Myakka animal sanctuary lands important grant

Founder and President Dave Burns had his hands locked on Thor the goat, as did volunteer Shelly Chvotzkin as they guided him across the Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary in Myakka City.

"If Dave lets him go, he will go off running," said Vice President Lisa Burns (Dave's wife) as they passed.

It was a hot and humid mid-July day, and not the kind of day where you would want to chase a 13-year-old Nubian goat, so the pair were careful to keep Thor in hand.

Thor had been having some stomach issues that morning, so Dave Burns and Chvotzkin were going to take him to another place on the grounds where they could get a closer look at him.

The two were soaked with sweat from the chores they had been performing since early that morning. Thor's illness was just an added task at a sanctuary that deals with additional tasks every day.

One reason is that many of the 182 animals on the grounds are of advanced age for their species. Young, vibrant animals aren't cast off quite as easily as older ones that have potentially more medical conditions to consider.

In a rather remote location off State Road 64, the relentless workload is handled each day by Dave and Lisa Burns and their volunteers. That work goes on in virtual obscurity.

Since Hurricane Ian destroyed much of the property's perimeter fencing in September of 2022, the Farmhouse Sanctuary and Nature Preserve has not been able to host tours of the compound, a great way of attracting donors and introducing the community to its mission. Then Hurricane Milton delivered another knockout blow to many of the Hurricane Ian repairs that had been accomplished.

Photo by Jay Heater

Fortunately for the nonprofit, the Bishop-Parker Foundation awarded a $50,000 grant to Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary (announced July 9) that will allow the sanctuary to rebuild all its perimeter fencing — except for the front of the compound which remains solid — as well as providing funds for other needed repairs that were caused by the hurricanes.

"This is amazing for us," said Lisa Burns, who founded the nonprofit with her husband Dave in 2017. "We've had no tours for three years. That's the way we get the word out about what we do and how we let people see what we do with the animals. This is a bright spot for us."

Losing the perimeter fence has been a hardship for the sanctuary since it has limited the space their horses, kangaroos and other animals can utilize. During Ian, Lisa and Dave Burns were outside in the storm in the middle of the night putting up temporary fencing so their animals couldn't get out and predators couldn't get in.

"We still have two pastures we can't use," Lisa Burns said. "Our horses only have been able to use half the land that they were able to use before."

The sanctuary at one-time had 11 kangaroos or wallabies and now has just one wallaby. The kangaroos and wallabies that have died over the past three years have lived far beyond their life expectancy.

The fences must be at least 8 foot tall because the wallabies can jump over 6-foot fences.

Photo by Jay Heater

It is likely the Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary will have more kangaroos and wallabies in the future as not many places, outside of zoos, are willing to give a home to the animals, which require a lot of care and a very special diet.

"We're open to that," Lisa Burns said of caring for more wallabies or kangaroos. They do come from different places. Some people bring them to us after having them as backyard pets."

The couple has to pick wisely when it comes to accepting new animals as the sanctuary is near its limit. Their sole wallaby, which is only a year old, came from North Fort Myers' Shell Factory and Nature Park, which closed last September when the aging park was no longer financially viable.

It's hard for any sanctuary to manage the books when it cares for cast-off animals or ones that had no home because an owner died, or moved. For example, their only cow, Winnie the Moo, came from a property where the land was sold to a developer. Since Winnie the Moo can't produce milk, she didn't have many options. Dave and Lisa Burns took her. They said they turn down a dozen requests a week.

It is one more mouth to feed.

Grants such as the one the Bishop-Parker Foundation provided are incredibly important.

Dave Burns will begin working on the perimeter fence in a week with any volunteers willing to help. 

Will the new fencing be hurricane proof?

"Probably not," Lisa Burns said. "But we are keeping our fingers crossed."

The metal panels give them hope their new fence will be far stronger when the next hurricane comes through. It will need to be since many of the trees that surrounded the property have fallen in hurricanes.

Dave Burns already had built some fencing with metal panels, but those sections were damaged during Milton, not because the wind blew them over, but because falling trees damaged them.

Photo by Jay Heater

Hope is a constant at Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary. Dave and Lisa Burns try to say yes to animals that need a home, if they can.

They just accepted a 28-year-old horse "that needed a safe place."

Nobody wanted the mare, who is so late in life. But there's another side.

"She loves attention," Lisa Burns said. "When you are around her, she makes all these kinds of noises. She likes to be petted and groomed."

The Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary has one year to complete all the tasks that are listed on the grant request. Lisa Burns said they should complete that work much sooner. Then she looked down the perimeter of the property at all the broken fence and grown-up vegetation.

"Maybe it will take a year," she said with a smile.

When the fence is completed, it will mean more space for their two horses, two ponies, one donkey, Winnie the Moo, and others.

They will be doing the fence work around all their other chores, such as feeding the cleaning the animal areas.

"And there always is something to fix," Lisa Burns said.

The Farmhouse Animal and Nature Sanctuary will announce when it is ready to begin tours again. Those interested in adopting rabbits, tortoises, small birds or pigs can contact the sanctuary at FarmhouseSanctuary.org.