Sanctuary Spotlight: Baby Nava
Little Nava was found all alone, wandering the streets of Sonoma County—no family in sight — just a tiny goat with a big story waiting to unfold. Thankfully, Animal Services stepped in to help, bringing her to safety and having her checked by a veterinarian. She was healthy, but despite their efforts, no one came forward to claim her.
After two months with no home in sight, Animal Services reached out to us at Sinkyone Animal Sanctuary, our trusted rescue partner, and asked if we could provide Nava with the loving home she deserved. Of course, we said yes.
When she arrived, Nava was shy and scared. A rusted metal tag was clipped through her ear—a painful, infected reminder of her past. We gently removed the tag, treated the wound, and gave her a thorough check-up. She also received care for a skin condition caused by lice, along with plenty of extra snuggles from our compassionate vet team.
With time, patience, and love, Nava has started to bloom. At first, she flinched at every touch. Now, she melts into head scratches and back rubs from the people she trusts. New faces still make her a little nervous, but each day she grows braver.
The ear tag indicated she had come from a meat breeder. Her fear suggested she had likely witnessed far too much for someone so young. But Nava escaped that fate and found safety, softness, and a second chance.
Today, she’s a curious, sweet pygmy dwarf goat who brings joy to everyone she meets. She loves sniffing noses with the sanctuary cats (her best buddies) and watches the bigger goats with wide-eyed wonder. She's still a bit too tiny to join the herd, but she’s getting there.
Nava’s journey is a testament to the power of compassion and the magic of second chances. We’re so lucky to be part of her story—and we can’t wait to see all the joy she brings next.
Prajna’s Story:
A Promise Kept
I met Prajna on a cold, rainy day when she was two and a half, alone on a windswept hillside. Despite her fragile state, she ran to me as if we belonged together. Her eyes asked, “Can I come with you?” Without thinking, I said yes. I didn’t know how, but I meant it.
At 49, after years rescuing horses from the slaughter pipeline, I had never had one of my own since childhood. This little filly was heartbreakingly thin, her coat dulled by neglect. Often, by midafternoon, her water remained frozen. I began visiting daily to break the ice.
I left a note offering to buy her, but the owners weren’t interested; she was given to a breeder for the racetrack. Yet there she remained—cold, emaciated, and forgotten.
Then came the call: she was for sale—$30,000, they said. A descendant of Secretariat. My heart dropped. I couldn’t afford her yet couldn’t walk away. I wrote a longer letter, sealed it, and tacked it to the hay shed in the rain, asking to stay in her life.
A week later, the price dropped to $2,500. I still didn’t have it, but I found a way. She came home.
She was green-broke, and I was inexperienced. For months, I called her “Beauty” until her true name came to me: Prajna—mirror-like wisdom that cuts through illusion. It was perfect.
That was thirteen years ago. Today, Prajna is the matriarch of our herd—wise, steady, and fiercely loved. Of all the horses I’ve rescued, she changed everything. She wasn’t just a rescue; she was a promise—proof that when you say yes without knowing how, love finds the way.
From Darkness to Light:
Gabriel, Calis & Finvarra
Gabriel, his young son Calis, and a spirited little pony named Finvarra were rescued from a dire situation in West Virginia. They had been trapped under the control of a kill buyer, where Gabriel, a noble stallion, was used repeatedly as a pasture stud while living in terrible conditions. When they were rescued, Gabriel bore deep whip marks across his face and body, and all three were emaciated, worm-ridden, and starving.
Among them was tiny Calis, so severely malnourished and deformed that we weren’t sure if he would ever grow strong. Gabriel, already nearing twenty years old, had endured a lifetime of trauma and remained deeply mistrustful of humans. Four stallions were saved that day—including a gentle soul we lovingly call "The Paint"—and each was transported to safety in Pennsylvania.
With time, care, and a thousand small victories, all four were gelded (surgically castrated to prevent breeding and promote calmer behavior) and began the slow, patient journey of healing. Eventually, three made their way across the country to their forever home at Sinkyone Sanctuary. Though The Paint stayed with his foster in Pennsylvania, he’s always in our hearts—an honorary member of the herd.
Here in the rolling hills of California, Calis and Finvarra blossomed. Calis grew into a healthy, vibrant horse, defying every early prediction. And though Gabriel remains physically untouchable, he now approaches with curiosity and calm, often standing quietly nearby, thirty years old and finally safe.
One unforgettable day, the three new arrivals met Prajna, a rescued local mare. As Gabriel and Prajna circled each other for the first time, something magical happened—they leapt into the air, wild and joyful, like horses remembering what it means to be free. It was a moment of pure beauty, a celebration of survival and newfound peace.
Today, Gabriel, Calis, and Finvarra live out their days surrounded by love, safety, and the freedom they were once denied. Their story is a reminder that healing takes time, but hope is always within reach, and sometimes, it even jumps for joy.
