Russ

Sponsored By
Lynn Gallagher,
Sarah Hansen

Russ joined the Iowa Farm Sanctuary family in November 2022 after he was rescued from a horrific neglect case in Washington County, IA. There were over 100 starving sheep, goats, and pigs living on the property among their dead friends and family members. The property was littered with piles of deceased animals. Nobody had access to adequate food or water, and everyone was starving. The poor souls on this property were languishing in some of the worst conditions we’ve ever seen.

Russ was nearly lifeless when he arrived at our sanctuary. Unable to eat, drink, or stand on his own, it seemed clear that euthanasia was the humane path. But when we lifted Russ up to transport him to our local veterinarian to end his suffering, he suddenly found the will to hold himself up. We immediately recognized that Russ had a fighting chance so we rushed him to Wisconsin for emergency medical care. Soon after he arrived, we learned that Russ was overrun with parasites. It wasn’t just a bad case—it was the worst case any of the doctors had ever seen. Russ’s fecal egg count was so high that they thought it had to be an error, but it wasn’t. They had no idea how he was even still alive.

After weeks of treatment in the hospital, with his loyal best friend Ed by his side, Russ made a miraculous recovery. Today, Russ is a happy, healthy young sheep! He’s living his very best life, enjoying everything that sanctuary has to offer (especially animal crackers). Despite the unimaginable suffering he endured at the hands of humans, Russ readily seeks out and offers affection to his caregivers. He’s truly an inspiration to everyone he meets.