Serenity Lane Animal Sanctuary

02/21/2025

The weather forecast next week includes numbers without negatives!
In the meantime, the pigs are happy napping away the winter in piles!

02/20/2025

I snow shoed out to check on the highland cows on Monday while Paul worked on the driveway. They seemed pretty indifferent to the weather (while standing out of the wind AND in the sun).
Check out the third picture, it's their water trough!! They have to kneel down to reach the water now. They will have it trampled down and easier to reach before long.
Is it spring yet?!

02/10/2025

Cash and Aurora spent some time behind the barn yesterday. The cold and unpredictable weather this winter has resulted in a lot more indoor time. With the "warm" weather yesterday, we wanted our hardier residents to get outside for as long as possible.
They explored, but only where there was a path, no trudging through the deep snow for these two!

02/03/2025

💔 Despite our best efforts, both long and short term, Llama passed away last week.

She had always been underweight and we could not get her to gain any weight even though she got extra food every day. This winter has been long with lots of cold days and nights. Without the extra fat insulation and reserves, the cold affects thinner animals more. During the cold south wind last week, the temperature in the alpaca stall got really low and Llama got too cold and couldn't recover.

This is the hardest part of running a sanctuary, losing an animal and then wondering what you could have done differently and feeling like you failed somehow.

I miss Llama. I miss her "creepy" stare when I go in the barn. I fed her warm, soaked hay cubes every day and she watched me intensely every time I went into the barn to see if I had any. I still look for her whenever I go into the barn. Maybe her stare wasn't so creepy after all.

Rest in Peace, Llama

01/27/2025

Update post vet visit:
The vet was able to fill her with warm electrolytes and could hear some gut sounds (which is better than none).
Even with the blanket and "hot water bottles" (one is an empty kitty litter container) her temperature is staying well below normal. She is still hungry and the plan is to change out the hot water bottles and feed her every couple of hours to give her energy to get her warmed up.
We will have to wait and see.

01/27/2025

This is not a post about Llama being out of the woods. I do not think she will for sure be okay (although I'm hopeful and it's hard to type with crossed fingers). I don't want to jinx her recovery in any way!!
She was down this morning and couldn't /wouldn't get up and she was out on her side by lunch and not looking great.
I just took this picture. There are feed bags and hot water bottles under that horse blanket she has covering her (all for warmth) and a bale of straw helping her stay up. She even ate some warm mushy hay cubes (she really likes them) and looks pretty alert. These are all promising signs.
We think she just got too cold. She is underweight even though she gets extra food and this long, cold winter has been a lot. These current high winds are hitting the back of the barn, making it cold and draughty.
Please send any positive vibes you have! The vet is on the way. I'll keep you posted

01/25/2025

It's this hard working guy's birthday today! I got him a new barn coat, if you've seen the old one, it was time!!
Happy birthday, Paul!

01/07/2025

Sometimes you feel like someone is watching you and it turns out to be nothing. This wasn't one of those times! 😂

01/06/2025

Here's what the hallway dwellers think about winter so far! All of our pigs are sleeping the winter away in piles after making big straw beds.
I can't say I blame them. The prediction for this winter was that it would remind us about what a Canadian winter really is and so far, right from the beginning of December, it's accurate. Is it almost spring yet?

12/25/2024

12/13/2024

Hey! Regan here! They call me special, but I'm not sure if that's the right word. I'm just being me! The other way they like to describe me is "a lot", and I can see their point. I get blamed for any squealing that happens, but can I help it if bugging my brother is so much fun?!
I was born here, my family came here 2 years ago in October, my Mom, my Gramma (I look just like her), and a whole bunch of aunts and uncles and I was already on the way.
Before my first birthday, I got really sick. You should see how skinny I got (they wouldn't let me post those pics), the doctor didn't think I was going to make it, but they didn't know just how feisty I can be! I'm still here and loving life!!

I have a favour to ask:
I'm on some medication and vitamins from when I was sick and with Christmas coming up AND it's my birthday on Sunday (I'll be 2!!), I was hoping you could sponsor me to help out with food (which I love...I also love alpaca food and try really hard to share their food, after I eat all mine...and sometimes Gramma's too) and the vitamins and medicine to keep me healthy and strong.
You just head to the website, click on Donate and sponsor, and fill out the form. Easy Peasy! The best part is that next summer when it warms up and we want to hang out outside again, you can come and hang out with me!!!
Oh, and something about a tax receipt because we're a charity... Whatever that means.
Hook me up with food and meds and I'll see you next summer!!

12/10/2024

Billy, who lives in the upper barn, misses his friends! The weather has been very...winter over the last week here and our animals have not been spending a whole lot of time outside. We've had snow, wind, melting and freezing (making it icy), more snow, and freezing rain.
We are ready for spring!!

11/30/2024

Wind and snow squalls in the forecast means that Boo got to try on his new coat!
I think he looks cute, but he really didn't want me to put it on him!

11/28/2024

Hello, I'm Josie and if you’ve been on a tour here this year, you've met me! I'm one of the official greeters at the sanctuary.

I'd love for you to sponsor me to make sure I get all the food I need this winter.

Goats come in all different shapes and sizes (no, I'm not pregnant, I just like food and I'm not good at sharing it), and I’m a pygora (pygmy angora). My horns curl around creating potential hazards for wrists, but don't let that stop you from giving me all the love. I love meeting new people because new people love paying attention to me and giving good pets and scratches.

If you sponsor me, then you can come and meet me/hang out with me next summer! It's a win-win!

To sponsor me go to
www.donorbox.org/animal-sponsorships-1

Bonus: you'll get a charity tax receipt to use at tax time!

11/27/2024

Thank you to for the load of pumpkins. Our pigs are loving them!

11/27/2024

Big thank you to Rutherford's Farm & Roadside Market for the load of pumpkins. Our pigs love them!

11/25/2024

Hi there,
My name is Aurora. If you've visited Serenity Lane Animal Sanctuary, you may not remember me, I was the donkey in the back. Cash loves attention.
Now it's my turn! For Christmas this year, I would love some sponsors (and maybe some apples too).
You may remember I was diagnosed with Cushing's disease and the extra medication really adds up on top of everything else.
Please consider helping me and my sanctuary by sponsoring me or one of my friends (they made me go first...something about coming out of my shell, a bunch of us are taking over this social media feed for a month!)
Sponsorships make great Christmas gifts, the recipient gets updates and an opportunity to come and visit me!

Follow the link to sponsor me
https://donorbox.org/aurora-sponsorships

11/21/2024

Serenity Lane is excited to announce that, after a long process, we are now officially a registered charity! This allows us to issue tax receipts to individuals and businesses. Please help us give our current and future animals the best care and happiest life possible! Through your generosity we can make this happen!
In the coming days, we will be sharing some animals needing sponsors (they make great Christmas presents) and other ways to help. Stay tuned!