So many animals , so much need : shelter , food , clean water , medical care , attention and interaction , space to move around safely . Fortunately , the Ag Reserve offers up abundant space ; but everything else is a constant challenge for an array of animal sanctuaries and rehabilitation centers in Montgomery County . With public shelters and rescue organizations filled to capacity , these Ag Reserve facilities step in to take animals running out of options .
l star gazing farm
Anne Schroeder , President of Star Gazing Farm in Boyds , provides a permanent home to a wide assortment of animals that have been abused , neglected , or abandoned . Alpacas , llamas , goats , sheep , pigs , a steer or two , horses , bunnies , chickens , ducks , geese , cats , and dogs — all have found refuge with “ Farmer Anne .” A quick tour of her storage rooms , paddocks , and pens hints at the complexity of the care . Tall shelves hold a host of medicines and food supplements . A room full of large metal trash bins are labeled with an array of food types needed for each animal variety , and clever infrastructure keeps animals enclosed and safe yet allows freedom of movement among their animal community .
Star Gazing Farm was born from Anne ’ s compassion for unwanted and discarded animals , when she took in a few orphaned lambs in 2002 . Over time each animal that found its way to her was gradually integrated into a social structure . She explains that all animals build strong bonds , and uprooting an animal from its human or animal family can be a traumatic transition that needs to be carefully managed . Anne emphasizes that her farm is a last resort , after other options have been exhausted , and she spends time educating people that owning any animal should be viewed as a commitment for its entire lifetime . Star Gazing Farm receives many more requests for animal “ surrender ” than they can accept due to limited space , volunteer staff , and funds . Pigs and roosters are the animals most frequently given up , because people don ’ t realize how large a cute little piglet will become , or how loud a rooster becomes when that sweet little chick turns out to crow at high volume 24 / 7 instead of produce eggs .
To generate income beyond donations to the 501 ( c ) 3 nonprofit , Star Gazing Farm runs a “ Bunny Hotel ” for people with pet bunnies when their families go out of town , sells merchandise ( some of it made from the wool of its own sheep ), and also provides sheep shearing and health services such as hoof and teeth trimming to herds throughout the Mid-Atlantic region . Constantly faced with difficult choices , they only take animals that have special needs or can find no other permanent home . And it seems the need grows greater every day .
l lost and found donkey rescue foundation
With a collection of more than 50 furry hooved animals — fifteen donkeys , two mules , four horses , and a random collection of sheep , goats , cattle , and ponies — Lost and Found Rescue echoes with the happy sound of braying , whinnying , mooing , and ba-ba-bah-ing . With their wide , trusting eyes and ears that flap and rotate to assess the world around them , these fortunate animals have escaped from neglect or abuse . Ashley Young , DVM , tends to their every need at Ithaca Farm at the north end of Germantown . Mary and Robert Truland established Lost and Found Donkey Rescue Foundation in 1999 , generously donating their land to the effort , creating yet another place that fills a need that can only be met with the wide open spaces of the Ag Reserve .
Dr . Young explains animals end up with her because many people take on a donkey or goat , thinking it might be a cute addition to their “ farmette ,” but have no concept of these kind of animals ’ quirks , foibles , and demands . For example , she mentions with a wry smile that donkeys and goats have no respect for personal space , as a goat head butts me in my rib cage , and a donkey uses her as a scratching post . They all require regular care : hoof trimming by a farrier , and regular deworming and dental work . Many who are rescued from “ kill pens ” in other states come with painful hoof conditions or respiratory infections , and sometimes females arrive pregnant . Lost and Found is in constant need of antibiotics , worming medications , and skilled volunteers who have worked with challenging large animals . They now are home to a group of five steers that appeared in one of their paddocks close to the road in the middle of the night .
8 plenty I summer growing 2023