**We lost our sweet Larry, the grandpa of the sanctuary, in August of 2026. Not a day will go by that we don’t miss him terribly. Please read his story and enjoy. He would want that. Thank you

In memory of Larry: The grandpa of the herd, the first animal we rescued, the one I always knew I’d never be ready to say goodbye to. And yet, here we are. He gave us the last years of his life, and it was never going to be enough. Larry was already a senior when he arrived, and had not had medical care, companionship, a family of any kind really.  In the summer of 2023 that all changed. He came to live under the care of this team of humans that loved him from day one. He knew a life of abundance, at last. Sunshine, room to run, a herd of his own, and from his favorite hilltop spot he, in turn, watched over us all. He was laid to rest in that very spot and I know he’ll still be there, keeping watch.

His open and  welcoming nature brought comfort to all the rescues that followed. Larry forged his first friendship with Jesse, who he met when Jesse was just a 4 month old puppy. He went on to offer comforting companionship to a group of very scared sheep, Tom, the alpacas, then baby Penelope, and most recently Snoopy, Larry made a huge impact on his herd mates and had a huge following. Animals that arrived nervous and unsure, and immediately walked to Larry and stayed by his side while they adjusted to their new home. Things just don’t feel right without him, and we don’t know if they ever will. One thing we are certain of is that all of his friends, 2 legged and 4, will miss him tremendously. This work of sanctuary is both hard work, and heart work. We know that every animal we save, we will ultimately have to let go someday. It never gets easy and each painful goodbye tests our strength and resolve.  Yet we know that in our grief, is all the love. Larry will always be here with us, at the very core of Blue Ridge Rescue Barn. Our tears will eventually slow, but not a day will go by that we don’t look up on that hill and miss seeing our handsome Larry. 

Larry

Our very adorable llama, Larry, is a farm favorite. He is a senior will live out his golden (and we hope his best) years at BRRB. He was brought to the sanctuary by a local family who had learned that he had lived a long solitary life on a large property with little interaction and no friends, and would soon be homeless, as that land was to be sold to a developer. He was our first large animal rescue and as such, will always have a special place in our hearts.