Summer 2021 Newsletter
A REFUGE FOR FARM ANIMALS IN CT
Nestled in the bucolic hills of Litchfield, CT and hidden away down a long driveway, is the tranquil, wooded setting of the JP Farm Animal Sanctuary, home to several rescued cows, chickens, pigs, two people-loving turkeys and the home of Oscar Janssen and Lynn Printy, the “J” and “P” of the JP Farm Animal Sanctuary.
Oscar Janssen, a private corporate jet pilot and Lynn Printy, a flight attendant for the same corporation, long interested in companion animal rescue, became intrigued with the Scottish Highland cow, a small cow with a thick, shaggy coat and prominent horns. After researching the diet and care of this unique breed, the Scottish Highland cow seemed like the perfect animal to begin their dream of opening a farm animal rescue program on their property in Newtown.
After locating a Scottish Highland breeding farm in eastern Connecticut, Oscar and Lynn began visiting the farm to learn more about the breed. On one of their frequent trips, they noticed one of the cows that had recently calved appeared sickly, had a large gash on her side and was clearly too weak to nurse. When Oscar asked if the farmer had called the vet, he told them she could no longer be bred. Realizing the that the farmer did not intend to treat her, Oscar asked if he could pay for the vet expenses; the farmer not only agreed but asked if the couple would be interested in adopting her. The couple eagerly agreed to adopt her as soon as she was physically able to travel. They also decided to adopt her son and - and another cow mom and her son.
In 2016, after clearing and fencing part of their property, the two cow moms and their young sons soon arrived at their new home, the JP Farm in Newtown, CT.
The couple soon realized that these four cows were just the beginning of their quest to rescue farm animals. But their Newtown property didn’t have enough acreage for more farm animals and, more importantly, Oscar and Lynn did not have working knowledge of any other farm animals. Enter the Farm Animal Adoption Network, a part of Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, New York. Since 1986 the network has provided safe haven for thousands of rescued farm animals.
The Network not only provides their members with information about rescued farm animals needing new homes but holds ongoing educational seminars for their members on farm animal care and remains available by phone for any and all questions from their members.
The Janssen-Printy couple began attending the educational seminars and began looking into a larger tract of land in Connecticut. Settling on 44 idyllic acres in Litchfield, the JP Farm joined the Farm Animal Adoption Network, and in 2019 the JP Farm Animal Sanctuary was born. After convincing Oscar’s sister, Britt Janssen and her husband, to move back to CT from the Netherlands to work on the new farm, Britt quickly eased into the role of Farm Manager, affectionately known as “Farm Boss”. Since 2019. the JP Farm Animal Sanctuary has given forever homes to their current and very happy rescued cows, chickens, pigs, and turkeys with the intention of rescuing several more farm animals in the future.
To learn more about the JP Farm Animals Sanctuary, visit https://jpfarmsanctuary.org. /