visit gentle barn

Visiting the Gentle Barn (Santa Clarita, California)

By: Author Corinne Vail

Posted on Published: 24 Oct 2023  - Last updated: 12 Feb 2024

Do you and your kids love animals? Have you ever wanted to hug a cow? Well, here’s your chance. Visiting the Gentle Barn, kids of all ages get to pet, hug, or just enjoy being around farm yard animals for a day. The perfect way to put a smile on your face. You’ll love it!

The Gentle Barn is a unique concept of a petting zoo, located near Santa Clarita, California. We visited this amazing place with our three-year-old grandson and all of us, adults and children alike, had the time of our lives.

Have you ever considered visiting a farm to take some adorable photos of your children, auntie, or anyone else with beautifully decorated cows wearing bows and ribbons? You can also visit the horse pasture and feed the horses while enjoying a great photo opportunity. It’s a fun and unique experience well worth trying!

In this article:

What is the Gentle Barn Known For?

• What we Liked
• Activity Rating
• How to Get There

Best Time to Go

Things to do at the gentle barn, where to eat.

• Things to Do Nearby

We had the opportunity to take a tour of the Gentle Barn facilities and meet all the animals, which were all rescue animals. The Gentle Barn is famous for its cows, most of which have been rescued from the dairy or beef production process. It’s heartwarming to know that these animals have been given a second chance at life.

The idea behind the cow hugging experience was not just to rescue animals, but also to use their stories to connect with underprivileged children or those with mental health issues. The farm is home to a variety of animals, including cows, turkeys, chickens, dogs, horses, donkeys, and even pigs. Although most of them are barnyard animals, each one has a unique story to tell.

Gentle Barn Arrival and Briefing

When you arrive, you must first show your ticket at the booth and attend a brief orientation on what to expect, where to find things like restrooms, and how to behave around the animals. Volunteers at each enclosure, whether it’s the horse, cow, or pig enclosure, will provide further instructions on how to interact with the animals in that area.

To ensure safety, there are plenty of hand disinfectant stations throughout the farm that you can use before touching the animals. There are also handwashing stations nearby to wash your hands as you exit.

One of the unique things about The Gentle Barn is that both kids and adults can go into the different areas where the animals are pastured or kept in their living areas. Visitors can pet, hug, and spend time with the animals.

What We Liked about the Gentle Barn

Our experience was that there were so many volunteers who wanted to work at the gentle barn that most of the animals, if not all, had a person who looked after them specifically.

What that means is that they spent the time to get to know the animal: know what frightens them, know where the animal likes to be touched and petted, whether the animal likes to be brushed, likes to be hugged, if it likes children, or if it wants to be left alone.

Really the volunteer gets to know all the ins and outs of that particular animal, and they definitely talk about the animal with pride and love.

Talking to the volunteers, you get to hear all kinds of information and stories about each individual animal. The volunteer will often tell you their rescue story, their history at the Gentle Barn, and all kinds of fun facts and tidbits. It makes the entire experience so much more fulfilling.

One of the main reasons we went to the Gentle Barn was so that AJ, our three-year-old grandson, could hug and pet the cows. Every time he drives by a pasture, he points out the cows and calls them “cow, cow”. So, we decided to make his dream come true and take him to the Gentle Barn, where he could get up close and personal with the cows; all the other animals were just a bonus.

What’s funny is when you approach these animals they’re so much larger than you expect, and for a three-year-old who is about 2 to 2 1/2 feet tall it’s pretty imposing, to say the least. When you first enter, the docents hand you a brush. We all took one and it gave us something to do while we grew accustomed to being in the cow enclosure.

The volunteers were worried about the cows swinging their heavy heads around or stepping on us, so we were warned to be really careful about our position. Someone was always nearby to make sure we were safe, too. We found the cows were quite gentle and seemed to enjoy being brushed and petted.

Activity Rating and Kid Rating

We had an absolute blast at the Gentle Barn, but definitely, the person who got the most out of it was AJ. He couldn’t get enough of brushing and hugging the cows, by far his favorite thing, but to be fair, he really loved all of it.

Do I think that the Gentle Barn is just for younger age people? No. I was shocked and surprised at how many older people were there without children, and they were having such a good time. I mean, really, who doesn’t love a good cow hug?

Where is the Gentle Barn?

During our recent visit, we went to The Gentle Barn located in Santa Clarita, California. It’s worth noting that there are two other Gentle Barn locations, one in Nashville, Tennessee, and the other in St. Louis, Missouri. However, we only visited the original one in California, where the founder has been living for over 20 years. Luckily it’s open all year and is not far from some of the California ski resorts with the most snow.

Address: 15825 Sierra Hwy, Santa Clarita, CA 91390

Getting to the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita

The Gentle Barn is conveniently located very close to Los Angeles. You can easily slide it into your itinerary, giving the kids a unique barnyard experience. Another good option is to make it a stop on your I-5 road trip .

Directions from I-5: Take exit 162 to California highway north to Sand Canyon Rd.

When we visited the place during the summer, we had a great time. The place was bustling with lots of people and the weather was warm and comfortable. However, it did get a little too hot at times, so I would recommend visiting during spring or fall. Winter would also be a great time to visit. Really, you can visit the place at any time of the year and have a great experience.

The best time to visit the Gentle Barn would be right after it opens and the animals haven’t had too much people exposure. Just like humans, they don’t want to be bothered all day long. The volunteers do make sure that they get breaks and time away from people as well.

During your visit to the animal sanctuary, you can explore the various types of animals in their enclosures and interact with them through activities such as hugging, brushing, and feeding (in some cases).

Additionally, there is a café on site offering vegan food options, as well as a small shop. The sanctuary focuses on animal rehabilitation and requires significant funding to save and rehabilitate animals in the area. Visitors can sponsor the animals and contribute to this amazing cause.

What We Did

Our first task of the day was to visit the cows. It was at the top of our to-do list, and we wanted to make sure we looked our best for the photos. Additionally, we were keen to get there early, while it was still relatively quiet, because it can become crowded later in the day.

During our initial briefing, there were around 25 people, so we wanted to make sure we had the opportunity to interact with the cows before it got too busy. As we were leaving, we noticed that there were already lines forming to gain access to the cow enclosure.

After that, we visited the horses and fed them carrot pieces, which was one of the highlights of the day. The lady selling the carrot pieces was hilarious, cracking a joke for each person who came up to buy them. Her kindness and love for the animals was evident, and she was a great representative of the volunteers at the Gentle Barn.

After visiting the horses, we walked up the hill to a farmyard where we saw various animals such as chickens, pigs, turkeys, a llama, and an emu. Upon entering the enclosure, we were able to interact with the animals, some of which were resting or taking naps.

While some were initially closed off, they were later let out by the volunteers, who were careful not to let them become overexerted. The animals are rescued and living their lives here, so they are not always on display. This is a great way for them to enjoy their lives in peace.

We really enjoyed seeing, petting, and interacting with both the animals as well as their caretakers.

If you’re planning to visit the Gentle Barn , it is important to buy your tickets beforehand. Our family decided to visit on a Sunday afternoon, and we were impressed by the whole experience, from buying tickets online to finding ample parking.

What to bring?

When visiting any Gentle Barn location, it’s recommended that you wear appropriate outdoor clothing such as jeans, a shirt, or sturdy, closed-toe shoes. This will ensure your safety around the animals and prevent any scratches or other injuries. Additionally, it’s crucial to protect yourself from the sun and avoid overheating with a large floppy hat, and, it goes without saying, bring your sun cream.

Don’t forget to have your ticket on your phone. You can order tickets from their website . We recommend that as soon as you know when you’d like to go, start looking at tickets, they sell out quickly. We had to wait two weeks for a space, so just don’t wait until the last minute.

As I mentioned, there is a café on site where you can have a small lunch or snack. Apparently, their vegan hot dogs are pretty darn good. We didn’t eat there because we were hankering for California’s favorite hamburger joint, In n’ Out, with a store right there in Santa Clarita.

More Things to Do Nearby-ish

• Ronald Reagan Presidential Library
• Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve
• Channel Islands National Park and some other Southwestern National Parks

If you’re looking for an enjoyable activity for children in the Los Angeles or Southern California area, The Gentle Barn is a must-visit. Apart from that, there are several other exciting things you can do in the vicinity, such as experiencing a super bloom at the California State Poppy Reserve or wakeboarding at nearby Lake Castaic. A little further afield there’s Channel Islands National Park, Hollywood and Disneyland, and much more.

Author Bio – Corinne is an avid camper and traveler. She’s been to all 50 of the US states and has four more Canadian provinces to visit. However, she’s not stopping yet. There’s always more to see of this great continent! Corinne loves local foods, getting outdoors, landscape photography, and road trips.

The Gentle Barn

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Tickets must be reserved in advance RESERVE SUNDAY TICKETS GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE HERE Donation: Adults $20, Kids (2-12y) $10, Under 2y Free   Timed Entry: 11:00a-1:00p Winter Hours: 12/17/2023 - 03/31/2024 - We will be closing at 1pm and there will not be a 12:00 entry time. Times are all CENTRAL times. Please note that tickets are non-refundable. ...

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News | Santa Clarita’s Gentle Barn taps the…

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News | Santa Clarita’s Gentle Barn taps the healing power of cow hugs

Once abused, neglected, starved, or sick, these animals offer comfort to stressed-out calm-seekers.

It was a cool afternoon, and she had waited years for this moment. She placed her face against Athena and squeezed her girth firmly.

Athena did her part, laying peacefully on the dirt, soothing and calming Castro.

Athena is one of the therapy cows at Gentle Barn, an animal rescue in Santa Clarita. Ellie Laks, who founded the Gentle Barn in 1999, believes that cows have the power to heal people, and she sees it every day.

Sarah, who works in a school’s front office, and her mother Nora Castro drove six and a half hours from their home in Sacramento to experience a bit of this bovine bliss.

“I googled hugging cows, and this was the closest place to me, so we had to come,” she said, having become obsessed with cows six years ago.

Sarah Casto, 33-years old, Sacramento spends some time with Cow Madonna at the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, CA, Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Sarah Casto, 33-years old, Sacramento, hugs cow Aretha at the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, CA, Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Sarah Casto, 33-years old, Sacramento, hugs cow Holy Cow at the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, CA, Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Gentle Barn founder Ellie Laks and Sarah Casto, 33-years old, Sacramento pet a cow at the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, CA, Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Nora Castro and daughter Sarah hug cows at the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, CA, Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021. The mother and daughter drove from Sacramento to hug cows at the Gentle Barn. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Kim Lane, 67-years old, volunteer at the Gentle Barn, with cows at the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, CA, Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Sarah Casto, 33-years old, Sacramento hugs cow Athena at the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, CA, Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Kim Lane, 67-years old, volunteer at the Gentle Barn, hugs cow Faith at the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, CA, Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Kim Lane, 67-years old, volunteer at the Gentle Barn, rubs cow Aretha at the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, CA, Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Ellie Laks, founder of the Gentle Barn, gets some love from cow John Lewis Thunderheart at the Gentle Barn in Santa Clarita, CA, Tuesday, Dec 21, 2021. John Lewis Thunderheart was born in a slaughterhouse while his mom was waiting to be killed. He was rescued and brought to the Gentle Barn. (Photo by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)

Sarah stood in the parking lot, visibly shaking from the excitement of getting to spend some up-close time with the bovine. Laks gave them some cow-hugging pointers before opening the gate and inviting the pair into the enclosure.

The cows were ready.

“This is Athena,” Laks said, introducing the cow to Sarah.

Sarah sat down, placing her arms around the animal, resting her head on her to hear her heartbeat. Her eyes were closed, a smile and tears on her face as she hugged a cow for the first time.

“It’s more than I could have imagined. I don’t even know how to explain it. Like when you hug them, you just feel their love; it’s amazing, peaceful,” she said.

It had been a dream for Laks since she was 7 years old.

“I was born obsessed with animals like I think we all are, but I never lost that attachment to it,” she said. “I was going through challenges growing up, and it was always animals that I could cry to. Animals that gave back to me that I had value and worth and animals that made me feel like I was going to be ok. So I know the value that animals have; they have saved my life many times.”

The concept started with Buda more than 20 years ago.

“I got Buda because she was going to go to slaughter, and we were rescuing farm animals, so we got our first cow,” Laks said. “I had no idea that cows hugged or healed, but she healed me. She got me through the origins of the Gentle Barn in the early years, so that is how I discovered cow hugs from Buda.”

Living in Tarzana, Laks would lay against Buda after a stressful day. “It made everything better.” Laks wanted others to experience the power of cow hugs.

Laks has been encouraging people to hug cows for 23-years, and she has seen the power of cow hugs many times.

There was a troubled teenaged girl that needed help. She was living in foster care and was having a difficult time. “The first time I met her, she wouldn’t look at me. She wouldn’t talk. She was very shut down. She was 17 at the time; we went in to see the cows. Our baby cow John Lewis ran over to her, he was licking her, he was chewing her hair, and he was being all silly cause he’s a baby. She started laughing, she completely opened up, she looked at me and started asking questions, she asked about his story, she asked about his personality.”

The girl came, again and again. She groomed horses, played with pigs. By the third time, she was telling Laks about herself, her feelings, her life, and what she was going through. “She completely opened up because of these cows.”

The animals at Gentle Barn have all come from terrible situations. Abused, neglected, starved, or sick, they all started their lives in the worst of ways. John Lewis was born on the floor of a slaughterhouse as his mother waited to be killed.

“They let us have him but not his mother,” Laks said.

They rescue animals from everywhere and then they help them heal before they help people heal. They take animals that have nowhere else to go. Horses, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, peacocks, llamas, dogs, cats, and emus are just some of the creatures that have found sanctuary at the Gentle Barn.

“The come scared and angry, and we put them through their recovery. Once they heal, leave their past behind them; they are so lovable,” said Laks. They work with veterinarians and give them therapy, nutritional supplements, and love to help them overcome past traumas. They work with anyone that finds animals that no one else wants.

Sarah moved from cow to cow, hugging — Athena, Holy Cow, Madonna, Aretha, and Faith

“Their love, their energy is just so strong,” Sarah said of her experience. When asked if it had a calming effect on her, she replied, “for sure.”

Two of the cows, Holy Cow, and Madonna were named by television talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and spouse Portia de Rossi during a visit to the Gentle Barn several years ago.

Laks believes that the world would be different if we all just hugged cows. Suppose we looked at cows as love, not food. “If we could only be like them instead of eating them, I think this planet would be a very different beautiful paradise.”

As the Castros and Laks left the docile cows after another rewarding cow hugging session, Laks paused.

“Thank you,” she said as she individually thanked her four-legged 1,500-pound friends, one by one, each by name, before closing the gate.

The Gentle Barn is open by appointment and each Sunday for the public to visit. The animal sanctuary has other locations in Nashville, Tennessee, and St Louis, Missouri. For more Information on the Gentle Barn: https://www.gentlebarn.org/

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Visiting The Gentle Barn in Tennessee

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of riding with me in a car, you know I’m known to literally yell “COW!” like a five year old every time I pass a cow.  It never fails.  I’m fascinated and have always been fascinated by these incredibly gentle creatures.  Last May, however, my relationship with cows changed drastically.  I haphazardly decided to go vegan – for a month to test it out – and I never stopped.  My animal loving self entered an entirely different playing field.  Since then, I’ve become obsessed with vegan food, vegan destinations, animal sanctuaries, and so on. I’ve searched for and absorbed every piece of information, book, documentary I’ve been able to get my hands on – I can’t remember when I discovered The Gentle Barn but I instantly knew I needed to visit.  With it being only a couple hours away, I had no excuse.

Before I even visited, I knew every piece of information about each animal possible.  I followed the updates religiously and I could tell everyone the animals’ life stories.  I felt like I knew how warm Dudley’s hugs were before I experienced them.  In December the stars finally aligned to where I could make a trip to visit The Gentle Barn.  I’ve been around plenty of farm animals my entire life but never ones that I knew, and they knew, that they would never be harmed in any way.

About The Gentle Barn

The Gentle Barn was founded in 1999 by Ellie Laks in her backyard in California.  She was always drawn to animals as a child – always rescuing them, turning to them for comfort and nurturing them.  It was only natural that she would one day open an animal sanctuary.  It is now no longer in her backyard and they have a paradise that gives sanctuary to 175 animals.  The Gentle Barn in Knoxville, Tennessee was opened in 2015 in order to rescue Dudley (more about him later).  The Gentle Barn gives sanctuary to 19 animals, as of now.

The Gentle Barn rescues animals from severe abuse and neglect who are too old, sick, lame, or scared to be adopted into homes.  They are sanctuary to horses, donkeys, cows, pigs, sheep, goats, turkeys, chickens, llamas, peacocks, emus, cats and dogs.  The other side of The Gentle Barn is that they help children who come from similar backgrounds – abuse and neglect – and aid them in their road to recovery.

Visiting the Gentle Barn

When you first arrive, the turkeys and chickens will eagerly greet you as you drive in, park and walk over to the barn.  You can see the pigs playing in the distance in their respective pastures and you can usually hear the cows communicating among themselves in their respective stalls.  While everyone is anxious to meet all of their new friends, you will first hear a short talk about The Gentle Barn.  Afterwards, you are free to roam about the property and visit the animals in whichever order you choose.  You have about two hours to visit with all your new found animal friends as well as eat a yummy lunch (included!) and visit the gift shop.  But, now on to the important part…the animals.

Meeting Dudley

❤️❤️❤️ – – – – #vegan #veganism #veganfood #veganlife #plantbased #bestofvegan #veganfoodshare #crueltyfree #eatclean #connection #rawvegansofig #bethechange #rawveganism #veganfoodporn #foodporn #vegansofig #instafood #foodie #food #veganvibes #govegan #vegetarian #myveganjourney #dairyfree #plantmedicine #veganbodybuilding #plantbasedmuscle A post shared by Ⓥ A S H L E Y (@vegan_earth_child) on Feb 11, 2017 at 5:05pm PST

Dudley is the show-stopper, for sure.  He is the reason the Tennessee location was opened in the first place.  I don’t want to go into too much detail on each animal’s story because I think it’s something fun to learn when you visit, but I will give you a small snippet of each.  Dudley was rescued in June of 2015, just a few months shy of his first birthday.  As a baby, he had his leg tangled in bailing twine which cut off all circulation to his foot and eventually severing it completely.  Dudley was left to hobble around on only three feet for a very long time which led to other complications in his body.  The rancher made the kind decision and eventually it led to allowing The Gentle Barn to rescue Dudley.  Through several surgeries and lots of physical therapy, Dudley now wears a prosthesis and gets to act like a normal cow.  Dudley has one of the amazing spirits and his hugs are unforgettable.

Meeting Maybelle, Miles + Eclipse

The cutest little cow family you’ve ever seen.  Momma Maybelle was rescued a year ago.  She had been a family dairy cow for 8 or so years and the family wanted to pay her tribute so instead of sending her to slaughter, they sent her to The Gentle Barn.  Once arriving at the farm, Maybelle was in obvious distress and they knew something was wrong right away.  They went back to the family and found out that Maybelle had just recently given birth to a calf, Miles.  She had been in distress because she wanted her son.  The Gentle Barn was the able to rescue Miles and not long after, they found Maybelle was pregnant and so in September, she gave birth to a female calf, Eclipse.  Eclipse has never known anything but kindness and love and it is quite clear.

Meet Destiny

Destiny was born with an umbilical cord infection which settled in her right front leg.  Given that she was meant to be slaughtered, the rancher did not spend money on vet costs but also didn’t want her to suffer.  Therefore, he tended to her wounds himself and over time, he bonded with Destiny and did not want to see her slaughtered.  The Gentle Barn was able to rescue her and she is now Dudley’s wife.  No, really, I’m serious.

Meeting Henry + Horton

Henry and Horton were both saved from slaughter at the same time.  They are the most adorable duo – Horton usually found napping and Henry usually found being the more energetic of the two – they balance each other quite nicely.  They both love tummy rubs, of course!

Meeting Lillie

A couple saw a truck full of pigs at a gas station, surely on their way to slaughter.  They all looked exhausted, hot and dehydrated.  They noticed one piglet in the very back not moving at all and they offered to pay the trucker to take her.  They had just visited the Gentle Barn recently and so the thought immediately was to see if they could take her.

Meeting Dream

Dream is the newest addition and you wouldn’t know it.  Dream was brought to the Gentle Barn by a woman who could not keep or care for her.  At first, she was scared and unsure but it didn’t take long for her to trust that she was where she belonged.

Meeting Indie, Worthy + Chris

This trio were rescued together from gross abuse and neglect.  They were emaciated, malnourished, terrified of humans and practically wild horses.  It was a long road for these guys but now they love being groomed, getting treats and loved on.

Meeting Daisy

Daisy was the Gentle Barn’s landlord’s horse.  She was in an adjacent property and would pace the fence and whine all day, wanting to be with the trio above.  The Gentle Barn eventually convinced the landlord to let her be part of their forever family.

The Turkeys

Meeting heather, luke skywalker + peyton manning.

These three were rescued together just before Thanksgiving in 2015 from a backyard butcher situation.  When you visit, they will greet you upon arrival and will eat treats out of your hand!

The Chickens

Meeting rick springfield.

Rick Springfield is such a charmer. ❤️ ?? A post shared by Ⓥ A S H L E Y (@vegan_earth_child) on Mar 11, 2017 at 10:08am PST

Rick was found in the Nashville airport.  After being unable to be caught for months, The Gentle Barn received a call and eventually were able to catch him.  He has been loving life ever since!

Meeting Jessie’s Girl

just a typical Saturday. @thegentlebarn A post shared by Ⓥ A S H L E Y (@vegan_earth_child) on Feb 11, 2017 at 10:58am PST

Jessie’s Girl was brought to The Gentle Barn as a companion for Rick and they are just about the cutest thing together.

After visiting The Gentle Barn a couple times, I decided I wanted to volunteer and so now I get to visit my friends every week and meet all the guests who come each week.  I hope you’ll come visit us soon!

For more information on The Gentle Barn and visiting, go here .

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Hi my name is Donnetta I have a duck that has one foot and trying to find a good home for her if you can help me please email me or call 8653333394 thank you hope I will be hearing from you.

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Taking a Visit to The Gentle Barn

NewsChannel5 photojournalist Nathan Sharkey took us to The Gentle Barn to see the farm and all the special animals they help. The Gentle Barn is a nonprofit sanctuary for severely abused and neglected animals. Once they've been saved, the animals help provide farm therapy for those going through tough times. The Gentle Barn is located in Christiana, Tennessee (about 30 minutes southeast of Nashville near Murfreesboro). They are open to the public on Sundays from 10am-2pm. Tickets must be reserved in advance to visit and are donation-based: $20 for adults and $10 for children 12 years and under. To learn more about The Gentle Barn or to make reservations, go to https://www.gentlebarn.org/tennessee/ .

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• Founders Message
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A Founders Message Back To Top

We live in a concrete, violent, noisy, high tech, busy world. We have lost our connection to animals, to nature, and most of all, to ourselves. Animals are living lives of torment from beginning to end, their cries are unheard, their pain is unseen, and they are suffering. The rate of heart disease, cancer, obesity, and diabetes has never been higher. The rain forests are being destroyed, we are in a global drought, we are polluting our air, and species go extinct every day. But by having reverence for all life and by reconnecting with Mother Earth we each can change all that. At The Gentle Barn we stand up for the innocent, and we help animals and children alike remember that they matter. We open people’s hearts to the connections with nature. We open people’s minds to what is happening around us. And we inspire people to be an integral part of the solution. Through the stories and interactions with our animals, we can raise future generations to have reverence for all life, protect our planet, live good healthy, happy lives, and we will all be closer to having peace on earth!

We can’t do this work without you and are grateful for your support. Enjoy the website and check back with us from time to time to see what's new. The best way to help is by making a donation, sponsoring an animal or sponsoring a group of school kids or underserved youth to come to The Gentle Barn.

Thank you so much for your support! With gratitude,

Ellie & Jay

A Brief History Back To Top

Ellie Laks founded The Gentle Barn in 1999; it was a dream of hers since she was seven years old. Animals were always very healing and nurturing to her as she faced the challenges of growing up, finding herself, fitting in, feeling understood, etc. She majored in special education and psychology, and with her special love of animals and children, The Gentle Barn was a perfect way of putting all her talents and passions into one.

Jay Weiner joined The Gentle Barn in 2002 as a volunteer, but fell in love with the place and the two joined forces to heal even more children and animals together. Like Ellie, Jay also turned to animals for the support, love and nurturing he needed as a child.

The Gentle Barn started on a half-acre property in the middle of the San Fernando Valley, CA. In 2003 Ellie and Jay moved The Gentle Barn to a six-acre paradise in Santa Clarita, CA. The property is complete with large horse and cow pastures, a red and white barnyard for the smaller animals, an organic vegetable garden, lots of shade trees, and a panoramic view of gorgeous mountains. There are nearly 200 animals that are safe and happy at The Gentle Barn, and there is plenty of room to welcome their visitors and the children they host.

The Gentle Barn has a second location in Nashville, Tennessee, and a third in St Louis, Missouri. Since its inception, The Gentle Barn has saved thousands of animals and been host to over 950,000 people.

Our Board of Directors Back To Top

• Alec Pedersen Board Chairman
• Martin Buonora Governance and National Committee
• Marc Hernandez Finance Committee
• John T. Wells Governance and National Committee
• Claudia Goodman Board Member

Key Staff Back To Top

• Ellie Laks Founder
• Jay Weiner Co-Founder & CEO
• Adam Smith Director of Technical Operations
• Jennifer Wampler Director of Operations
• Charlene Spiteri Director of Development

Financial Statements Back To Top

• 2023 Financial Statement
• 2022 Financial Statement
• 2021 Financial Statement
• 2020 Financial Statement

The name THE GENTLE BARN and the THE GENTLE BARN logo with the silhouette of a cow and a child on a grass field in a circle are registered trademarks of The Gentle Barn Foundation.

LBB & The Gentle Barn Present: Ellie Laks - Cow Hug Therapy

Jun 13, 2024 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Left Bank Books 399 N Euclid Ave , St Louis , Missouri 63108

May 18, 2024

Left Bank Books

2024 - Event IG Post 1080x1080 - 3

Left Bank Books and The Gentle Barn present Ellie Laks, founder of the Gentle Barn Foundation, an animal communicator, TEDx speaker, educator, and author. Join us as we celebrate and discuss "Cow Hug Therapy: How the Animals at the Gentle Barn Taught Me about Life, Death, and Everything in Between." This book is the inspirational story of the compassionate and wise animals of the Gentle Barn and how they became a therapeutic salve for countless guests. Christina Applegate says, "This book shows not only the power of Cow Hug Therapy with these wonderful creatures, but also their beautiful, individual personalities, which are evident when you meet them."

Laks will personalize and sign copies after the presentation! Personalized and signed copies will be available to be mailed anywhere in the country. For personalized copies, please order before noon on June 13th.

Join us at Left Bank Books

399 N. Euclid Ave

St. Louis, MO 63108

Please RSVP for this event: https://forms.gle/jZhz4GDqcrCaPiXT9

Order the Book: https://www.left-bank.com/book/9781608688685

Watch the livestream on Left Bank Books' YouTube Page: https://www.youtube.com/@LeftBankBooks/streams

About the Speaker:

Ellie Laks is the founder of the Gentle Barn Foundation, a national organization that rescues and rehabilitates unwanted animals and heals people with histories of trauma. She is an animal communicator, TEDx speaker, educator, and author. Ellie lives at the Gentle Barn's California location with her partner, Jay Weiner, who runs the organization with her. They have three children and hundreds of animals. GentleBarn.org

About "Cow Hug Therapy":

The inspirational story of the compassionate and wise animals of the Gentle Barn and how they became a therapeutic salve for countless guests -- and mentors for all of us in how to live and die

In "Cow Hug Therapy," Ellie Laks recounts the extraordinary journey that started with her first teacher, Buddha -- not the religious figure, but a rescued miniature Hereford cow. One evening Buddha wrapped her neck around an exhausted and upset Ellie and transferred a singular form of healing and comfort with an incredible impact. Understanding that this was something to be shared with others, Ellie developed Cow Hug Therapy, a groundbreaking approach to emotional healing that has proved effective for trauma, illness, disabilities, addiction, grief, and stress.

This colorful and compelling narrative introduces the healing mavens of the barnyard, each with a unique story of being rescued from trauma and treated with love and respect. In their new role at Ellie's Gentle Barn sanctuaries, these animals have transformed lives and ignited breakthroughs and newfound purpose for visitors including a young mother who lost her baby, a suicidal teenager, a wounded serviceman, an open-heart-surgery patient, and many more. A testament to empathy and the mission to heal animals, people, and the planet, "Cow Hug Therapy" serves as a beacon of hope for all seeking healing and connection.

P.O. BOX 191606 St. Louis, MO 63119 314-918-3000

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