Next, Laurie introduced me to \u2018Chuck,\u2019 a beautiful German Shepard dog. She explained, with a distinct hint of emotion in her voice, that \u2018Chuck\u2019 has a mega-esophagus and has to sit up when he eats. \u201cHe can only drink a concoction of blended food as a liquid because the esophagus is blocking food from being absorbed in the GI tract. When I took him to the University of Pennsylvania Veterinary Hospital, they told me it was the worst case they\u2019ve ever seen. They didn\u2019t give him long to live; maybe six months. But that was five years ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a lot of love and devotion coming across; it\u2019s so easy to see and feel. Laurie was replete with a refreshing genuineness. All of a sudden, a small black and white goat jumped onto the table top. She hugged him and in a flash the goat was munching on my yellow legal pad. It was a scene perhaps from the \u2018Sound of Music.\u2019 \u00a0(The Lonely Goatherd).<\/p>\n

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Feeding horse “Socks” with an onlooker<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n
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feeding pig and looking for Charlotte’s web nearby<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n
Laurie told me about how they feed \u2018Chuck;\u2019 in a Bailey Chair which you can even buy on Amazon. When they brought him home from the hospital, they taught him how to sit. The dog sits upright in this chair so the liquid can go straight down and get partially absorbed into the GI tract.\u00a0 \u201cChuck even knows how to hold his own bowl. The hospital bill for \u2018Chuck\u2019 was $10,000. The power of Facebook brought 20,000 followers\u2026. 100,000 people prayed for \u2018Chuck\u2019\u2026. $7000 was raised in a few weeks.\u201d She told me they don\u2019t use Go Fund Me. \u201cWe don\u2019t beg for money. We don\u2019t put sad things up\u2026. Our philosophy is live your life, be happy and give things a chance.\u201d<\/p>\n
I was in a tell me more place, totally enthralled\/awestruck with her devotion and caring. I think she could tell. \u201cI rehabbed a peacock who lived in my kitchen for three months.\u201d I asked about her dreams for the farm. \u201cI\u2019ll leave the farm to be an animal<\/u> rescue forever. I think this is the last animal rescue in New York, New Jersey and Delaware (as far as I know) We are one of the Top Ten places to go with a family in all of New Jersey.\u201d<\/p>\n
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with volunteer Jack & lonely goat<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n
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the “cat house”<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cHow did this farm all happen?\u201d \u00a0\u201cThis place took a life of its own when I came here with 30 animals. I met Dennis flying. He is the equipment guy and sees the big picture about making a difference. George is so devoted and incredibly handy with tools. We have 20 loyal volunteers and a pool of 100 more volunteers. Pete, over there, volunteers and is on oxygen\u2026. Funny, we started with 30 animals, which became 300 and now 500.\u201d<\/p>\n
Laurie explained that there is no politics on the farm. \u201cJust be kind to the animals.\u201d She talked about some dealings with the local vegans, about their complaining that she had leather seats in her car. \u201cI\u2019m a vegetarian, different from being a vegan.\u201d\u00a0 I told her about my being a flexitarian since 1975. I eat nothing with four legs, but do eat chicken, turkey and fish. I\u2019m not perfect yet. \u201cMy mission is not to change you into a vegan. Be kind to animals. She told me about a little girl who came to the farm, held a baby chick and then told her mother she\u2019ll never eat chicken again.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
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the horse is 45 years old and is loving life<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n
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Laurie & happy donkey<\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n
My mind was swimming in thoughts about writing this article and continuing to spread the word about all the goodness and caring going on here. I\u2019ve got ideas, I told Laurie and George. Next up, was the tour of the barns and stables in the Club Car (from a golf club) with George. He built many of the animal residences. I fed the pigs and looked all around for Charlotte\u2019s web. George showed me the barn with the cat houses; I took a few pictures leaving the innuendo outside. There was probably a dozen cat sleeping quarters.<\/p>\n
Later, Laurie and I took a walk past a barn and a horse grazing. The horse was 45 years old and was peacefully living out a life. This kind of sums the experience up for me. The love and caring everywhere. Earlier, I fed a white horse, \u2018Socks\u2019 some bread. When I was writing notes, I felt a warm moist sensation on my arm. It was \u2018Socks\u2019 thanking (kissing) my arm.<\/p>\n
George, Laurie and I hugged again, vowing to get together much sooner than later. There is so much here that people need to know about. I love the mantra of NJ Discover; to elevate the people and places of New Jersey. And now we\u2019ve done that to animals.\u00a0 And please help out this non-profit. Everything, anything helps. And so it goes.<\/p>\n
Website:\u00a0\u00a0 http:\/\/www.funnyfarmrescue.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n
Facebook page:\u00a0 https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FunnyFarmRescue\/<\/a><\/p>\n
DONATIONS: \u00a0can made by PayPal, or mailed to:\u00a0 Funny Farm Rescue\u00a0\u00a0 6908 Railroad Boulevard.\u00a0 Mays Landing, NJ 08330<\/p>\n
For more information, please contact: laurie@funnyfarmrescue.org<\/p>\n
MISSION: \u201cThe Funny Farm Rescue is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) charity. We are personally and professionally committed to the well-being of abused and abandoned animals. We provide food, shelter, medical care, compassion and love for the rest of their natural lives in a permanent, safe and healthy environment.\u201d<\/p>\n
ABOUT US:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Funny Farm Rescue Animal Sanctuary takes in animals from the SPCA, the Pig Placement Network, Atlantic City Police, Atlantic County Wildlife Aid, Humane Society, as well as the public. By starting a non-profit 501 (c)(3), the help from donations, we can pay for food, veterinary expenses and improve facilities, aiding in the quality of life for the animals.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Meet Laurie Zaleski, Animal Activist, Owner, Funny Farm Rescue; an Animal Sanctuary; A Most Amazing Place and One of New Jersey\u2019s Top Ten Family Places to Visit.\u00a0 By Calvin Schwartz\u00a0 Oct 17th 2017 with Laurie Zaleski & George DuBois & canine company This is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[440,441,443,442,444,445,256],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3606"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3606"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3606\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3622,"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3606\/revisions\/3622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3606"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3606"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vichywater.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3606"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}