Meet Jayna Dickens! She began volunteering with Animal Place a year ago with her friend, Rachel Sutton. Jayna is one of our animal socializers and regularly comes to spend time with our sheep, who clearly reciprocate her love.
“My favorite memories are the times when the sheep have heard me coming and started running towards me,” Jayna reminisced. “That has been such a funny and fulfilling experience.”
Jayna’s calm and quiet attitude has made her a favorite amongst the sheep, who can sometimes become skittish around people.
Sadly, many volunteers don’t return after a few months, but Jayna has been coming back, citing the tranquility of the sanctuary and the love of our animal residents as the biggest reasons.
Besides the sheep, Jayna also enjoys spending time with calves Zinnia and Dahlia, whom she has known since they came to Animal Place last year after being rejected from the dairy industry due to their inability to have babies and thus, to produce milk. Jayna’s bond with them shines whenever she comes to visit, as Zinnia and Dahlia give her hearty licks and tail wags to greet her. When pressed, Jayna named Dahlia as her favorite Animal Place resident, but she has much love for them all. However, Jayna confessed that big Holstein boy Duncan is rising in the ranks of her affection.
“I love spending time with the animals so much. In addition to that, the property is so gorgeous, peaceful, and quiet. It gives me a break from my job and regular daily life.” – Jayna Dickens
When she’s not spending time with our animal residents, Jayna enjoys hiking, visiting national parks, and being in nature. Alongside creative hobbies like crafting, dancing, meditation, and various games, she is also a huge car fan – her current obsession is Formula 1 racing!
We are so grateful for volunteers like Jayna who get to know our residents as individuals and give them the time and attention they deserve (or demand). Our animal residents love seeing familiar faces like Jayna’s.
Thank you for showing them love! Interested in becoming an Animal Socializer like Jayna? Get volunteer information here!
