The Gentle Barn: Where animal rescue meets human therapy

The Gentle Barn, a rescue facility located about 40 miles north of Los Angeles, offers treatments and therapies to help animals overcome trauma. These animals, in turn, provide unexpected healing to humans.
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[@chrisb7142]

I've been supporting this organization for a few years now...Please donate. And consider a legacy donation as well.

[@jcfh19981]

My Bridgette was a Holstein cow I bought as a 4-H project when I was 12. She lived to be 23 and gave the best hugs. She followed me everywhere. I slept with her, bathed her, competed at shows with her, and loved on her until the day she died. And she literally saved my life. On the day we brought her home, I was seriously considering ending my life. We bonded instantly and I made it through the rest of my childhood because of her.❤

[@GaiaCarney]

@jcfh19981 - Thank You for sharing your story 💗

[@jeanwesterman3544]

Thanks for sharing your story, but this is what it's all about! Even a cow can show love and care to humans. I believe they have more emotional intelligence than a lot of people I know.

[@jjradV]

@@jeanwesterman3544 keep on Educating!

[@jjradV]

Jcfh,wonderful story,cows rarely live to be older than six or seven unless they are truly loved and protected like your Bridgette or have been rescued from the animal agriculture business and live in a sanctuary. Do you eat animals,dairy or eggs ?

[@lisah.07]

Animals are God's Creations! Always Be Respectful and Kind! 🤗🙏🏻♥️

[@rpdx3]

They’re also delicious! 😊

[@cube435]

Cow hugging is absolutely NOT crazy. What an incredible story, and it's encouraging to see this on a broadcast network♡

[@Detarebil315-ny7jc]

The crazies are the one that say it's crazy. Moooo

[@jeanwesterman3544]

Think about what happens in a slaughterhouse daily. Baby cows being ripped away from their mothers, for pigs. It's the same way, ripped away from their babies and even horses losing their foals. Very traumatic for these animals. Animals have more feelings and emotions but then people do. Just watch this video. What's great about this video is it shows that these animals can have a purpose to help people who have anxieties and other issues. I'm glad they put the two together... It's heartwarming to see!

[@jjradV]

Jeanwesterman,are you vegan ?

[@riobrasilsambashowssambist1453]

Sounds like you are patronizing the truth of the violence and the real emotions that animals experience​@@jjradV

[@jjradV]

@@riobrasilsambashowssambist1453 I find your comment confusing, please rephrase ?

[@jeanwesterman3544]

@@riobrasilsambashowssambist1453 What? Are you being condescending?

[@jeanwesterman3544]

@@jjradV No, I'm not a vegan, although I do like vegetables but, there are other things that make up a meal without meat. That's what I choose to eat.

[@yvonnemurray5537]

I’ve never had a cow or a turkey, or a donkey, or a llama, but I do believe healing can come from animals. In my case, I was traumatized in my first marriage, and the love and compassion of my standard poodle was amazing. He knew when I was sad, and he would lay down by me, and it was always so comforting.

[@babesimmons4017]

Thank You all who so lovingly look after these Precious animals💞

[@riobrasilsambashowssambist1453]

🥺🥺 it's really true how much animals suffer for human cruelty

[@jjradV]

Riobrazil,I agree with your comment, the cruelty is 100% preventable. One can choose to be cruel or kind. Are you vegan ?

[@janeoleary8454]

How can I get my cat to be vegan ??

[@jjradV]

@@janeoleary8454 there are several high quality vegan cat foods available. I highly recommend Evolution vegan cat food, my cat also enjoyed the Evolution cranberry treats. Search and research vegan cat foods.

[@JudyHowe-fe3db]

God bless that woman!

[@PhoebeFayRuthLouise]

I’m very grateful for the national news coverage about The Gentle Barn and the rescued animals! I would love to hug a cow!

[@brettdaniels6267]

Come out. Sundays. There is a location in TN near Nashville. In MO near St Louis and in CA in LA, just a bit north. Like Nike says, “just do it”. And far more than cows in CA. Turkeys, Piggies, cows, horses, sheep, just a great many of my friends. It is amazing, a promise I am guaranteed to keep!

[@laurahykes9206]

As I watched this, I cried my eyes out. Being an Animal Rescuer myself, the horror I see!! I cannot thank you enough for all of your kindness towards these Furbabies!!! You all have a seat in Heaven!!!

[@beees2658]

I LOVE THE GENTLE BARN!!!! If you eat meat/dairy/eggs/any animal product, you are the reason these angels need to be rescued.

[@janeoleary8454]

Should my CATS be vegan ??

[@Muhdah1972]

​@@janeoleary8454No, cats and dogs are carnivores. I believe the term is obligate carnivores. Talk to a veterinarian and they'll tell you what happens if you try to make your cat vegan.

[@Adnancorner]

NO that's fakery. Its the city folks who cannot raise their own animals. The folks living in countryside do not buy from the places where these animals got rescued. So stop making fairy tales

[@JenniferKastelic]

Wonderful and kind story. The giant cows, genetically modified, its scary They seem lovely despite what's been done to them. When will we learn?

[@jjradV]

Jennifer,good comment, do you eat animals, dairy or eggs ?

[@Beth-zg6gb]

Love and patience are powerful medicine! Huge blessings to this lovely lady, and her caregiving crew, for opening her heart and home to fellow precious creatures! 💕

[@rachelsainitoprealtor]

THANK YOU.

[@mygrammieis]

beautiful

[@littlehouseinthebigapple5716]

Oh man…. I feel for that momma! 💔

[@LeviAaronx]

Seriously. Ugh, that photo with the cows in the background. Nothing is coincidental.

[@BonnieNickle-xf1jm]

Human decency at it's best ❤

[@forlisac1]

This is why I can’t imagine ever eating (causing harm) to an animal! 😢

[@dogwalker97]

What is that in your living room? That’s the cowch Thank you for sharing this beautiful story

[@Dea8769]

I would love to rescue animals for the rest of my life… this woman is a saint

[@deniseriffe943]

How wonderful we as humans are so quick to judge before we try something new. Animals are so forgiving and so wonderful. I would love to try this myself. Thank You for being a wonderful human being. ❤

[@littlehouseinthebigapple5716]

Makes me think of hugging my horse as a kid…. I still can feel my blood pressure reduce when I even smell a horse.

[@bluepurple1971]

I wish to go to the gentle barn some day. I believe that any creature is here for a mission. I have followed the Gentle barn for some time.

[@tomschafer2264]

These people are very precious its good to show people they still live

[@greeneyedwarlock882]

If I lived within an hour of that PARADISE, I’d be volunteering EVERY DAMN DAY ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@alvarocolindres4764]

What an amazing video ❤

[@Rick-qf5de]

My donkey don't like people laughing... He thinks they're laughing at him....

[@kathykay6602]

As long as humans being think animals have no feelings the animals will think that humans do not have feelings.

[@jjradV]

kathykay, good comment, animals are someone, they are individuals, they are sentient beings just like us. Are you vegan ?

[@pdbess2011]

Awww, I would love to visit your place. All of your animals are beautiful ❤

[@Native-Kitty]

I wanna hug every single one of those animals! ❤❤❤

[@sharonrimsza7960]

Cows have huge hearts and they do have families and they love their babies.

[@ScottLane-ud9tj]

Beautiful story of compassion for animals.

[@Trace9598]

This is nothing new..animals have always helped people. Its peace and quiet being around animals.

[@cnj1000]

I was not ready for all of these emotions I'm feeling right now. Excellent story.

[@dellahayden5606]

Thank you for being there for the animals 😢it makes me feel happy and sad at the same time. We all need to be aware of what really happens to these loving animals.

[@terredee]

Thank you, Lisa and CBS Morning, for running this story. We are so lucky to have three farm sanctuaries in San Luís Obispo County (north of LA). I was at one of them last Thanksgiving, a place amidst acres and acres of vineyards called Happy Hen, where the hosts made a feast for the animals - giant pumpkins for the pigs and cows, big platters or fruits and vegetables for the turkeys, chickens, and ducks, cookies for the people... I was sitting on a hay bale when a turkey ran up to me with her wings open. We actually hugged, and her eyes closed just like the turkey in this clip. It was amazing. We had never met, but this girl was so happy to be loved that she gave us her affection. And this was a turkey who was rescued from a slaughterhouse a month or so before she and her friends were due to be dismembered. All her toes and the end of her beak had been cut off, and you know they didn’t use anesthetic. Imagine your toes cut off at the first joint, no painkiller or bandages, and then having the grace to love people anyway.

[@sonja437]

The Healing Power of Love. Thank you so much to all the Animal and Human Beings at the Gentle Barn helping to help humans heal.

[@katespear1233]

Thank heavens for people like them❤❤❤❤

[@agoodgurl2k]

I think we are the animals! 😢

[@anneo6476]

Lisa, thank you so much for taking the time to do this wonderful report! 👍💛🙂

[@shoshannafachima1306]

So very beautiful❤❤❤❤❤

[@bettytraylor5527]

I was a little girl I had all kinds of animals. Everything animals out there you touch they in they love it. I have a calf give to me. The man keep her to see if she mother milk. LUCKY went blind. I had her for 13 half yrs.

[@barbarashea1975]

Beautiful thank you.

[@jjradV]

betty,do you eat animals ?

[@tshaffer9681]

I love this lady and her family. Thank you for loving and healing these peaceful souls. Animals are the best therapy mine have saved my life, from cancer and heart problems. They give me something to live and love for.

[@michelleeggers719]

I love Lisa ling. She is a very special person. What a wonderful sanctuary. 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

[@PatricesProjects]

Interesting concept. Being around farm animals is relaxing to me, but this therapy idea is intriguing.

[@user-js2gg8fz2c]

May God Bless your hearts!!!💕💞

[@lunkis3233]

This is an amazing place.

[@23Bentley45]

If only all people had compassion for animals, this world would be so beautiful. I haven’t eaten any animal products for 14 years, and no meat for 35 years.

[@kellygrubbs915]

This is absolutely amazing!!!! I wish I knew somewhere here in Georgia that operated in this way. Sending loads of love and prayers to ALL animals in therapy and humans as well. I know my daughter and I would truly benefit from this as well ❤🙏🏻🕊️♾️

[@AJuliet111]

This is amazing. Thank you for all that you do for these kind animals.❤

[@barbarashea1975]

Thank you for this beautiful news. We all need these stories to remember who we are and what we a truly capable of. Healing is always reciprocal. You give us he greatest stories of inspiration. Keep these stories coming.

[@jjradV]

barbarashea,do you eat animals,dairy or eggs ?

[@karab.4178]

How beautiful.

[@lieslvista]

I grew up around cows. They’re amazing!

[@deannad9105]

I was looking at a house rental on a farm and the farmer had just rescued a turkey. The turkey barely had any feathers left and had marks all over his body. But when I told him how beautiful he was, he poufed up his remaining feathers and paraded around proudly. Then he let me pet him and he just leaned in and made a sweet noise. The farmer said it was the turkey equivalent of purring❤🤗 It really changed my viewpoint of turkeys. So it doesn't surprise me that Lisa had such an amazing experience. I hope to make it to the Gentle Barn one day. They have other locations across the country now, so that makes it even easier

[@wendydimon9934]

Amazing. What an incredible story.

[@blythegirl4348]

I don't hate people. I just feel better when they're not around. Animals are pure love. They give you 100% unconditional love. People? Not so much. I have four dogs and could have 100. They're gifts from above! Cows are pure love too.

[@Adnancorner]

Travel on African Savannah and show some love to a pride of lions. The "pure love" and "100% unconditional love" will be revealed to you.

[@tammymchenry3675]

What a beautiful story! Animals are angels on earth. ❤❤❤

[@tj4787]

Yes this place is is fantastic we need more places like this way too many innocent animals are slaughtered and with babies for no reason but greed 🙏🏾♥️

[@Carlotta_Lee_Ray]

So happy to see them getting recognition!!! Amazing 💜💜💜

[@Cwgrlup]

Some years ago, I boarded my horse next door to the gentle barn. It’s in my neighborhood. Very cool place.

[@stephaniepiazzese2602]

They do. They truely do heal. Their OWN TRAUMA,, heals our trauma. Wow Lord bless this woman for her gifts and giving back to animals. ❤❤❤❤❤

[@daisybee1439]

All animals are special and deserve to be treated with understanding and compassion.😀😀😀

[@stephaniepiazzese2602]

I’m truely touched,, and I’m so so sorry for this woman’s loss, and her husbands loss,,, if thier baby boy. God bless her, she took her GREif, and used it to help others,, at the same time saving these beautiful animals. Amazing. Extraordinary people do this. ❤❤❤😢😢😢😢

[@janesimmons1861]

beautiful cows

[@kendrariddle6175]

I love this story and bless this woman and all those alike who see how precious animals of all kinds are. They should be respected and honored. I personally have been vegan for over 20 years. I have lived through a lot of trauma and abuse my entire life and the one being I could always count on was always a fur baby. Horses, cows, dogs, bunnies, cats etc. I've only known true unconditional love if it were from an animal, never a human.

[@gemzoey1313]

God bless this woman for the Gentle Barn! Inter acting with the animals in this way, truly is therapeutic. I am so happy for the precious animals who were rescued and now live at the Gentle Barn.🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️🙏❤️

[@HeatherValentineMsFoodie]

❤❤❤❤ Cow Hugs for sure! 😊

[@pohanahawaii]

🐂🦃🐖 ELLIE LAKS is my new hero!! 🌺 Thank you, GENTLE BARN, for making this world a little kinder, people a little more thoughtful, and those who suffered pain or losses feeling comforted and at peace.

[@clintperkinson2681]

Too bad people aren’t as compassionate about their fellow man.

[@catherinetimmerman9107]

This is wonderful!!! Animals are AMAZING!!!! 🥰🥰

[@VeganDoris]

Thank you for your amazing work, Gentle Barn! Animals feel joy and love and sadness and fear just like humans. Go vegan.

[@davidsthoughts60]

I've been to The Gentle Barn's Tennessee location 3 times, most recently a couple of days ago. I highly recommend visiting any of their 3 locations. It's well worth the trip. And yes, I've hugged the cows. :)

[@duncanbleak3819]

Really needed this story!

[@beautiful80sladies22]

Sorry Ms Hailey...RIP Baby

[@LLjean-qz7sb]

The Lord has a special way of showing us His love.....and these animals are a special way that He allows us to feel it! God Bless❤😊🐄🐄🦃🦃

[@mimim8532]

This is wonderful ❤ thank you!

[@Starfish2145]

Thanks for this story

[@marybratton5514]

We took our first graders there about 10 years ago. Fantastic!

[@johnnyleopard2668]

Amazing story. Thank you ❤

[@nanrod3201]

I love them been following for a while now. A group of us are going to make a reservation soon !❤❤❤❤❤

[@kevinmahavirunh4963]

Amazing

[@roberthevern6169]

I have a neighbor who could use 'cow hug therapy'!

[@brettdaniels6267]

I volunteer there weekly. And for those talking / thinking about picking up the book, do that, but far better come up on Sundays. 10-2. And see before you read. There is also a branch is MO and TN if you can’t make it to CA. Just saying from a guy who is not so touchy-feely, you will be stunned if you immerse yourself in the experience.

[@desmeisme]

Bless❤️

[@Detarebil315-ny7jc]

I still miss Dudley they were so wonderful to him it got me through when my mother had her leg amputated. Rest in peace big boy. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j4a2nnWid7aVq6cfeature=shared

[@user-xn7zt9pf4j]

Wonderful news 👍😍❤️👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@debbralehrman5957]

Awesome 🤗🐮🤗🦃🤗🐖💕💕💕

[@lauranorwar]

Oh how I want to sit with a cow. I used to lay with my yellow lab when I was growing up. I would lay my head on his ribs/ tummy and close my eyes. And suddenly everything would feel ok. I imagine that is how it would be with these beautiful cows.

[@Coco12769]

Does anyone remember when Rachel Ballinger when she went here?

[@starlasell5698]

❤❤❤

[@janusconner3710]

Turkey acupuncture... okay...😮

[@carynpolito8191]

❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@jennifermathis3983]

💓💓

[@rubyred6167]

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@bohditony]

💗❤️

[@alexandratorres1114]

🙏🏻♥️✨✨

[@aaronarnold6136]

What Ellie has done here is beautiful, so what I'm saying here is more a comment on our society than on her. But why do animals need to have a purpose for us to stop endlessly abusing them? They don't need to be our therapy. They need to be left alone. I'd imagine nearly everyone shown in this clip (besides Ellie) eats innocent animals nearly every day, and will continue doing so even after seeing this clip. Even after visiting this sanctuary. How have you not made the connection yet? These animals are innocent lives, with the desire to live and be loved. Stop torturing and killing them! Also, it did not surprise me in the least that literally right after this segment aired, CBS Mornings went into a story about Texas BBQ... shame on you.

[@jjradV]

Watch "the best speech you will ever hear" Gary Yourofsky, free to watch,well worth your time !

[@alexandratorres1114]

🙏🏻🙌🙌🙌🙌🙌