Every day at CJ Acres Animal Rescue Farm, the caregivers are surrounded by happy animals. At morning feed, the horses prance around the barn knowing that fresh grain and hay will soon arrive in their stalls. The pigs squeal with delight at the prospect of getting fruit, vegetables and juice delivered right to their feed bowls. The ducks jockey for position to secure the best lettuce and get the first drink of fresh water.

Later in the day, the goats happily sun themselves on elevated decks. The barn cats joyfully stretch in-between (what else) catnaps. As dinnertime approaches, the chickens and turkeys merrily peck and scratch at the grain and corn thrown on the ground. The mood is positive, even though their pasts may not have been.

Before starting another animal rescue blog, we researched what was currently online. We looked at the offerings and wondered what we could possibly present that would be different…no wait, better. After reading a number of blogs detailing all the cruelties animals face every day (complete with photos) and offering the evils that the lion’s share of humankind continues to bestow on creatures throughout the world, we realized there was a lack of focus on the positive side of animal rescue, or should we say animal recovery.

Now, don’t get us wrong. There is a lot of evil in the world. Unfortunately, we come across it all too often when extracting an in-need animal from a terrible situation. In fact, almost every animal at CJ Acres Animal Rescue Farm came from a horrifying situation. Imagine waking up to find yourself on the dead pile at a slaughterhouse or finding yourself in an abusive home without the benefit of sight. The list of past atrocities faced by our residents is both unimaginable and long.

Yet, each of these animals shows gratitude and joy for even the simplest things. The warmth of the sun…a gentle caress…a kind voice…a fresh drink of water. They choose not to focus on their negative histories but instead appreciate the present joys and look forward to brighter days ahead. Their hearts (and often their tails) wag with gratefulness at the positive care given by our volunteers, visitors, and donors.

So, the Tale Wags blog will be a place to read of the positives experienced at CJ Acres Animal Rescue Farm. We’ll detail the progresses made, the accomplishments achieved, and the joys experienced by our herd of animal residents and human caretakers. We often say we can’t control their past but we can ensure a brighter tomorrow. We hope you will enjoy the tales of these wagging experiences in the coming months and years.