Residents of Xanadu Sanctuary

Wiley

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Wiley

 

Wiley spent his first few weeks of life being tossed around and wasn’t even allowed to learn how to be a cow. He was taken away from his mama at a couple of days old, immediately sold at a livestock auction. The person who bought him didn’t’ want to fool with bottle feeding a calf so he was dumped at another farm.  Here, he lived for 2 weeks in the back of a trailer, his only interaction was with a bottle two times a day.  We heard Wiley’s story, and even though we were at capacity, we knew Beau would be a good companion for him and thought maybe they could grow up together. Wiley was suffering from a toxic burn to his skin from the tag/glue used at auction, he was severely underweight and dealt with multiple health issues his first month at Xanadu. He still has a long way to go, but we couldn’t be happier to have Wiley as a member of the Xanadu family!

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Wiley

This is Wiley, our newest resident!

Beau

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Beau

 

Beau was dumped at a slaughter auction in April 2023 at just one week old. He was left for days without food and was so weak when we brought him here, he could barely stand up. A product of the dairy industry, he was deemed worthless as a male and cast aside for a few extra $’s. Once assessed by a vet, he was declared underweight and malnourished and fighting a host of gastro issues because of the lack of nutrition. It took a couple of weeks of ICU treatment in the Xanadu residence to get him back on track. Beau has bonded quickly to Lucille and Ella Grace-it’s obvious he is looking for a mother figure, and they are the absolute best ones around! He is making friends with the other rescues, and catching up on his weight gain. He has a strong personality-knows exactly what he wants and isn’t afraid to tell you, but overall, he is a gentle boy who enjoys the company of his animal and human companions alike. He is such a little fighter that he earned the strong full name of Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside (any Auntie Mame fans out there?).  But he comes running to Beau.

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LuLu

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LuLu


LuLu is one of 3 sheep that came to Xanadu in Spring of 2021. She, along with Rosita and Raven, were being disposed of by a local farmer as they were each the runt of triplets from their 3 respective mothers. 

LuLu was the youngest of the 3 at just 4-5 days old when she was being sold at auction for a few extra $’s when she really needed 2 more months with her mom. She suffered a couple of medical setbacks in her first month here, battling pneumonia her first few days here, and then tested positive for a coccidia parasite a few weeks later.  And then pneumonia again. 

Unfortunately when newborn lambs don’t get the nourishment they desperately need from mom, the develop multiple infections that are almost impossible for them to fight.  Luckily we have amazing vets who were always there for them for each emergency.  LuLu has grown into a beautiful, yet shy sheep.  She spends her days grazing with Raven, Rosita, Peanut, and Speck, and beds down with her sheep-mates every night. She has never been one to want much human attention, but she will come up to check for treats with her friends.  We are so glad that she and her sisters are here celebrating life with us at Xanadu.

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Crimson

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Crimson


This sweet 2-3 month old kitty was rescued by a Good Samaritan after being abandoned—thrown from a car.

Luckily, her overall injuries were fairly minor save the lip avulsion from orofacial trauma common in vehicular incidents, especially when an animal is thrown from a car. Crimson was treated for her injuries and lesions from her ordeal and has officially moved in with our other kitty rescue-Clover in Xanadu’s kitty haven!

She is definitely a little spitfire! They are playing and bonding and she is eating well and being cooperative with her lip treatments. So glad we could take in this precious little soul and count her as one of the lucky ones. And many thanks to the Good Samaritan who stopped to save her!

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Ella Grace

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Ella Grace


In June 2020, we received a call about a mama horse and her 2 month old philly being dropped off at a slaughter auction. We went to attempt to rescue them from an unknown fate and keep them together. Once we arrived, we learned that  The owner of the mare and philly went through a bad break up while the mare was at another farm being bred again!  He didn’t want to deal with them so asked the farm to just get rid of them. And they ended up at a livestock kill auction as the easiet way to dispose of and get their “stud” fee back.

When we asked if they had names, we assumed at least the mare who we were told was approximately 12 yrs old would have one. But no....the farm that dropped them off said the owner never named her because they had asked as well. With all they had already been through and the poor condition they were in, that just broke our hearts a little more. We bid and bid to make sure we got them AND make sure they both stayed together to come here. With the initial vet visit, this girl’s age was estimated at 20 yrs old, not the 12 yrs we were told.  She was determined to be quite malnourished.

Since she has been at Xanadu, she has thoroughly enjoyed just being in a pasture. Her demeanor suggests she may have been stalled for quite some time.  She loves rolling in the grass, and munching on grass and hay, and LOVES her peppermint and molasses treats. She is also an exceptional mama to her baby girl Ripley, always watching out for her, and making sure she is behaving, and making sure we are too!  We wanted a name to express her beautiful personality. She waited her whole life to finally have one.  This is our Ella Grace~

Raven

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Raven

 

Raven is one of 3 sheep that came to Xanadu in Spring of 2021. They were being disposed of by a local farmer as they were each the runt of triplets from their 3 respective mothers.  Raven was about 2 weeks old when she was being sold at auction for a few extra $’s when she really needed 2 more months with her mom.

  We rescued her along with Rosita and LuLu and brought them here. After weeks of bottle feeding and vet care, Raven flourished. She is the obvious “leader” of the 3 girls, and an amazing, rare, two-toned beauty. Whoever decided black sheep were a bad thing-they don’t know Raven. She is a sweet playful lamb, growing into a gorgeous well-adjusted sheep.  She spends her days grazing with LuLu, Rosita, Peanut, and Speck, and beds down with her sheep-mates every night. We couldn’t be more grateful to have her here at Xanadu!

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Lucille

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Lucille

 

A young little girl dumped at the same slaughter auction as Bruno--but by mistake! She was set to sell off for veal until we stepped in and refused to let that happen. She was also suffering from pneumonia; and so filthy covered in animal waste head to toe from being contained in such tight quarters for so long. We didn't even realize what a beauty we had stolen from the auction until we got her home. A good bath, some antibiotics and all this fresh air have just perked her right up!

She is still standoffish with the staff but coming around a little at a time, and she eats like a horse. She likes head rubs ONLY if you sing to her first. She especially likes Kenny Rogers "You Picked a fine time to leave me Lucille". 🙂 Because they were rescued together, Lucille and Bruno are almost inseparable--they bonded quickly and do everything together. Even when we have to stall one of them for a short time for medical treatment/care, the other one lays right outside the stall-halting all daily habits until they are back together. They may be an "odd couple", but it makes perfect sense here with us!

Speck

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Speck

 

This precious little boy was only 1 week old when we rescued him. Like our other goat rescues, he too was orphaned at birth, and bottle fed just enough to keep him alive. He was suffering from a bacterial infection and respiratory infection at the time of rescue, and because his immune system was so fragile from lack of proper care, he suffered from respiratory infections on and off for several months despite residing in the best accommodations of the Indoor goat suite of the welcome center.

While it breaks our hearts to know that he and so many of our others never got a chance to even meet their mamas, and had such a cold and cruel start in this world that may affect their health the rest of their lives, we do know they will never know a day without love again. Speck is a Facebook sensation, and when he is well, he is one Jumpy Bush goat! He may be little, but he is mighty-jumping up on surfaces 3 times as higher as his older goat friends. Given enough time, he may rule the roost one day soon.

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Woody

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Woody

 

Rescued in Feb 2019 at just 2 weeks old, Woody’s mother was shipped to slaughter while still pregnant. She gave birth just hours before her slaughter and despite how much baby goats need mama, at the very least, a few days, she was sent on and he was left orphaned, thrown in a tiny cold pen and bottle fed occasionally just enough to survive to make it to the livestock auction the next week.

While the auction was so scary for him and all the other baby goats auctioned off that day, after all the yelling and bidding, he took a short nap on the ride home and woke up in a warm bed with his 3 new siblings and all the formula he can eat. He had to be treated for several weeks for a bacterial infection, but after that, he turned into the bouncing happy baby goat we always knew he could be!

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Clover

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Clover

 

Clover was an indoor cat who was put outside and abandoned by her family when they moved away. She fended for herself outside for approximately a year in a local neighborhood--avoiding the coyotes from the surrounding woods, seeking shelter in the storm drains; finding food where she could and catching the occasional good meal from the neighbors’ kindness. Lucky for her, and for us, she will never have to worry about any of those things again! Rescued in 2017, she is happy and healthy and reverted back to an indoor cat as if that entire year never happened. She enjoys afternoon naps, constantly playing with toys, and her favorite pastime-breakfast in bed on a rainy or cold day.

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Shyner

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Shyner

 

Like so many other male cows, Shyner was considered a byproduct of the dairy industry. Born at the end of 2019, at just 2 weeks old, he was sent to auction to fetch a small profit. He was born with a condition called contracted tendons in his front legs meaning that his feet bend inward when he walks making it hard to get around or grow appropriately. Life dealt him a bad hand, but we wanted to give this boy a 2nd chance at life.

Shy and withdrawn at first, Shyner was true to his name and kept to himself a good bit but enjoyed any bottle feeding time, and a few rubs then. He worked with us through all his physical therapy like a champ, working to straighten those legs out. With hard work we were able to avoid surgery, and Shyner did all we could to strengthen those muscles and tendons all on his own!

He came to enjoy the company of Lucile and Bruno, and wormed his way into the goat herd at hay time. He is growing fast into a healthy and beautiful boy, and we are so excited to get to watch him live a long and happy life here at Xanadu.

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Ripley

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Ripley

 

In June 2020, we received a call about a mama horse and her 2 month old philly being dropped off at a slaughter auction. We went to attempt to rescue them from an unknown fate and keep them together. Once we arrived, we learned that The owner of the mare and philly went through a bad break up while the mare was at another farm being bred again!  He didn’t want to deal with them so asked the farm to just get rid of them. And they ended up at a livestock kill auction as the easiest way to dispose of and get their “stud” fee back.

With all they had already been through and the poor condition they were in, we were determined to bid and bid to make sure we got them AND make sure they both stayed together to come here. With the initial vet visit, the baby’s condition was pretty good as her mama was taking good care of her despite her own lack of nutrition. But the baby was still suffering from gastro issues  that required weeks of medications and added probiotics to get her back to normal.

Since she has been at Xanadu, she has thoroughly enjoyed just running in a pasture. She likes to play with the goats, LOVES being loved on by her humans, and she puts on a show kicking up her heels.  She still nurses from mama, but is eating hay and munching on some grain as well. She is an attention hog, and we hope to give her all the attention she could ever want.  She watches out for her mama, but is getting more and more independent every day. Because she is strong little fighter, we named her Ripley!

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Archimedes

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Archimedes

 

Another resident of the Xanadu farm-while rare for us to actually see him up close, he has been out for a visit or two in the cow barn, where we were able to get this glorious shot of him.

He can be seen flying through the lower woods near the entrance to the sanctuary, and he can be heard nightly from the front porch of the Welcome center. We do not interfere with the local wildlife routine and habits (short of leaving out leftover fruit/veggies for snacks), but we do enjoy capturing their movements and enjoying all that they add to this magical place.

Mollie

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Mollie

 

Mollie was one of 2 dozen baby goats pulled from her mother on the day she was born. She was held almost 2 weeks in a filthy pen with all the other newborns while their mothers went straight to slaughter. We were able to rescue her and 3 other precious young and scared souls at the livestock auction the next week. While we were so happy to rescue these 4 souls, we grieved their loss and wish we had been allowed to save Mom too.

Mollie was a rambunctious baby goat, clumsy and funny with everything she did. She has grown into a beautiful girl, so ladylike and sweet. She enjoys her long afternoons lounging on the picnic tables and her treats of sunflower seeds and graham crackers. While there is no “mating” allowed at the sanctuary, Chevy and Woody are often seen courting her in the pasture. They do everything short of being her flowers to win her attention. And she plays it out like the lady she is! Mollie is a beautiful addition to Xanadu, and we are so grateful she gets to live out her natural life here with us.

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Stella

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Stella

 

In late 2016, Stella was dumped by her owners in the woods at the age of 4 months due to her early onset hip dysplasia, Because of her shallow hip sockets, she would have constant pain and displacement for the rest of her life. Luckily, we were able to treat this surgically with one hip and keep her healthier hip strong, treating with meds and laser therapy.

Now she enjoys running and playing and swimming like any other young lab pup! Due to ongoing treatments she will need the rest of her life, Stella is a permanent resident of Xanadu and was officially adopted by our founder.

Stella certainly earns her keep around here as our official welcome wagon! She is always wanting to visit with volunteers and visitors, welcome our new rescues, and participate in farm chores.

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Rascal

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Rascal


This little guy is not an actual rescue, but he is a resident of the Xanadu farm. He is consistently seen waiting for the nightly snacks the staff leave out of fruit/veggies/seeds for the congregation of squirrels, raccoons, turkeys, chipmunks, possums, armadillos, and deer that live here with us.

While we do not promote or allow actual human touch contact with the local wildlife, we do want them to feel just as safe and loved, and are working towards providing wildlife rehab soon for any injured wildlife in need. Rascal wants to be the program’s ambassador!

Chevy

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Chevy

 

Rescued at a Livestock Slaughter auction, Chevy has a mysterious past. He was only 2 weeks old and sick with a bacterial infection when we rescued him, and that’s really all we know about him—EXCEPT…that he is a Lovebug!

He enjoys playing with his other goat friends here at the Sanctuary, but comes running for visitors, treats, and head rubs. He is a big talker and is constantly seen saying what appears to be “What What”-which is now his unofficial Nickname.

Chevy is a typical red-head—a little temperamental, but we don’t discriminate! He and Woody rule the roost of the goat clan, and he especially enjoys his treats and roaming the pasture in search of fallen dogwood leaves. He is one handsome fellow who keeps us on our toes and brightens the pasture up with his passion and energy.

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Rosita

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Rosita

 

Rosita was rescued in Spring 2021 at the same time as LuLu and Raven.  A local farmer was getting rid of them as they were each the runt of triplets from their 3 respective mothers. 

Rosita was only about 1 week-10 days old when she was sent to auction when she really needed much more time with her mom to get the nutrition she needed to go strong. She suffered a couple of medical setbacks in her first month here, battling pneumonia her first few days here, and then aspirated on a bottle at 4 weeks old, rushing us to the emergency vet with a fever and lethargy.  Luckily with quick reaction time and treatment, she was just fine, but after a late night and long drive for us humans, we stopped for a drink and discovered she really enjoyed neon lights and Cherry Sprite. Ha! 

Sometimes small miracles lead to great stories, and that’s one we won’t forget with Rosita.  Rosita is our most affectionate sheep. She adores neck scratches, and is always up for companionship.  While she spends plenty of time with the other sheep, she is most content hanging out with Peanut, the baby goat that was rescued at the same time as the lambs. She is just the sweetest little soul, and we’re so grateful that she gets to spend her whole natural life here at the Sanctuary.

Cooper

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Cooper

 

Every rescue has a story...and sometimes we never get to know the whole truth..but injuries and behavior don't lie. This little guy is Cooper.

 

He was abandoned on the side of the road, rescued by a good Samaritan trying to keep him from getting run over, rescued, fostered for a week and brought to us at Xanadu. While very playful and energetic like most puppies are, he has a very serious break in his tail, a break in his jaw near the joint; and he shows signs of fear at any attempt to start teaching him manners-a tale tale sign of abuse in the weeks prior to his rescue.

 In his very short life, he was let down by humans, and we're going to do all we can to reverse that and give him nothing but good memories going forward. He is slowly starting to come out of his shell and play with other dogs, and he is very loving to all his human caretakers. He deserves the best this life has to offer, and I think we can get there!

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KitKat

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KitKat

 

Kitkat also has a mysterious past. He was found as a kitten in the woods, and would climb the legs of strangers begging for attention, a meal or just help in general. He and his beautiful long coat were adopted out and he now spends his days sunning or sleeping anywhere the sun hits and monitoring the yard for varmints. He also prefers naps inside under the fan or heat vent depending on the season. He is a beautiful kitty, and we were lucky to play a small part in his rescue story.

Flap

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Flap

 

This sweet little guy got tangled in some fishing wire someone left behind in a lake at a local park near the Sanctuary. It caused an infection in his foot that would have become more serious had we not caught it in time.

Flap stayed with us for several weeks, getting 1st class room and board and treatment, and then working with the Park employees, he was re-released to join his flock back on the lake. We were excited to have the means to help him, and we visit him often at the park with so many of his feathered duck and goose friends.

Gypsy

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Gypsy

 

Gypsy was a surprise rescue in February 2022. She showed up unexpectedly in the Xanadu wildlife pasture one Saturday morning. Covered in mites and ticks, and starving to death, and after checking with all the neighbors, we could only assume she was dumped. Unfortunately, that happens a lot around sanctuary front gates.  Much longer in these woods surrounding Xanadu, she would’ve made some coyote a meal.  Thank goodness she found her way to our gates! 

Approximately 3 months old, after extensive treatment to rid her of all the parasites, she checked out healthy and just a tad underweight. Because we don’t have a pasture and barn stall ready for pigs, she bunked up in the Welcome Center master suite with Timber, our FIV wounded cat from a hoarding case we just took in a couple of months before.  To our overwhelming surprises, they became instant friends! Bedding down together on a regular basis (and watching cartoons).

We don’t know Gypsy’s breed, but she appears to be some kind of mini-pig. Many people believe that to mean a very small, pet pig.  Mini-pigs can still grow up to 300 lbs.  And many pet owners find themselves searching for a new home for their pigs when they get above 25 lbs. Well, whatever size she ends up, she has a forever home here with us.  She loves a variety of fruits and vegetables, and can’t wait til breakfast every day. Bellyrubs are her all time favorite thing, and who could resist that face! We have much to learn about pigs as she grows older, but despite wherever she may have come from, she has a great life here now.

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Peanut

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Peanut

 

Peanut was an unexpected rescue. We were in route to rescue the 3 lambs-Rosita, LuLu and Raven at a livestock auction. We were the last to leave and Peanut had been left behind in a pen, abandoned by her buyer. We asked about her and she was going to be left behind to fend for herself for a week till they would try to sell her again.  She was only 2 weeks old, yanked from her mama and left her by herself with no proper goat’s milk? 

Well, we weren’t having it-she came home with us and the lambs.  It’s a good thing too because she was a tough rescue. Deemed a failure-to-thrive case by the local vet, she had digestive issues, respiratory issues, caught every bug and parasite and just didn’t gain weight like she should.  But she wouldn’t give up, and neither did we! 

She is tiny but mighty! She spends her days grazing with the sheep, but certainly knows she is a goat. In fact, the sheep follow her more than the other way around. She is there shepherd! She has grown up, but she is still a tiny girl and we watch her closely to ensure she stays healthy and happy. She loves honey nut cheerios and blueberries and orange juice. She loves lazy days on the front porch with her favorite humans.

Peanut is an extraordinary example of what rescue is all about and what a tiny little spirit can accomplish when coupled with the right folks to help her just a little along the way.

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Timber

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Timber

 

We rescued Timber in Sept 2021 from a hoarding case. His “owner” was ultimately arrested and 20+ animals were confiscated and sent to various rescue groups in the area.  Timber was suffering from an open leg wound, and when checked out with the vet, he tested positive for FIV, indicating he will be immune compromised for all of his life.

For months we travelled back and forth to the vet and used every wound treatment known safe for animals to heal the open tear on his leg.  In the meantime, he has been living the good life in the Xanadu house, eating well, sleeping comfortably and enjoying time with us and Gypsy Rose.

Because of his FIV status, the severe wound on his leg had just not improved significantly enough despite our best wound care efforts. At this point, we sent him to Atlanta to be treated by our most trusted Vet. He underwent 2 debridement surgeries, daily laser therapy, antibiotic infusions, honey wraps-you name it, everything was tried. Tissue samples were sent off to UGA. We were relieved that nothing came back positive for cancer; however, after additional testing and assessment, it was determined that Timber had a flesh eating bacteria, localized to just that one leg-something that could not be cured and would never heal up completely.

It was ultimately determined that the only way to save him, was to lose the leg. Post surgery, he was already showing signs of feeling so much better, and he gets around just fine—back where he belong, bedded down with Gypsy Rose, waiting on his breakfast in bed some days.  It has been a long road for this guy—but after being hoarded in a cage for his entire life in filth, he deserves the good life in Sanctuary. 

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In Memory

Rescuing both livestock and domestic animals is our life’s purpose. It is our absolute honor to rescue, rehabilitate, grow and love the animals who call Xanadu their forever home. But with that great love and devotion comes heartbreak in ultimately losing them. Our ultimate goal is to give them the best days of their lives-no matter how many days that may be. This page is dedicated with love to the memory of the friends we have lost along the way.

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