Today is all about sweet baby Ethan (formerly Poe).

If you read the last update with Margo/Artemis' rescue story, then you know that she was originally rescued from a farmer with her baby boy, Poe, in February of 2018. Poe had a lot of health issues but grew up to be strong and healthy. Both baby Poe and mama Margo are pictured above. 

In July of 2022 they were both rescued from the former Twist of Fate "sanctuary". Poe was so skinny and malnourished that his face was gaunt and he had thin, spindly legs. His body score was a 2/3 (out of TEN). He had no access to food, water, or shelter for who knows how long. It's a miracle that he survived. 

Poe had been living in a dirt lot that was littered with the bones of deceased animals. The bones sat there for months, possibly years, all while Poe and other animals had to see, smell, and step over the decomposing bodies of their friends and family members. (This photo has been added to the main petition). 

Poe was taken in by Blackbird Animal Refuge (@blackbird_animal_refuge) in Woodstown, NJ, USA along with his sheep friend Trudi (formerly Molly, whose story will also be shared) and renamed Ethan. He had to have his matted and overgrown wool sheared and be treated for Coccidia (parasites) and trichostrongylus (worms). After spending a total of 3.5 months in quarantine he finally got to join his new flock friends. He now loves to be outside and is thriving alongside Trudi and the other animals at Blackbird, and he even does an adorable little hop/run move that Kristin calls his "popcorn" run. Head over to their Instagram to check it out! 

You can also check out their Instagram to see photos and videos of what Ethan looks like now (definitely different than the tiny boy in the photo above, though he still has the same adorable markings on his head!) and to see Ethan and Trudi both happy and loved. Blackbird has also been featured on The Dodo, and you can watch that clip here. If you'd like to donate to the care of Ethan, Trudi or anyone else at Blackbird Animal Refuge, you can send donations through their website here, Venmo (@kristin_BAR), or PayPal (@blackbirdrefuge). To make a monthly donation towards their care, you can join their Patreon for any amount (every little bit helps!) or sponsor one of the animals. They also have an Amazon Wishlist and a Chewy Wishlist! They're currently fundraising for a $10,000 match and have a little less than half to go, so please make a donation if you can since it will be DOUBLED! Please feel free to comment below as well to give some love to Ethan or to Blackbird.  

A few of the animals' stories have been shared in previous updates - read about cow Rigel, pigs Shirley & Pepper, goat Billy, goat Johnny and his necropsy report here and here, sheep Linus, horse Mint Paddy, and sheep Artemis & Apollo. 

Thank you for being here. Please stay tuned to see whose story is next!  

Also, please continue to share the petition - Ashley DiFelice's next court date is September 14th, and since the court is aware of the petition we'd like to get as many signatures and comments on it as possible before then. Thank you!