SPONSOR a FARM ANIMAL
Sponsoring a rescue is one of the best ways to support our ongoing work to provide a lifetime of care and love to abused and neglected farm animals.
Caring for farm animals can be expensive when you add up the costs of food, shelter, medications, supplements, enrichment, bedding and other standard supplies. This does not include shearing, hoof trimming, teeth trimming, or veterinary visit. Your monthly donations will cover all of the basic necessities that each of our amazing animals need.
Sponsors contributing $50+ each month will be invited to West Place for a private tour, photo opportunities, and a meet-and-greet with your sponsored animal. All sponsors will receive a full animal biography; photos, videos, and annual updates; and a cumulative year-end receipt for your tax-deductible donations.
Your sponsorship provides a steady stream of support and budget relief that allows West Place to continue welcoming needy animals to our sanctuary. We appreciate your help!
Pig Rescues
Jack
Diane
Jack and Diane have quite the story. Many years ago, a nearby farm had animals removed for neglect, then became a non-profit to collect donations, only to find that a concerned neighbor was worried about the care of these two pigs. The SPCA investigated and the local authorities removed the pigs. We got the call--and the warning. Since they had only been fed stale donuts, they were horribly overweight, so much so that they could barely walk and their eyes couldn't open. Even overweight, they were undernourished and under-muscled. They also suffered from hypothermia, multiple infections, and eye problems. Jack had an untreated broken tusk and Diana had unaddressed overgrown hooves. No one knew if they would actually live.
We created a nutritional program, an exercise program, and a skin conditioning program. Jack and Diane only receive fresh vegetables, fruit, and nutritional pellets, and are rubbed down with coconut oil each week to repair their cracked and bleeding skin. They have improved tremendously and though they have a ways to go, we will make sure they get there!
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As you can imagine, these programs are expensive but they are worth it. It costs $125 to sponsor either Jack or Diane. And this still does not cover hoof trimming, veterinary visits or surgeries, so we would love for you to get involved!
Pickles
Four years after saving Jack and Diane, Pickles arrived with a story that is almost identical. Forty pounds overweight, undernourished and under-muscled, suffering from emphysema, a skin infection, eye problems, arthritis, and terribly overgrown hooves, Pickles had been passed from family to family, stuck in a tiny pen, then dumped at a farm who was going to send her to slaughter.
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So we pulled out our nutritional program, exercise program and skin conditioning program. And we're going to give her the same royal treatments we give all of our pig rescues.
Bentley! This little old man arrived in the fall of 2023. He had a very stationary life and needed enhanced care in his old age. His skin needed full rejuvenation and his nails were more overgrown than we had ever seen.
But through our skin conditioning program we'll get him looking and feeling like he should. And now that Bentley has the entire sanctuary to explore, he is quite active and always on the move. You never know where you'll find Bentley!
Bentley
Goat Rescues
Sadie
Most people know about the 2016 Westport farm case (the largest case of abuse in the Northeast) where 1400 animals were discovered, many in a state of dying. Our director spent five months with the ASPCA transporting, relocating, feeding and cleaning, as well as joining their medical team. She met Sadie during daily medical rounds: Sadie had an upper respiratory infection, pneumonia, bilateral conjunctivitis, scabby mouth, and horns that were growing into her skull. We took in this amazing girl, her sister Maggie (RIP) and 65 others!
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Many animals from that case need lifelong specialized care, with additional medications, or when illnesses flare up. It costs $75 to sponsor Sadie. And this still does not cover hoof trimming, veterinary visits or surgeries, so we would love for you to get involved!
We haven't had to rescue a goat in a while but we got a call about a hoarding/neglect case on the other side of the state and we jumped in to help out.
Amber was severely underweight and under-nourished as she was not being fed regularly or properly. We had to quarantine her and test her for CAE and CL, which can be contagious and deadly to our other goats and sheep, before introducing her to the herd. Fortunately she tested negative and is now enjoying her new life.
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Amber loves people and she is gradually getting to know Sadie, the sheep, the alpacas, and her new farm family.
Amber
Goob
Goob and his sister, Forsythia, are Nigerian Dwarf goats who came to West Place in August of 2024. When their farm property was siezed through eminent domain, they were moved to a new location with the other animals. Their new home did not include housing for their human caretakers, so the goats were fed once per day but otherwise left to fend for themselves. With coyotes and other predators frequenting the property, it was time to get Goob to safety. We took the trailer expecting to come back with two goats, but a third, Daisy, was a last-minute addition.
Forsythia is one of three Nigerian Dwarf goats who came to West Place in August of 2024. When their farm property was siezed through eminent domain, they were moved to a new location with the other animals. Their new home did not include housing for their human caretakers, so the goats were fed once per day but otherwise left to fend for themselves. With coyotes and other predators frequenting the property, it was time to get Forsythia to safety. We planned to rescue Forsythia and her brother, Goob, and ended up coming back with a third goat named Daisy.
Forsythia
Daisy
As we were loading Goob and Forsythia into the trailer to bring them back to the sanctuary, we were asked if we could take one more goat. Daisy was very shy but she felt comfortable around her goat friends, so two goats suddenly became three. Daisy has warmed up to our staff and volunteers pretty quickly and stays close to her old friends as they begin making new friends at West Place.
Sheep Rescues
Shaw
Colby
As mentioned above, so many know about the 2016 Westport farm case (the largest case of abuse in the Northeast) where 1400 animals were discovered, many in a state of dying. We were called to get involved and our director spent five months with the ASPCA transporting, relocating, feeding and cleaning, as well as joining their medical team. During daily medical rounds, she met Shaw and Colby. They were lucky. They had just been born and were still nursing, so they didn't know how horrible things were. We were slated to take in a few other sheep, but after plans fell through we took in the two youngest and also the oldest (RIP Karl), to make sure that we could help them overcome their negligent care.
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It costs $75 to sponsor either Shaw or Colby.
And this still does not cover hoof trimming, veterinary visits or surgeries,
so we would love for you to get involved!
Barnaby
The East Providence Police Department was called to a residential property and while they were there, two of the officers heard a little lamb crying. They investigated and found this little guy outside in the snow and freezing temperatures, in a tiny fenced in pen, with no shelter, no water, no food, and no mother. They seized and took him to the warmth and safety of the station. The owner felt he did not have to provide anything for the lamb, as he was going to eat him for Easter. But it was illegal to have a farm animal within the city limits so the owner surrendered him. The officers asked the SPCA to help, but they are not a farm animal rescue.
As we always do, we managed to find room for him. The police named the lamb Barnaby, and what a perfect name for a little baby that needed a barn. Barnaby had not finished nursing before he was pulled from his mama so our volunteer crews were taught how to bottle feed him. He had an infection and an upper respiratory issue so we also had to put him on antibiotics. He was a brave little guy, and he pulled through a horrible start to his life
Zane
Zander
These two super cuties were the biggest surprise we've ever had! We were waiting for an appointment for Barnaby (story above) to be neutered (as all our male rescues are). Our vet had to reschedule . . . and during a brief delay it seems that Barnaby spent some time with Shaw (story above), wink, wink. We have NEVER had a live birth here at West Place as it is not what we do, but when we realized Shaw was pregnant all we could do was celebrate the chance to experience something we didn't think we would. The story of their entry into the world was not easy, but these little ones are getting spoiled. Of course we're keeping a close eye on them because their parents are both from cruelty cases.​