow Lab mom dog for us! It was a huge project but Louise, her family and mother saw it thru to the end! They personally adopted the mother dog, Maggie, and one puppy. All but 2 puppies found homes thru www.Petfinder.com . Louise and her mom made sure all of them were wormed, received vaccinations and were spayed/neutered prior to adoptions. U.A.F. Sanctuary paid for surgeries and medications. The Clark family provided room and board, screened adoption applicants and transported them when necessary. The remaining 2 puppies were taken by the Humane Society of NE Florida. Thank you to the Clark Family for a job well done AND Thank you to our local Humane Society!!!

Ms. Bea had 7 pups! She came to us from Animal control and we had no trouble finding all of the pups great homes using www.Petfinder.com !! However, we didn't have any calls on mom so she went to our local Humane Society of NE Florida (a no kill shelter). If any one is interested in a wonderful, energetic and healthy dog, please check with the Humane Society (#386-325-8289) for her availability.

Ducklings needed help just before Easter! One of our local feed stores asked for our help with a delivery of baby ducklings. They were covered in feces and most were in poor condition. I (Ode) washed them off and took home the 4 in worst condition. (Authorities were contacted.) You can see in the first picture - feathers are missing from the chick in front. They are all doing well now and growing fast. Thank you to all who came forward for these babies and others in the past!!

New factory chickens from NY! February 17, 2006 we received 50 hens rescued from Hurricane Katrina's devastation. (See MEDIA page for more info.) The remaining 20 hens and 1 rooster are over 2 years old. We have lost 29 hens due to their genetic predisposition. According to NY Farm Sanctuary, our survival rate is pretty good! These poor factory hens suffer from heart attacks, brittle bones and arthritis and don't normally survive 2 years (a normal chicken = 10-15 years.) In December, 2006 NY Farm Sanctuary brought us 24 new young factory chickens! They were rescued from an abandoned factory and are doing well! We are happy to have them!

Say hello to Peter (?Petrina?) We recently accepted a bunny who will soon join the others. He/she is presently in quarantine and doing great! It came to us as a "Neglected Pet" and was starving for food and attention. What a cutie!! Looks like a descendant from wild bunnies. Once domesticated, they can never be released so Peter (or Petrina) will remain a pet. It's fascinated with the chickens!

Welcome Holly & Roxi Goats! They will be sharing the pen and housing with Henry, Blondie and Dagwood goats! Adding 2 more females to the pen has calmed down Henry goat. Good deal for all of us!!!!

Puppy "Babe" stole our hearts! He was the only survivor of a litter brought to Animal Control. The mom dog was dying of starvation and this little guy was cold and dehydrated when we got him. Dr. Rose Bradley nursed him back to health. He became buddies with our 1 eyed kitten "Jack Sparrow" before being adopted by the Jordan family! The only comfort we found in saying good by to Babe (now Milo) was in knowing what a great new home he would have! Thank you Heather, Todd, Brianna, new baby, Bo and Chrissie!!

Kitten "Jack Sparrow" after one of two surgeries to try saving his eye. Now called "One Eyed Jack", he's a real character! We've decided to keep him at the sanctuary. He prides himself in tormenting our 3 legged cat "Charlie". Welcome home Jack!! [See Below!!]

"Jack Sparrow" is now referred to as "One Eyed Jack" and has grown up and settled in! The only way to describe this teenager is "a real character"!!! If there's any trouble...Jack is in the middle of it! We love him!!

Welcome Rosie Pig! Rosie is around 3 years old! She belonged to Michelle Powers, one of our past Board Members. who was forced to give her up due to a move out of state. We babysat Rosie during a Hurricane when she was just a piglet and now she's ours to keep. Welcome Rosie! Note: This makes 2 pot bellied pigs named Rosie and 1 bull dog!

The little brown hen in the corner is sitting on 6 little chicks!! This Bantam hen was wandering in a residential neighbourhood when she was captured and brought to us. She's everywhere! Somehow she managed to hide a clutch of eggs and one day ... there she was with 8 chicks in our "factory chickens" pen! They're so small they can easily squeeze thru small areas and the chicks are thriving. Good for her! She pulled a fast one on us!

The Cruelty has to stop!!

Remember "Bull dog JP"?

JP Before JP After

Well, now we have Rosie the Bull dog!

We don't have Rosie's "Before" pictures since we received her, from another County, almost 1 month after being rescued. According to the vet who initially cared for her, she resembled JP (above) and weighed about 38 pounds. Rosie had been tied to a tree with an 18" rope - in the standing position. She couldn't lay down, had no food and water was just out of her reach. Her skin was covered in sores, she was missing fur and there were slices on her face. Her teeth were damaged and ears had been cut off with scissors. Rosie had infections in her ears, mouth and mammary glands. After being rescued, her stool was mostly sticks, rocks and dirt. She is now 30 pounds heavier (68 pounds) and a great dog! After attempting to find her the perfect home, the *Spear Family adopted her! WELCOME HOME ROSIE!!

Rosie Dog After Welcome Home!

* Note: The Spear Family runs the Useless Animal Farm Sanctuary Inc.

Templeton Rat is a real curiosity! Visitors usually ask about her! One day, while getting ready to feed the rabbits and guinea pigs, there was a 3rd body in one of the cages...sitting up...waiting for food!! After a year, she now reaches for the apple, or carrot, from your hand.

It seems that "Templeton" has had a boyfriend and now the "rat population" is out of control! We've had to capture her and trap her offspring. She now resides in a deluxe rat condo! Our future plans include releasing 5 cats (daytime only) which are presently residing in our cattery. Templeton will remain safe, fat and sassy!

Our rabbits & guinea pigs are doing great! A few years ago we read about this combination on line and it has usually been successful. They get along great and "No Babies!" Two rabbits chose not to have room mates. So, we have a female guinea pig cage and a male guinea pig cage on reserve.

Our Peacocks are growing up!!

PARVO... 7 puppies had guardian angels! Two weeks after receiving a litter of 8 puppies with mange, 1 pup became sick. Within 24 hours he was dead. He tested positive for Parvo (a deadly & contagious puppy disease)! We had 2 options: euthanize the other 7 pups or get prepared for them to contract the disease. Note: Vet treatment can cost hundreds per puppy to treat and the disease is painful!!

We decided to fight it!! On the internet we located and ordered a natural treatment aid "Parvoguard". In the meantime, twice a day the pups received plain yogurt on their puppy food and Nutri-Cal vitamins. We continued to treat them for mange with Ivomec. A few days later a second puppy fell ill with the same symptoms! We isolated the pup and used "Parvoguard" (which is designed to calm the symptoms.) After 2 doses the improvement was so dramatic we placed the it back with the litter.

We waited but, didn't have a re-occurrence!!! The incubation period for Parvo is 5 to 14 days. Four weeks later, they received their 2nd vaccination. Our miracle puppies were adopted out thru the Humane Society of NE Florida!!

Our 2 horse trailer, donated by Ce Ce Bennett, has been, literally, a life saver! Since receiving it over a year ago, we have transported goats, horses and pigs.

Elmo, Eohre and Cosmo hit the jackpot! Michelle and Filipe Novacco, officers for "Labrador Retriever Rescue of Florida" opened their hearts to these three pygmy goats and many lucky chickens! They now live in Little Switzerland (near Jacksonville) and receive everything they could wish for. Plus, we've made some new friends too!

Our pygmy goat "Annie" passed away from cancer in 2006. She and pygmy goat - Cosmo were retired from the Gator Land Petting Zoo. Cosmo missed his long time friend but is now in a wonderful new home. Cosmo is going on 10 years old.

Pygmy goat - Annie also passed away recently! She was Wendy and Tinkerbell's mom. We never knew her age but suspected she was at least 12 years old. Ernie, Wendy and Tink will miss Annie...so will we.

Tasha died from complications caused by CL! She came to us from Animal Control a few years ago with mastitis (picture on ABOUT US page) which resulted in a mastectomy. In 2006, she was diagnosed with Caseous Lymphadenitis (CL) which causes cysts. Highly contagious to other goats when they drain, we isolated her and tried an experimental treatment. We suspect the condition was internal as well. Thank you to Dr. Laraway at Interlachen Vet Clinic for all his efforts!

Blind deformed Dudley goat is thriving! We met Dudley in January, 2006 when he was just a few weeks old. His mom rejected him so the owner, Debbie, bottle fed him another month before he joined the sanctuary. He sees shadows and his legs are grossely bowed. Other goats are aggressive towards him so, his only roommate is an old Rhode Island Red Rooster. The vet doesn't recommend anything invasive. We love our Dudley goat!!

...to those we are unable to help. We receive many calls asking for help but our resources are limited! Please understand, we are a sanctuary - not a rescue. As a non-profit organization, working with a small budget and limited staff, many animals must be turned away.

Our staff consists of one full time and one part time volunteer. We make referrals, occasionally raise kittens and puppies and maintain over 200 farm animals. Kittens and Puppies are adopted out thru www.petfinder.com or fostered for other adoption agencys.

Important: Animals have been dropped over our fence which can be disastrous! They are in danger of being injured or killed by our very protective resident dogs!