Other Residents of Bear Valley Rescue
Bear Valley Rescue provides sanctuary to more than just horses! Here are some of the other animals that have called the Rescue home.
Any of our residents can be sponsored. When you sponsor a resident, this is what you help us do:
- provide feed
- provide shelter
- provide horse jackets or blankets as needed
- provide medical care as needed
- provide trimming (farrier)
To sponsor a resident
- Download the sponsorship form.
- Print and complete the Sponsorship Form.
- Return your completed form to us via email, mail, or in person.
- Pay via one of the following methods:
- Send post-dated cheques directly to the Rescue
- E-transfer to bearvalleyab@aol.com
- Set up a monthly or one-time donation through the Canada Helps, ATB Cares, or the Paypal Donate link below.
- Set up a monthly electronic funds transfer (EFT). Contact us for bank details.
Currently we have four goats - Timbit, Rosie, Lilly, and Gracie.
Our senior llama, Moe, passed away peacefully at the (min.) age of 22 in January, 2025. We'd purchased him at a horse auction in the spring of 2004.
Our senior llama, Moe, passed away peacefully at the (min.) age of 22 in January, 2025. We'd purchased him at a horse auction in the spring of 2004.
Moe
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Timbit
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Pygmy goats Rosie, Gracie, Lilly
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Most pigs don't get to live a long life as they are bred to become big and heavy and are slaughtered at a young age. Arthritis usually sets in early too. Thankfully for our pigs we were able to give them medication if they needed it, to keep them comfortable as long as they were with us. The longest life expectancy for large-size pigs we've found is only about 10 or 11 years of age. Our last pig, Tulip, was euthanized in August, 2024. Tulip was 12 years old, which is very old for a pig.
Our first pigs were Berkie and Rocky, who came to us in 2004. Berkie, it turned out, was pregnant. Berkie was a Large Black/Berkshire cross and Rocky and Pansy were Spotted, except that Rocky was smaller because he was a runt. Harold and Gimper were born in February, 2005. Berkie passed away many years ago, as did Rocky. We took in more pigs over the years - 3 from another rescue that closed down, and 4 that were saved from a flood. Pansy passed away in the fall of 2015. Sadly we lost both Gimper and Harold in 2016. Eric passed away in late 2018, Petunia in 2019, Boris in 2020, Penny in 2021, and Spot in 2023, Stella in early 2024 and Tulip in August, 2024. We really enjoyed having them all. They were each unique and had great personalities.
Our first pigs were Berkie and Rocky, who came to us in 2004. Berkie, it turned out, was pregnant. Berkie was a Large Black/Berkshire cross and Rocky and Pansy were Spotted, except that Rocky was smaller because he was a runt. Harold and Gimper were born in February, 2005. Berkie passed away many years ago, as did Rocky. We took in more pigs over the years - 3 from another rescue that closed down, and 4 that were saved from a flood. Pansy passed away in the fall of 2015. Sadly we lost both Gimper and Harold in 2016. Eric passed away in late 2018, Petunia in 2019, Boris in 2020, Penny in 2021, and Spot in 2023, Stella in early 2024 and Tulip in August, 2024. We really enjoyed having them all. They were each unique and had great personalities.
Petunia
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Boris
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Harold
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Penny
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Sunny & Donald in their pool
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The Rescue is home to a variety of poultry. Most of our chickens are rescues - chickens are often culled before they are a year old because their egg production slows down. Because they live their entire short lives in small cages, once they come to the Rescue they have to learn how to roost and scratch and even how to walk properly. One of our turkeys was to be someone's Thanksgiving dinner through an auction but the winning bidders surrendered her to us instead! Roosters also have a hard time finding home so we have 2 pens of just roosters.
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We have taken in a number of feral and domestic rabbits over the years- over 80 rabbits from the Canmore cull alone, and 18 rabbits that were found dumped in a nearby forestry reserve, for example. Every rabbit we have has been spayed or neutered and is allowed to live out its life here at the Rescue. They had quite an extensive warren of burrows that they'd constructed over the years! Even rabbits need regular care though, as sometimes they get ill or injured, so we always make sure they are checked every day and received the care that they need. Sadly, our last rabbit was humanely euthanized (due to arthritis) in early 2025.
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We have a herd of rescue cows. Some are old retired beef cows, some were surrendered, and some came from other rescues. |
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Click here to sponsor one of our animals!
