More of Our Sanctuary Family: Jorgina, Sally, and Milo

In addition to the elephant residents here at Elephant Sanctuary Brazil (and the revolving door of rescue animals we rehabilitate), we also have cats, dogs, chickens, two goats, and a lamb.

The goats, Jorgina (Jorgie) and Sally, are supposedly litter mates who were owned by someone who sold goat’s milk. Because they were (of course) drinking their mom’s milk, the owner needed to get rid of them. They were both fearful when they arrived, but once we gave them space to run, the two both opened up to us fairly quickly. Within a week, they settled down and became comfortable with their new home and with us.

The two have funny personalities, a little sweet and a little salty. They are prone to jumping on just about anything and we’ve even caught them on top of the truck, looking for something they were decidedly not supposed to eat. Hilariously, they don’t like to eat some of the things they are supposed to, like vitamins or medicine that is made into sugar cubes. When they spend time in their enclosure, Jorgie and Sally both run around, clearing the space of chickens – much to the chickens’ dismay. Both of them love to be around people and everyone here seems to love them back, even when they are being a little ornery.

Milo is a lamb that came to us at 7 days old, after his mother died. He was very sick when he was brought to us, so he spent the first couple months of his life inside. He had to wear a diaper because lambs obviously aren’t housebroken – but he slept in the dogs’ beds and at some point seemed to decide he was a dog. Milo slept on the porch with the dogs and would run with them alongside the 4-wheeler. He didn’t know better; that’s what he thought he was supposed to do, and it was quite charming.

Recently, Milo has been spending more time with Jorgie and Sally. That decision was made in part by the humans because he is not allowed in the house anymore (he’s a pee and poop machine), and also because he started to discover that he had things in common with them. Jorgie is generally not as sweet as Sally, but she has grown to like having him around. Sally took to him more easily, but still likes to chase him for fun; it’s a harmless game.

All three of them will come to the house requesting food, particularly Milo. He still loves the dogs and running with them alongside the 4-wheeler on occasion. Jorgie and Sally now have another herd animal that is part of their sanctuary family, and their relationships will only deepen as they get older and spend more time together.

Photo of Scott feeding Baby Milo

Comments(10)

Barb says
June 19, 2021 at 3:38 pm
Cuteness and sweetness overload most welcome today!! Thanks for the uplifting “tails”!
Julie says
June 19, 2021 at 4:23 pm
An animal lovers heaven on Earth! Thank you for being a prolific writer with seemingly endless great animal adventures as source material!
Wim says
June 19, 2021 at 5:23 pm
Sanctuary to many friends in need is a blessing indeed.
Quite a handful l presume.
No dull moments in your multi-herd. 🤗💚
Katie Howard says
June 19, 2021 at 5:39 pm
Sooooo, back when I had a menagerie (2 horses, a pony, 2 dogs, a cat, an iguana, a cockatiel, several rabbits and chickens), we added a Pygmy goat to the mix! Enter Jasper…He was tiny and fragile looking and I wasn’t sure he’d make it.
After a few weeks, however, he proved me wrong and then went on to break every other idea I had about goats (whom I love!)
Jasper became Le Roi! (King). He, too, thought he was a dog and ran with them. But of course he could climb so he could get places the dogs could not. He herded the horses and the chickens and the dogs. He terrorized the cat. He ate the garden. He would dance on the peaked wooden roof of the dog house in the morning making a terrible racket, and then the dogs would come out of it barking and he quite literally would leap on them!
He was a holy terror and an escape artist. It was impossible to build an enclosure secure enough to keep him in. He opened gates, using his lips like fingers. He scaled fences, he followed the dogs in the house via the doggy door! In short, he was impossible to contain.
But he was lovable and entertaining and eventually his little pot belly and age calmed him down. In spite of his antics, all the animals (& family) enjoyed him enough to offset the occasional “goat zoomies” he would have. One of my favorite pets ever! 😁
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  Kat Blais says
  June 19, 2021 at 6:04 pm
  he sounds perfect- thank you for sharing. Milo nibbles on the keys in the door to try to open it. he hasn’t done it yet, but we don’t doubt he will. 🙂
Debbie Sides says
June 19, 2021 at 6:40 pm
I love that the sanctuary is there for all wildlife in need. Lovely to see them and they are happy there.
Sallie says
June 19, 2021 at 9:51 pm
Sanctuary is such a calming word. I believe be us human or elephant, we get the beauty of it all, and it makes us all better creatures . . .
Sandi Paquet says
June 20, 2021 at 10:34 am
Love this story Kat! I was thinking that the goat must have felt so small to Scott after the elephants. You guys have a great family there. So glad that the sanctuary is open to all. Any news on the other elephants that you’re moving to the sanctuary? Looking forward to that. Have a great day and week.
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  Kat Blais says
  June 20, 2021 at 12:57 pm
  Nothing definitive at this point. We will share when we know more. 🙂
JoAnn Merriman-Eaton says
June 21, 2021 at 6:10 pm
This story of GSE and their menagerie is heart warming. What a wonderful life of freedom, love and care you have provided for these beautiful souls. THANK YOU.

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