Matted fur, rotted feet, and missing teeth—this was what rescuers found when they saved Evie the sheep from her abuser. But as they soon found out, Evie would triumph over her tragic history and deliver two very special surprises.
Evie was originally rescued from severe animal neglect in Wake County, North Carolina, where 200 animals were raised to be sold for religious slaughter. The other animals included cows, sheep, chickens, goats, geese, donkeys, and pot-bellied pigs.
Wake County took control of the situation, and several animal sanctuaries participated in a rescue mission. Farm Sanctuary, a nonprofit with locations across the United States, was one of them. They took in 10 sheep—including Evie the ewe—on Oct. 13, 2023.
“The animals were all in terrible health,” animal wellness manager Emily Grizzell said in an interview.
There were even deceased animals on site.
Little did Farm Sanctuary know, by saving Evie, they were saving not just one, but three lives.
Upon arriving at the sanctuary, Evie underwent a 30-day quarantine and intake exams. Staff checked her fecal samples, gave vaccines, and administered a full physical checkup.
“That’s when they realized that she was pregnant,” Grizzell said.
Evie wasn’t the only sheep that was expecting. Other rescued sheep were also pregnant—in fact, some gave birth overnight after arriving at the sanctuary. But Evie’s pregnancy was particularly special, for reasons the staff had yet to discover.
Aside from the joyful news of the pregnancy, the intake exam revealed that Evie was in bad shape. The pads of her feet were rotted and the front left foot was cracked. She was missing teeth and had mats embedded in her wool—echoes of her tragic past.
Farm Sanctuary staff monitored Evie for labor signs from mid-January. On Feb. 17, 2024, at 1 a.m., she delivered a set of twin lambs.
“The babies needed some assistance to latch, but everything else was remarkable, which is great,” Grizzell said.
They were soon given the names Jeanne and Margaretta.
“They were perfect,” Grizzell said of the lambs, adding that Evie was “an angel.”
Grizzell, 29, has an unusual role that involves animal care alongside management and other duties. She first met Jeanne and Margaretta during a working interview back in the spring. After officially joining Farm Sanctuary in April 2024, she’s had the opportunity to watch them grow.
“They’re really sweet lambs, and there’s a lot of investment in their well-being and their continued quality of life,” she said.
Originally from Houston, Texas, Grizzell now lives close to the Farm Sanctuary in Corning, New York. She encourages people to support the nonprofit’s mission by “adopting” animals to sponsor their care, touring the facility, and learning more about the sanctuary through its website.
In the meantime, Evie and her lambs will continue to enjoy life in their new home. Jeanne and Margaretta are full of vitality and ready for the future as they explore their world. For this little family, the road ahead is bright.
