'Someone, not something': Winnipeg teen's sanctuary connects animals and people

A Winnipeg teen has created an animal sanctuary at her family's home in Charleswood in the hopes people will make connections with animals and see them as more than just food.

Jessica Walker, 15, started the Little Red Barn Micro Sanctuary in 2019 and has taken in dogs, cats, horses, cows and pigs ever since.

"Sometimes we have hobby farmers who love their animals so much and they want them to have a safe and happy life where they are cared for," Walker said.

It has a very calming effect to hang out with the cows.- Jessica Walker

"We also go to meat auctions where we rescue horses directly from there, as well as we partner with farmers to rescue their animals after their retirement."

The sanctuary started after Walker did research on factory farming and the effects on animals, and eventually looked at ways to teach children how to love and respect animals.

WATCH | Jessica Walker introduces her furry friends

Winnipeg teen creates animal sanctuary at her home in Charleswood

4 years ago

Duration 2:38

Winnipeg teen Jessica Walker runs The Little Red Barn Micro Sanctuary at her family’s acreage in Charleswood. It is a place where people can come, learn and make connections with animals.

"Our mission statement here at Little Red Barn is teaching empathy and compassion to children while rescuing and advocating for farm animals," she said.

"We really want to teach people and individuals about how farm animals are someone, not something, and we can all make small or large changes to help them."

Walker gives tours to visitors, allowing them to spend time with the farm animals, many for the first time.

One of the programs, called "Zen Bovine," is geared toward people with anxiety, she says: "It has a very calming effect to hang out with the cows."

Eventually, Walker says, she hopes to take her message to a broader audience that farm animals are friends, not just food.

"My long-term goal for the Little Red Barn Sanctuary is something we have actually started this year, which is to develop a presence in school systems where we can really help children learn about farm animals, and meet them in a way that they probably haven't done before," she said.

"Many people nowadays live in the city and have never actually interacted with the farm animal before. They've never got to know what makes them so awesome and and why they are so amazing to hang out with."