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Join us for an Inspirational Talk with The Gentle Barn’s Ellie Laks Who Pursued a Childhood Dream to Help Animals….
Ellie Laks, founder of The Gentle Barn
Since she was seven years old, Ellie Laks had a burning desire to help animals who helped her through the struggles that she faced growing up. Ellie’s dream came true in 1999 with the opening of her first farm sanctuary, The Gentle Barn, in California. The sanctuary is also run by her life partner Jay Weiner, who initially became involved as a volunteer, and fell in love with the animals and Ellie. They now have another sanctuary in Tennessee and plan to have as many as they can in the future.
Ellie’s story will inspire you to follow your dreams, no matter how much resistance you encounter along the way. With her sanctuary and educational tours, she has not only helped animals who were at death’s door and wanted by no one, she also uses her major in special education and psychology to help disadvantaged youth and adults to overcome adversity or trauma.
In our discussion with Ellie, we talk about what makes for a successful farm sanctuary, how to measure success, and hear some touching stories of animals who helped to heal the human visitors who share a common traumatic past.
How Do We Treat Animals in Our Canadian Agriculture Industry?
People are slowly becoming more aware of previously-hidden secrets of the standard industry practices in Canadian farming industry. Cases such as Anita Kranjc’s “Pig Trial” are gaining the attention of media from around the world, and exposing the truth about our cruel industries. News stories about the ill-health effects of consuming dairy and meat are causing further questioning into our consumer and dietary habits, and the ever-growing abundance of vegan options in grocery stores and restaurants is giving animal rights activists hope for a kinder future.
This discussion is meant to educate those who may not be aware of the common practices within the farming industry, and to encourage a shift to a compassionate, plant-based lifestyle.