Lilly

Lilly joined the Iowa Farm Sanctuary family in November 2022 after she was rescued from a horrific neglect case in Washington County, IA. There were over 100 starving sheep, goats, and pigs living on the property among their dead friends and family members. The property was littered with piles of deceased animals. Nobody had access to adequate food or water, and everyone was starving. The poor souls on this property were languishing in some of the worst conditions we’ve ever seen.

Like the many others, Lilly was malnourished and uncared for, with severely overgrown hooves and untreated medical conditions. She was likely the oldest individual we helped rescue from the property, and it’s heart-wrenching to know that she suffered greatly for so many years. During her initial assessment, we noticed an ominous abscess and later learned that Lilly was positive for CL, a chronic bacterial disease for which she needed lifelong specialized care and accommodations.

When she first arrived at the sanctuary, Lilly would guard her food fiercely. She was so hungry and so unaccustomed to having proper nourishment that she hoarded her food out of fear that others would eat it. As Lilly began to understand that food was no longer scarce, she quickly softened her defenses. Eventually, she realized she’d never have to go hungry again, so she gladly shared everything she had. Despite everything she went through, she was always so trusting of her sanctuary caregivers. It was such an honor to watch Lilly settle into safety and freedom during her time in sanctuary. She will be deeply missed by all of us here.