The Gentle Barn sent a fundraising email on September 24, 2025, stating, “We need your help! We only have 5 days left.” The email ended with an ominous warning: "If we fall short, we will be forced to begin relocating animals in the next 2 weeks." This email was sent during a campaign to collect $2 million—a goal so lofty that it left many Gentle Barn supporters and members of the sanctuary community perplexed by the circumstances leading to a financial crisis requiring millions of dollars in a matter of weeks.
Shorty after its final plea, The Gentle Barn announced in a social media post on October 9 that it will keep the Tennessee location open "for now" while it continues to fundraise towards its $2 million goal. As of December 14, 2025, The Gentle Barn website claims it has raised $556,806 in total.
We are relieved that the animals living at the Tennessee location will, for now, not have to endure the stress and danger of relocating to California. However, we remain concerned about the future of The Gentle Barn, with fears surrounding its internal stability and cultural issues.
One recent concern regards what appears to be significant turnover among high-level officials at The Gentle Barn. As of December 14, 2025, The Gentle Barn’s “About Us” webpage shows that all three of its director-level staff are no longer employed by the organization. Per its 2024 990, these staff members included the director of technology, the director of development, and the director of operations (page 7). The website also shows that the board of directors shrunk from five members to three. Remaining board members include Alec Pedersen, board chairman; Martin Buonora, governance and national committee; and John T. Wells, governance and national committee. Why have so many Gentle Barn executive staff and board members left the organization at such a critical time?
The Gentle Barn appears to have other internal issues that may put the organization at risk. The organization claims to “stand up for the innocent” and advocates for others to do so, yet when concerns are raised over animal care standards, they are ignored. Even worse, donors who have signed this petition and then visited the sanctuary have been confronted by Founder Ellie Laks and told to leave. Some people close to the organization report that authoritarian and cult-like tactics are used to prevent volunteers and lower-level staff from questioning The Gentle Barn’s leadership, demanding loyalty to its founders.
In light of the continuous organizational challenges, we call upon The Gentle Barn’s remaining board members to hold leadership accountable and to seriously evaluate the organization’s direction. How will The Gentle Barn continue its advocacy and life-saving work if it cannot resolve its financial woes and high turnover? How will the board address these issues to ensure the longevity of the organization? How can donors count on the $556,806 to be allocated responsibly and in the animals' best interest? Will the organization share their strategic plan for these funds or continue to evade transparency?
As of December 14, 2025, the board has failed to respond to this petition or address the many concerns outlined by the organization’s stakeholders, including staff, volunteers, visitors, and donors. We insist that the board uphold its fiduciary responsibility and address the issues involving veterinary care, transparency, and financial responsibility at The Gentle Barn. We have collectively poured enormous amounts of time, money, and labor into The Gentle Barn’s mission. It is the board’s responsibility to honor the dedication of the people who make The Gentle Barn possible by listening to our feedback, evaluating grievances, and improving animal care standards and operating procedures.
We remind the board of its responsibilities and its commitment, as an extension of The Gentle Barn’s mission, to uphold its promises to the animals.
If you are concerned about The Gentle Barn‘s management and hope for better from the organization, please contact its board members and demand that they uphold their fiduciary responsibility.
Voice your concerns to The Gentle Barn today:
- Comment on their Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok posts
- https://www.gentlebarn.org/contact/
- Call the main office at (661) 252-2440
- Contact board member Alec Pedersen at https://www.linkedin.com/in/alecpedersen
- Contact board member John Wells at https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-t-wells-4932429