Here's just a few of the animals we've helped over the years and their stories.

Squishy (Potbelly pig)

In May of 2023 we were contacted by a rescue partner about a potbelly pig who had been mauled by a dog. Her caretaker was unable to provide the care she needed and surrendered her when she was admitted into the emergency hospital. Squishy sustained severe trauma, including losing both of her ears and several other bite wounds all over her body. She received round the clock care in the hospital for several weeks before being discharged and transferred to Little Woods. It was a long road of healing and keeping her clean while her wounds healed, but eventually Squishy made a full recovery. 

Althea (Large breed pig)

In August of 2022 we received a call about a pig who had fallen from a truck on the freeway in Southern Michigan and was picked up by good samaritans who stopped to help. At only 4 lbs and a few weeks old she sustained significant road rash and trauma. After driving several hours to pick her up we headed straight to the vet for triage and assessment. Luckily she had no broken bones, however she needed to be hospitalized for aspiration pneumonia. She made a fast recovery and quickly became the biggest personality at Little Woods. Her story garnered a lot of attention on social media which led to several features on platforms like The Dodo and VeganFTA, who shared her story with the world. Today she is a whopping 500+ lbs and is deeply bonded with her best friend, Alexander.

Ruthie & Frank (Pony and mini horse)

In fall of 2022 we were contacted about a “rescue” in Virginia that was shuttering their doors and needed to find placement for the animals in their care. With the help of our network of equine rescue partners Ruthie and Frank made the trip from Virginia to Michigan. On arrival it became very clear that they had been neglected for some time. They were much younger than expected and riddled with parasites. Ruthie was borderline feral and completely terrified of human interaction. We also learned that unlike his paperwork stated, Frank was not a gelding and was fully intact needing a specialized procedure. After almost 6 months of trainers and working to build her trust we were able to halter Ruthie for the first time and begin the journey to becoming the confident pony she is today. While she can still be shy around some people, she absolutely loves meeting children. Frank came out of his shell quickly after arriving and has become a notorious seeker of mischief and trouble.

Neil & Elliot (Goats)

In January of 2023 we were informed of 65+ goats needing placement after being seized in a massive cruelty case in Redding CT from 2021. They had spent nearly two years in custody of the state while legal proceedings played out before a judge finally ordered them to be released for placement. We agreed to welcoming two twin boys, who were just babies when they were removed from the horrific situation. Little did we know that while in the care of the state the goats never received adequate medical care or attention for many of their special needs. When they arrived at Little Woods they were emaciated, deathly anemic, and terrified of humans. And they were not the only ones. Almost every sanctuary who took goats from this case experienced the same thing. Many of the goats were in such dire condition that they didn’t survive long after leaving the state facility. We immediately began addressing their critical health needs and formulated a plan for their long term care to address their CAE, an incurable degenerative disease. On arrival Neil was only able to walk about 5-10 feet before he would stumble and fall, which was severe clinical progression at only a few years old when typically goats don’t become clinical until 4-6. Sadly just a few months later Elliot’s condition worsened and even with the skills and knowledge of the university vet staff we had to say goodbye. But Neil gave us the miracle we needed and after a short period of being on our CAE protocol, which we developed with out vet team, he showed massive improvement! Today Neil is an active and friendly goat, who with the help of modern medicine shows almost no clinical symptoms.