Troubled Kids, At-Risk Animals Bond

Debbye Turner Visits "Gentle Farm," Where Compassion Is King

(CBS)  Some 30 miles north of Los Angeles, in Santa Clarita, Calif., Ellie Laks and partner Jay Weiner have devoted their lives to giving abused and unwanted farm animals a second chance. And now, those animals are helping kids who've had troubled lives.

Early Show resident veterinarian Debbye Turner Debbye Turner, stopped by The Gentle Barn on a day when a group of youngsters from Los Angeles was visiting.

The Gentle Barn is, Turner reports, no ordinary farm. It's a safe haven, a refuge for some sixty animals.

"We have horses, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, dogs, cats, a donkey, and two parrots,:" Laks told Turner.

And to each of them, Turner says, The Gentle Barn is a last resort.

"Every one of our animals have been rescued," Laks says.

Rescued from abuse, neglect, or slaughter, Turner explains.

Laks started the gentle barn seven years ago.

"When I was growing up … animals were always my healers, teachers and friends. They were always there for me," she says.

So, Laks made it her mission to be there for them.

"They've had their hearts broken, they've been hurt, and they come here to have a second chance," Laks says.

Then, she got an idea: Saving animals from trouble might inspire kids who are in trouble.

"We work with kids on probation, kids in gangs, kids on drugs, kids from the inner city, and they get to come out here and learn compassion," Laks says.

Why, Turner asked, does she have such compassion for kids of that nature?

"They're me," Laks quickly responded. "I had a very lonely childhood. … And I felt like I connected more with animals than I did people."

And many of the kids who come to The Gentle Barn can relate to what the animals have gone through, Turner points out.

"All our animals have been rescued from abuse," Laks told the group of kids there when Turner was. "So, all our animals, yeah, every single solitary animal … has been through something really really, really horrible. … like you (the kids she was addressing)."

Anong those animals — "Vegan," a blind cow, "Biscuit," a hard-luck pig, and a miniature horse named "Bonsai."

"A woman who was his temporary mommy used to come down and beat him up when she was drunk," Laks' partner, Jay Weiner, told the group.

The animals' stories touched the hearts of the visiting youngsters.

To see Turner's report, and more, click here and here.

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From the Gentle Barn Web site:

It was founded in 1999 by Ellie R. Laks and is now run by Ellie and her partner, Jay Weiner. Ellie and Jay had similar childhoods, in which they both felt alone, unseen and misunderstood. For both of them, it was from animals that they received their attention, friendship, and unconditional love. Having been saved by animals, it was their dream to have a place that allows children to be supported and healed by animals, like they had been. Ellie and Jay live on the property with their three children.

Ellie and Jay see their 60 rescued farm animals as teachers, healers, friends and heroes. Every animal at their place has been rescued from horrible abuse, neglect, and loneliness, and yet they have all survived using forgiveness, trust, love, and courage. These are the qualities that Ellie and Jay strive for on a daily basis, and that they teach the children that visit The Gentle Barn.

To donate to The Gentle Barn, click here.

[kmjmacmaster]

Thank you for such a moving story. It brought me to tears and was great start to my day.

[redhen18]

God Bless Ellie and Jay for all the good work they are doing -- for the four-legged as well as the two-legged who need their help and each other!

[beadazzle]

This is such a beautiful story. I was adopted into a family of middle class people and found out that the woman who tried to kill me and abused me for my first ten years of life didn't want a little girl.

The next 6 years were spent in a convent and a childrens home which was just as bad in the childrens home cause the people didn't care about us kids,they just wanted the money they got for keeping us there.

I turned to animals when I was 13 in the form of welsh ponies and a dog called lady. It took me a total of 37 years to get over all the mistreatment during those years of my life,well maybe not altogether,but enough to start living a decent life with my husband.

I know from experience that animals can do a young person a lot of good and I pray that many children get to experience what I did and grow up to be productive and loving people.

[kaphillips0]

This is a wonderful, uplifting story. I wish there was no abuse of children or animals in this world. Good people like the founders of the Gentle Barn are doing a wonderful work to help both animals and people. My love of animals led me to a vegetarian lifestyle a few years ago.

[Ed0719]

I wish there were more people like Ellie Laks and Jay Weiner. Reports of abuse of animals and children are two things that can drive me to tears in a flash.

[resqdiver4]

As the Bible says, "Bless the beasts and the children", her is one great example of God's work. These two people, Jay and Ellie are truly some of God's Angels here on earth helping to show both man and beast that humanity is good and that we must weed out the bad and make it good. These two people are great and God bless them and their Gentle Barn.