YOUR FRIENDSHIP AND SUPPORT
CAN HELP

Spring Farm CARES is home to many animals with disabilities and special needs – beings who daily open our hearts to love, and teach us of courage, trust, and, most definitely, heroism. Many of them have long-term, even life-long, special needs. All require in-depth medical care/treatment and medications, nursing, rehabilitative care, and special, often creative, attention. Some require repeated surgical procedures or trips to a specialist. The medical bills are sometimes staggering. But we feel blessed by these angel animals, blessed and grateful that these teachers have come among us. They are quartered variously here at the farm, according to their needs, some sharing the on-site living quarters of our directors. Because of their various conditions and on-going needs for special care, none are up for adoption. They will be with us for life, however long or short those lives may be.

YOUR FRIENDSHIP MAKES A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR LIVES

You can share in the lives of these extra-ordinary beings by sponsoring one, or more, of them. Your donations will help pay for their various special needs and help us continue to provide the high quality of care that they require for the remainder of their lives.

ANNUAL SPONSORSHIP

Your donation will be used directly in the care of our animals. Choose your animal and your name will be placed next to that animal's story here on our website for one year. You may also donate in memory of a loved one, human or animal, and that memorial will appear along with your own name.

SPONSORSHIP LEVELS

PAL - $100
BUDDY - $150 / SPECIAL FRIEND- $250
ANGEL - $500 / GUARDIAN ANGEL - $1,000

To Sponsor an Animal, call (315) 737-9339,
Mon.-Fri., 9AM-4PM or send a check to
Spring Farm CARES, 3364 State Rt. 12, Clinton, NY 13323
with the name of the animal you wish to sponsor. Or go to our Donations Page, and in the Comments section please let us know the animal you wish to sponsor along with the level of sponsorship.

HERO

Hero

Hero came to us in May 2007 when our local humane society called and asked if we could make room for a special-needs kitty whose will to live had touched everyone who met him. Hero was about 12 weeks old when he arrived. Although not paralyzed, he cannot walk on his back legs for more than a few steps at a time without falling over. It appears that Hero has spina bifada, a birth defect which effects the spinal cord. He is also incontinent in both bladder and bowel. His care requires a large expenditure of time -- keeping him clean, expressing his bladder so that he doesn't urinate on himself, and of course taking him out of his enclosure to play. Hero has boundless energy, and runs, chases toys, rolls and tumbles, gamely ignoring his uncooperative rear end. Caretakers and volunteers adore him and vie with one another to be Hero’s playmate. Due to his problems, Hero's life may be shorter than average, but, however long that life, we are sure that it will be a happy one. Is there a surgical procedure that can help Hero walk? Unfortunately, no. But costly surgery may become necessary once he is full grown, to help with his bladder issue. At the moment he is on medication to help him empty his bladder as much as possible, and he must be watched closely, as there is a high risk of infection in cats with this condition.

This is one strong spirit, who is teaching us that life is JOY, and no problem is insurmountable. Not even the sofa. Please contact us if you'd like to sponsor Hero.

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MOXIE

Moxie peeking out from under a blanket

Moxie was about 12 weeks old when she came to the farm. It was Christmas of 2006, and there are an awful lot of Good Samaritan Angels in Moxie’s story. People heard a kitten crying. They looked up and saw that it was hanging off the roof of a 2-story building! They wanted to get her down, but the building was being torn down and it was blocked off. They persevered and found the owner of the building, who cared enough to come and help to rescue her. Once they had her, they saw that her eyes were badly infected. These people were allergic to cats and couldn't keep her, but they wanted to help her no less, and they took her to a veterinarian. He donated his services free of charge in honor of the Christmas season and agreed to keep the kitten for a week at no charge until a home could be found. As it turns out, her eyes were not just infected. She was born with deformed eyes and is totally blind. One would never know it though, to see how she gets around. Once here at Spring Farm she developed into a feisty, playful, adventuresome little trooper. But with special needs for sure. Beyond just being blind, her eyes do not produce the normal tears that would keep them flushed out and clean. Special drops need to be administered daily and her eyes need to be cleaned and watched closely for any sign of infection. Her third eyelids are closed all of the time. That is what you see when you look at her. It is not that she doesn't have eyes, it’s that those that she does have are small and under-developed.

Moxie is aptly named. Nothing daunts this cat. She is bold, sometimes cantankerous, and always in charge. Moxie is living in the quarters of directors Margot and Dawn, protected in the confines of two rooms which she now owns. She has two other cats for company, and gets along fabulously and plays with the 9 dogs who also live in the house. Obviously, this kitten was in control of her destiny and on a mission, as evidenced by all those who stepped in to help her along her path. Please contact us if you'd like to sponsor Moxie.

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BURNING BRIGHT'S FRIENDS

Dr. Paul Bookbinder, Upstate Veterinary Surgical Center

BURNING BRIGHT

Burning Bright

Burning Bright was only a few hours old when he was brought to us in late 2005. Director Bonnie took on his bottle-feeding, as she has with scores of others over the years. He looked like a tiny tiger – perhaps a Bengal-X -- so Bonnie named him Burning Bright, after the Blake poem, Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright. Bonnie shortly found that B-Bright, as he is called for short, had trouble nursing. The formula kept bubbling out his nose. As it turned out, he had a severe cleft palette. He couldn’t transition to solid food and could only be fed by the bottle, very slowly and carefully to keep the gruel that we developed to substitute for solid food from going up into his sinuses and causing infections. Even with that care, we began to see signs of upper respiratory illness that was hard to get rid of. Unfortunately, there was nothing to be done for him surgically until he was grown enough for the surgery to be effective, and B-Bright’s wonderful orthopedic vet, Dr. Bookbinder, warned us that chances were that B-Bright would not make it to that point. The odds were that infections would take him. We were devastated, as it was clear that this kitten wanted to survive, and so we kept on bottle feeding him his gruel, oh so carefully. And miracles just kind of keep happening here at Spring Farm. Due to the care and perseverance of Bonnie and our staff, B-Bright beat the odds. He grew and grew and grew. And his cleft palette began to close. Until, finally, he was big enough, and the palette had closed enough that surgery could possibly close the hole all the way. Dr. Bookbinder decided that, not only could he withstand surgery, but, there was a chance that surgery could work.

B-Bright had a total of 4 surgeries over the period of one year. The cleft is almost, but not completely, closed. He can now eat food off a plate like a normal cat, but he will be forever prone to, his life threatened by, sinus infections. As you can see, he is stunningly gorgeous, with an equally wonderful personality and disposition.

Unfortunately, Burning Bright had another major impact in his life. Two years after his cleft palette was fixed, he suddenly and unexplainably went blind. Literally overnight, he lost all of his vision. We have taken him to top eye specialists and they do not know what caused it, but they have assured us there is no pain with this, he just simply cannot see. When you first see B-Bright running around the room playing, you would not know he is blind. He functions amazingly well. If you would like to sponsor Burning Bright, please contact us.

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BRADLEY'S FRIENDS

BUDDY

In Memory of Jim and Paula Bradley's cat Snoopy - Sept. 09 - Sept. 10

BRADLEY

Bradley

Bradley was brought to the farm for one of our monthly Trap/Neuter/Release clinics for feral/stray/barn cats. He had been caught in a humane trap, but the caretaker of the colony had never seen him before at her feeding station. When the veterinarians went to check him for neutering, they were horrified to see that one of his back legs was nothing but a bone sticking out. He had probably gotten caught in a leg hold trap and chewed his leg off to free himself. What was left of the leg would have to be amputated or he would soon die of infection, and, under the circumstances, it seemed that euthanasia would be the kindest thing. Spring Farm would be willing to pay for amputation at a vet hospital, but there would be tremendous nursing care afterwards, and he was feral. He'd need to let us handle him. One of the vets asked Dawn to come and talk with the cat, to find out what he, himself, wanted done, The cat told Dawn that he wanted to live, and he would try to cooperate, but he made us promise that, once healed, he would not be kept indoors, he wanted to live outside. So he was taken to a vet hospital and the leg amputated. Antibiotics were critical to his recovery, and the incision had to be checked multiple times a day. Bradley, as we named him, was true to his word. He hissed and spit like crazy whenever he was handled, but he let the staff do what they had to do. It was also critical that he would stand and walk, to keep the remaining legs strong and able to support his weight. Cats do well after amputation and actually learn to walk quickly. But because he was feral, we had to keep him crated, for fear we couldn't catch him in the large room where he was kept. He had to be in a smaller area, where he could be left loose but remain accessible. Hence, we decided to take him up to directors Dawn and Margot's house, where there is a foster room for SFC cats. The cats in this room are docile, even though some are semi-feral, and the room is carpeted, which would give Bradley good traction. Dawn also hoped that, once he experienced being in a house, he'd change his mind about living outside. At first, let loose in the room, he was unapproachable, and would spring at us, hissing and spitting. Then one day, after about a week, Bradley suddenly walked up to Dawn, rubbed against her leg, and solicited attention. Bradley had not been feral at all. He’d just been outside so long that he had begun to act feral. Now he remembered a life he must have once had as an indoor cat and settled right in. He was rewarded by being moved into the house proper, and shares living quarters with Dawn and Margot, 2 other cats, and 9 dogs (who he adores). He still has very special needs. He is both FIV positive and has recurring urinary tract problems. But he has made it very clear that he never wants to live outside again. Please contact us if you would like to sponsor Bradley.

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KIKI

Kiki

Kiki was born in fall of 2000. Originally here as a youngster, we adopted her out to a family who had her for 8 years and suddenly was faced with a move where they could not take Kiki with them. They returned her to us and we began looking for another home for her. Unfortunately, Kiki has since developed health problems that will probably mean she will live with us for the remainder of her life. Kiki has diabetes and is on daily insulin shots. She also has a heart murmur that we monitor closely. This girl is incredibly sweet and equally as beautiful. Please contact us if you would like to sponsor Kiki.

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Wee Wee

Wee Wee is a most unusual cat. We believe she is a Highlander and was with someone who was breeding very rare cats before she came to us. Wee Wee is a sweetheart and would be highly adoptable except that she is plagued with a lot of long term health problems. Besides a heart murmur, she also suffers from chronic upper respiratory infections that never really clear up. She is a special girl and we are glad that she has found respite here at the farm and is no longer being used for breeding, since many of her health problems are congenital. Please contact us if you'd like to sponsor Wee Wee.

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Zack

Zach

Zack is as much a character as he looks. He is a magnificent young man with the sweetest, most gentle disposition you could imagine. He loves to cuddle and snuggle and purr. But he also loves to romp and play. Zack came to us from another rescue who could not meet his medical needs. He had a very bad ear polyp that came back even when surgically removed. We have taken him to a specialist now and we are hoping that this is now resolved. If not, he will need further surgery. Zack also tested positive for the feline leukemia virus. He was born in May of 2009 and we are hoping that he will enjoy a long happy life with us. He has been left with a bit of an endearing head tilt due to the ear polyps but it does not seem to bother him one bit. Please contact us if you would like to sponsor Zack.

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BOBBY'S FRIENDS

BUDDY

In Memory of Ellie and Carl Jensen's dog Nigel - Sept. 09 - Sept. 10

BOBBY

Bobby on a walk

Near Christmas of 2001, a hunter found Bobby huddling in a thicket the woods with one of his legs shot. The hunter felt that the wound was not accidental, that another hunter had used Bobby for target practice. This kind-hearted hunter tried to get hold of Bobby, but Bobby was in so much pain that he bit him. Undeterred, the hunter summoned a dog control officer to the spot where Bobby was hiding, and, using a catch pole, they got hold of him and carried him to the truck. The animal control officer called us. We agreed to finance vet care and the officer took Bobby to our vet. The news was that, if Bobby’s life was to be saved, the wounded leg had to come off immediately. Even then, there was a question of how severe the infection was. No owner could be found immediately, so Bobby came back to the farm after surgery to recuperate. Within a week we did find his people, who came to see him. It was a tearful reunion, especially since they realized that they did not have the financial or physical ability to care for Bobby with his new needs. They asked us to find him a suitable home. Unfortunately, Bobby can be a biter, although a very predictable one. He always warns you. But, since we can never safely adopt him out, he is a permanent resident. Being three-legged does not slow this boy down at all. In fact, on some days, you can find him on top of a dog house in our dog yard, surveying his domain. He looks kind of like the Red Baron. Please contact us if you are interested in sponsoring Bobby.

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SCOOTER'S FRIENDS

SPECIAL FRIEND
Fern James - In loving Memory of her son -
Peter James March 10 - March 11

BUDDY
Janey December 09-December 10

SCOOTER

Scooter

Scooter is an 11-year-old Pit Bull. He was found when about 6 months old, curled on a snow bank on a bitter winter day, trying desperately not to freeze to death. He was starving, covered with severe mange, and deaf. The dog control officer took him to a vet to be euthanized. Instead, the vet’s office called us. This dog was, they told us, one of the sweetest that they’d ever come across, and they couldn’t bear to put him down. Of course we took him. And he is our Pit Bull ambassador. He exemplifies the extraordinary kindness and sensitivity of the breed -- a breed that humans have messed up by breeding and training them to fight. The basic nature of Pit Bulls is the opposite of vicious, as attested to by the fact that, in the 19th and early 20th Centuries, Pit Bulls were the pet of choice for families with children. Scooter is all that a Pit Bull should be. He’s smart as well, and trained with hand signals. When he doesn’t want to "listen" to you, however, he simply turns around. No see, no “hear”. Needing special attention in his silent world, Scooter spends most of his time in director Bonnie's office/living quarters, where he tears up the quilts and pillows on her bed making nests for himself during the day, and cuddles beside her at night. Bonnie swears that nothing and nobody beats a Pit Bull for snuggling.

Sadly, Scooter has also been troubled by a rare blood disorder, while, just recently, he had a mast cell tumor that necessitated his tail being amputated to a stub. But he still has just enough tail left to wag. Please contact us if you’d like to sponsor Scooter.

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SASHA'S FRIENDS

BUDDY
Joan and Al,
in honor of Sara
Dec. 2009 - Dec. 2010

SASHA

Sasha

Sasha is an elderly Maltese/Shitzu mix. She has back problems, heart problems, and is blind – though some of us swear that her blindness and hearing are selective. She came to us in 2002, when a local humane society could not find an appropriate home for her and did not want to put her down. She’s a feisty lady. Never nasty, she loves to cuddle and play, but she lives life her way. And she absolutely hates to be groomed. Grooming gets her so stressed that she has actually been known to turn blue. As far as Sasha is concerned, there is no such thing as a bad hair day. Whatever way her hair is is just the way it is, and so, “Go away!” Our staff has to find creative and sneaky ways to do haircuts in small doses. She’s an amazing character who functions so well with whatever senses she has left, that you would hardly know her to be handicapped. Please contact us if you are interested in sponsoring Sasha.

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HANNAH

Hannah

Smiling Hannah has a long history with us at the farm. She was found as a stray running through the city streets of Utica in 2003. She was thought to be about 2 years old then. Hannah is a pitbull/beagle mix and has dealt with many behavioral issues over the years. The dog we have now is not who she was when she came to us, but it took a lot of hard work and a strict routine to achieve that. Hannah can be dog or small animal aggressive and has been a challenge. However, the love and hard work paid off. Hannah has grown enormously over the years. Age, maturity, a secure environment, and consistency with her handling all played a role in helping her to learn a new way of life. She has several staff people who just adore her and take her for walks and play with her. And most special for Hannah is that she has a dog friend in a neighboring room, Prince (see below), who she just adores. Hannah and Prince have both helped one another to feel safer and more secure in life. Hannah now has the challenge of aging along with hip displasia and an eye problem which has lead to some diminished vision. We are very proud of Hannah, and although the path was not an easy one with her, we have all learned a lot from each other. Please contact us if you would like to sponsor Hannah.

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PRINCE

Prince

Prince is an amazing senior guy who is just a big love and truly is a prince. He is a newfoundland/chow mix who came to us back in 1998 when he was less than a year old. He was actually adopted out twice and returned due to no fault of his. However, while back after the second adoption, Prince started showing a lot of anxiety during thunder storms. So much so, that he'd chew through wood working in his rooms. He also became much less tolerant of children. Having been in a home with children previously, we were surprised by this. But then we discovered that he was having problems with his hips and just did not want children hanging onto him. Prince has remained here at the farm as it is the one place he seems to really WANT to be. When we moved him to a room next to Hannah, (see above), his thunder phobia seems to have improved. Prince seemed to calm Hannah down and Hannah seemed to help Prince with his fears. They are very devoted friends. Please contact us if you would like to sponsor Prince.

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SMILEY'S FRIENDS

BUDDY
Lillie Goodrich -Jan. 2010 - Jan. 2011

SMILEY

Smiley

Smiley is a Standardbred gelding who is now in his late 20's. Smiley came to the farm in 1997 after a racing career and injuries laid him up. Since his arrival, Smiley has gradually gone blind. First in one eye, then he lost almost all vision in his second eye. Relying on his herd when outside, he is still able to romp, play, and run with his friends in his hillside pasture. Due to his age and his eye problems, Smiley is on several medications and supplements. He is quite a character, and a gentle and brave soul. Please contact us if you would like to sponsor Smiley.

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BREEZIE

Breezie

Breezie is a Thoroughbred, born here on the farm in 1991. In 1998, due to the negligence of those handling Breezie, she reared up, flipped over backwards, and smashed onto the concrete aisle of the barn. She hit part of the hardware from a barn door and sheared off 3 vertebral tops, pushing one up through her withers. This injury would have left her unrideable, although Breezie already was unrideable due to behavioral issues. But worse than that, the accident left an open hole in her withers that constantly drains and occasionally gets infected. For 12 years, first Margot, and later our staff, has bathed that wound every day. And the accident left her more difficult to handle than ever. At heart she is a soft and gentle mare, but her fears often make her very dangerous to deal with. It takes a lot of patience to keep her focused and balanced when working around her. But she is happy in her life. Please contact us if you are interested in sponsoring Breezie.

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TJ'S FRIENDS

SPECIAL FRIEND
John Andersen - Jan. 2010 - Jan 2011

TJ

TJ going out to his pasture

TJ came to the farm in 1995. He is a Quarter Horse gelding, now about 20 years old. He had degenerative eye disease when he arrived, and it has worsened over the years to total blindness. But because TJ had once had vision and lost it gradually, he adapted very well to being sightless. Also, because of his very steady and low-key personality, we are able to do almost everything with him that we would do with a sighted horse. He is able to be led to a pasture where, as long as he has a sighted horse friend with him, he calmly grazes and enjoys rolling in the grass and soaking up the sun. Because of his eye condition, TJ is on many supplements and medications. Please contact us if you are interested in sponsoring TJ.

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CORRIE

Corrie

Corrie is a Shetland Pony gelding who came to SFC in 1993 at 2 months of age. His previous owners had a large herd of ponies, all in-bred, many with deformities, and neglected. Corrie was born blind, Twice in his first two months of life he wandered down to the pond on their farm and nearly drowned. His owners considered him a nuisance and asked if we could take him, since they couldn’t sell a blind foal. We agreed to take him, but only if his mother came with him, since we would not wean a foal at 2 months. They were reluctant to send us the mare, but in the end they did. Corrie thrived here at the farm, as did his mother, Dream. The deal was that we were supposed to return his mother when he was old enough to be weaned. Unfortunately, as that time approached, we could see that Dream was pregnant. They wanted her back because they knew that she had been bred. We ended up buying Dream so that she wouldn’t have to go back. Corrie’s sister was born in early 1994, also with severe problems due to the in-breeding. (See Echo below.) Eventually we ended up with a little herd of ponies from that place, a total of 5, all inbred, all with medical problems. Corrie is a very sweet, gentle guy, somewhat shy at first, but when he is in his herd of friends, he is able to get around just fine. Please contact us if you are interested in sponsoring Corrie.

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ECHO

Echo

Echo was born here on the farm in 1994 when we purchased her pregnant mother away from a neglect situation. (See the story of Corrie above for details.) Echo was born with vision and neurological problems. She gets around fine, but she has a distinctive wobble to her gait. She is not totally blind, but her vision is compromised. Echo still lives with her mother, brother Corrie, and 2 other relatives in our pony herd. She gets regular chiropractic treatments to help her with her neurological problem. With age she is now developing arthritis in her joints and will have some more special care. She’s a sweet-tempered little gal who just enjoys hanging out with her family in the sun. Please contact us if you wish to sponsor Echo.

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BELLE

Belle

Belle is a gorgeous Morgan mare, around 20 years old. She has been with us since she was 3 years old. Belle has had a multitude of behavioral issues which left her untrainable and unrideable, even by the most gentlest and holistic means. Her future was to be euthanized if she didn't come here to the farm where we could give her a sanctuary just to live out her life as she liked. She has a mind of her own, yet can be tender and sweet. Her basic principle is that she lives on her terms only. We sometimes can groom her over a fence but she let's us handle her very little. She lives in a herd of four horses, including another mare much like her. She is the boss mare of the herd and is quite happy in her life. She just loves to be allowed to live the life of a horse, without human physical contact. She does however have lots of human interactions. Belle is one of the beloved teachers on the farm and has touched many, many hearts and lives. Please contact us if you would like to sponsor Belle.

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GYPSY

Gypsy

Lamoka Gypsy is a Thoroughbred mare now in her late twenties. Gypsy has been at SFC since 1988. She was retired here off the track. Gypsy only won one race in her career because she would always slow down as the other horses got closer to her. We figured out later that she was stopping to kick them as she didn’t like other horses coming up behind her. In 1990, Gypsy was adopted out for a couple of years and ended up in a horrible abuse situation where she was starved when the adopter broke our contract and sent Gypsy off to someone else without our knowledge. She almost died but a veterinarian fostered her for a year and really brought her back to health. She then came home to SFC where she is retired permanently and promised to never be without food again. We also stopped adopting horses out after the experience that Gypsy went through. Gypsy is a very quite unassuming gal who is just very good natured. She is best buddies with Smiley (see above) who is blind and she takes good care of him out in the pasture. Please contact us if you would like to sponsor Gypsy.

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FELIX

Felix

Felix is a very loving donkey, who came to us at just a few months old in 2003, along with his friend Leo (see below). Both donkeys were taken from an animal neglect case and were in life threatening condition. Both were badly starved and literally on their last legs. Their recovery was long and hard. They were rescued in November in the freezing cold and the veterinarians who attended them said that if they hadn't been rescued that day, they probably would not have survived that night. They spent the winter in our heated garage because they literally had no body fat to keep warm. By spring, we had two healthy donkeys who were ready to start over and enjoy life. However, they also were extremely bonded to us and made it clear they never wanted to leave the farm. We honored that decision. For a full year, Felix suffered from nightmares where he would suddenly begin screaming in the middle of the night and we'd come down and find him in a complete panic just running in circles in his stall. When we came in he would run to us and just stand trembling as we hugged him. We never knew what was haunting him but we had never seen anything like this with any of our equines before. Luckily, after he was sure he was safe and never going back to where he came from, the nightmares subsided. He now lives in a herd of two horses and his donkey pal Leo. Please contact us if you'd like to sponsor Felix.

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LEO

Leo

Leo is a donkey filled with lots of spunk and charm. He is quite a snuggler at heart, but also very stubborn. Leo came to us in 2003 with his donkey friend Felix (see above.) Both donkeys were taken from an animal neglect case and were in life threatening condition. Both were badly starved and literally on their last legs. Their recovery was long and hard. They were rescued in November in the freezing cold and the veterinarians who attended them said that if they hadn't been rescued that day, they probably would not have survived that night. They spent the winter in our heated garage because they literally had no body fat to keep warm. By spring, we had two healthy donkeys who were ready to start over and enjoy life. However, they also were extremely bonded to us and made it clear they never wanted to leave the farm. We honored that decision.

Although Leo is healthy now, we think he is somewhat compromised by the severe lack of nutrition at such a young age. We know he was without his mother since at least 2 months old. And he was being bottle fed very inconsistently. When he came to the farm at 4 months old, he was just a rack of bones and had to be carried off the horse trailer. He weighed so little that one person could carry him in their arms. It is a miracle he survived and a testament to his spunk. Please contact us if you'd like to sponsor Leo.

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