noah

In the very first week of moving onto the sanctuary property in the spring of 2022, we met our neighbor—who, to our surprise, had a tiny brown lamb nestled in the backseat of her car. She introduced herself and explained that she raised sheep for meat, and the little lamb in her car had been rejected by his mother. She was bottle-feeding him, doing her best to keep him alive.

A week later, she reached out again. Two more lambs had been rejected, and she didn’t have the energy or health to keep up with the demanding five-times-a-day bottle feedings. She asked if we would take them. We agreed—but only under one condition: once they were weaned, they would stay at the sanctuary forever, never to face slaughter. After some hesitation, she agreed.

That’s how Noah and Abigail came to us at just three weeks old. Abigail was feisty and full of life, but Noah was weak—shivering, lethargic, barely able to stand. A vet visit confirmed our fears: he was sick. Not long after, Abigail fell ill too. For a week, we watched over them day and night, unsure if they would make it. But slowly, they grew stronger. One day, we found them stretched out in the sunshine, soaking in the warmth, tails wagging. Soon, they were racing through the fields, wild and free, finally learning what it meant to just be lambs.

Noah and Abigail are Navajo-Churro sheep, a rare and ancient heritage breed brought to North America by Spanish settlers in the 16th century and later embraced by the Navajo people. These sheep became an essential part of Navajo culture and economy, prized for their resilience and beautiful, multi-colored wool. Nearly lost to history, the breed was on the brink of extinction before conservation efforts helped bring them back.

Noah, all grown up today, is equal parts mischievous and affectionate. Always the first to beg for an animal cracker, he has a playful spirit and often rallies the herd for games on sunny afternoons.

Both of them were once destined for a fate they never deserved. But here, they are home. They are loved. They are free forever!