Johnny (Leilani Farm Sanctuary)

Johnny’s life began on a ranch with 65 other goats, and like his companions, Johnny’s fate was simple: eventually, he would be slaughtered and sold for meat. Sadly, his mother became ill and could no longer nurse him. This worried the rancher on the farm, because without regular feedings, Johnny would never grow big enough to sell. The rancher decided to bring Johnny into the house and bottle feed him a few times a day, but as time wore on, the rancher realized she couldn’t have a hand in killing him. Luckily, she heard someone at the local feed store talking about Leilani Farm Sanctuary on Maui and she knew that was the place for her Johnny.

He quickly found his place at Leilani Farm Sanctuary and left the other 65 goats on his first farm behind. He became fast friends with another goat kid named Ned, and together they were able to enjoy freedom and life without fear. They could play on rock piles together, explore the farm together, and even cuddle together in peace. Eventually, Leilani Farm Sanctuary invited the goat rancher to come see Johnny’s new home. The goat rancher and her husband, a pig farmer, arrived at the farm without any idea what to expect. Once they arrived, however, they found countless goats besides Johnny and Ned to meet. The rancher and farmer spent the afternoon learning the Leilani animals’ stories and came away with a new understanding: goats are complex, caring individuals with personalities. Two weeks later, the goat farmer decided to keep all of her goats instead of giving them up for slaughter, and a month after, her husband decided to leave the pig raising business for good.

Johnny, like every other animal, is an individual. Johnny now lives a peaceful life at Lelani with Ned, where they both found their sanctuary.