The Romanov-cross, born on a sheep farm last July, was gravely injured during her traumatic birth. Due to complications, her twin died during the birth—and Appa got stuck inside her mom. To save her life, her farmer tried to pull her out, only to break her leg in the process.

Appa had difficulty walking from the start. Her front left leg juts at a 90° angle; her front right leg is also breaking down due to overcompensation of that limb. Given her prognosis, it’s surprising that Appa is still alive: most farmers would opt to send a disabled animal like Appa to slaughter—and “replace” her with a healthy animal—rather than pay for specialized care.

Luckily, Appa’s farmer thought she deserved a chance, and asked a nearby shelter to take her on. The staff at Lollypop Farm (the Humane Society of Greater Rochester) fell in love right away—remarking how the little lamb clearly seemed to love being alive. She thrived on affection from her new friends, and found comfort in resting her head in their laps.

With hopeful hearts, the team brought Appa to Cornell University’s Nemo Farm Animal Hospital—but the staff at Cornell found that not much could be done. Due to the extent of Appa’s injuries, she is not a candidate for surgery. And without some form of intervention, Appa might not have much time left.

In a fervent attempt to save their new friend, the staff tried every option they could—from bracing to wheelchairs for extra support. Appa’s health continued to decline; still, she remained bright and affectionate, with a strong will to live. So, the staff at Lollypop Farm reached out to Farm Sanctuary to see if there was anything we could do.

We agreed to take on her care, believing that she would thrive in a herd with others around to keep her company. Once Appa arrived at Farm Sanctuary, we moved her in with a mellow group of sheep and goats—including Holly, a sheep with a back leg impairment, and Sadie, a goat experiencing weakness due to various neurological conditions. Both Holly and Sadie came to Sanctuary in 2019, and have not quite warmed up to people yet. As a result, Appa sensed their unease, and began to shrink from our attention as well. Not every animal likes to be around people, and we never want to force someone to like us for our sake; at the same time, we didn’t want Appa to learn to be afraid.

In order to help her feel more at home—and because she had some difficulty navigating her new pasture—we moved her to a temporary pen at our Melrose Small Animal Hospital. At the same time, we started working more closely with Sadie and Holly, so that even if they never take a liking to people, they’ll at least feel more at ease in our presence. Little by little, they’re coming around.

Appa, for her part, is loving all of our attention! She’s no longer afraid, and enjoys pets and snuggles from our caregiving team. While she is able to move around on her own, we ordered a custom cart to aid in her mobility. Once she got used to her new wheels, we moved her back in with her friends and cheered her on as she learned to navigate her new home.

We look forward to seeing their new friendship develop, and to help Appa feel steadier in body and mind. Appa is bright and determined to make the most out of life.