Thanks to the world of social media, we’ve had the chance to admire all kinds of other adorable animals in recent years – from micropigs riding in strollers, to domesticated raccoons, to a snuggly Chinchilla named Mr. Bagel. But our favorite four-legged friends are currently a bunch of darling and delightful goats that have catapulted themselves to the top of our feed, who it turns out, reside right here in North Jersey and are waiting for you to come see them.
It’s called Goats of Anarchy, a non-profit sanctuary in Annandale with a sweet and simple mission: to rescue and rehabilitate goats with special needs. It’s the brain child of a former corporate event planner named Leanne Lauricella, who, after adopting a few goats, ended up with some baby goats who had birth defects and disabilities and realized she could help them. She now takes in goats with issues of all kinds – ranging from frostbite to neurological problems – and, with the help of volunteers, even makes prosthetics for those little guys with missing limbs.
Part of how she’s managed to garner attention, a volunteer staff, and donations to stay afloat is through her amazing Instagram feed (now up to 559,000 followers) where she posts pictures of her “kids” nearly every day. Ready for a visit? GOA has a growing roster of volunteers who come by the farm on Saturday mornings to help and the sanctuary also offers something called Goat Yoga where each human shares a mat with a goat. From what we can tell, it looks like just about the most fun you could possibly have ever. Just don’t tell your dog where you’re going ...
For visits and volunteering, email liz@goatsofanarchy.com
For info on goat yoga, email info@goatsofanarchy.com
