Helen
Helen was rescued from a local cruelty case where she had been chained to a small dog house for seven years. She was tethered so long that the chain had become embedded in her neck. Despite her life of neglect and isolation, she had wonderful goat-girl spirit. When she arrived, we promised her she would never feel a chain around her neck ever again and that she would always be free to roam wherever she pleased on her two acre pasture.
Helen was named in honor of my friend’s mother who passed away just around the time that Helen was rescued. Helen was a feisty girl, and didn’t have very good goat manners likely due to the abuse and lack of socialization for the first half of her life.
It took months before she would let me pet her face, but it was worth the wait just to see her eyes closing in pure bliss as she began to trust us more each day. After the wounds around her neck healed completely, we got her a comfy purple collar and a fancy name tag.
Unfortunately, Helen had a few mysterious illnesses throughout her life, an intermittent neurological issue and most recently a disease affecting her urinary tract that proved untreatable after several frustrating months. Helen was a confident girl, who never passed up the chance to head butt me (or more accurately, the heavily dented gate between us!) and she loved kale more than any other goat I’ve ever known.
She was about 13 yrs when we had to say goodbye. Helen lived a fun and carefree life here at the sanctuary. We allowed her to live life on her terms and tried to give her everything she could ever need or want. We hope that wherever she is, there are wide open fields of kale and lots of new goat friends for her to play with. Rest in peace, beautiful Helen.
Before her rescue, Helen lived for seven years chained to this dog house.
Helen was underweight and the rusty chain had become embedded in her neck.
Helen the day she was rescued.
Helen was so calm inside the van.
Where are we going?
We rented a van and picked her up!
Hazel meets Helen.
Helen's first day at the sanctuary.
We made a celebration cake hoping Helen, her namesake would somehow see it.
Helen's fancy name tag.
Hazel wasn't so sure about her new friend.