Whether you call her a modern-day St. Francis or the famous Dr. Doolittle clone, Jessie McNew has a heart as large as the ocean.
Jessie and her husband Shane started Winnie Penny Farm near Clarkesville, Georgia, a little over three years ago. It is a refuge for physically challenged animals and a home for those nobody wants.
Jessie learned about Joey, the lamb, from a friend. The farm he was born on was doing everything to care for him but didn’t know what to do. He was born with a condition in which his tendons were contracted and it made walking impossible.
“No one knew what to do with him,” Jessie explained. “We already had experience with impaired mobility animals and gladly took him. Now, he is racing around with his wheels!”
It all started with a lamb who needed full-time care. “Lambie” was being cared for by a nurse, but his care became too extensive. “When I heard about him, I thought to myself, ‘I’m homeschooling, and this could be a really good thing,’ and we took him in.”
Jessie learned she had a knack for caring for animals in need, animals no one else wanted, animals that society had thrown away.
Delta entered our lives when I heard there was an Aussie-Border Collie Mix that had been shot and lost the use of her legs. “She needed a home because she had more life to live, but no one wanted her.”
Jessie said that when anyone came to look at Delta, she would bite them. When I visited her, she didn’t bite me, and we took her home.”
Story after story fills the air of the unwanted finding a place to be wanted. But, it is the eyes that speak the most. The gentle nudge for a scratch on the head or the wet sticky kiss of appreciation says the most.
“Animals are God’s gift to the world to teach compassion and unconditional love,” Jessie said.
The work seems overwhelming, and walking around and seeing what this family does every day to help these animals is humbling, to say the least. Fundraising would be ideal, but there isn’t time for anyone to do it. Currently, the McNews have seven dogs, five cats, six sheep, two goats, two horses, two pigs, chickens, and geese that make up this small farm of misfits; but, as this reporter experienced the enormity of it all, it didn’t feel like anyone there didn’t fit. I kept whispering how much acceptance and hope surrounded them and made them into a family – humans and animals.
What is being done causes those who witness the farm to value Jessie McNew’s vision, but when you look further at the “how” it is being done, you understand even more what is before you. The selflessness of this entire family in giving their all to help the most helpless leaves me speechless.
Animal wheelchairs cost over $500, and the McNews have worked hard to pay for most everything out of pocket. Vet bills, medicines, feed, diapers, and everything else that comes with running a farm add up.
“We receive some donations, but most of what we need comes from us,” Jessie said. The cost of food alone is difficult, yet all the animals eat very well.
Recently, Jessie took in a black pitbull that was undernourished and sick.
“He weighed all of 20 pounds,” Jessie reflected. “After a few short months here, with love and attention, he is up to 60 pounds and running around.”
There is a warmth about the McNews that only comes from people who truly love in a way that many never realize. Spending the afternoon with Jessie and her family broke my heart, but in a way, our hearts should be broken in a way that comes from realizing the pain and struggles of others and the incredible feeling of finding a solution.
There are avenues to help.
Jessie and Shane have a Facebook page with opportunities to donate, but so much more needs to be done. Maybe you are skilled in digital marketing or fundraising. This would be the perfect opportunity for you to lend a hand. Maybe you could support them through donations of food for the animals. Whatever help looks like to you, reach out through Facebook and offer. There couldn’t be a better way to give of your time and finances than here at Winnie Penny Farm.
