Rescue, Redeem, and Restore

Shannon Carroll has milked her family cow, Winnie-the-Moo, every day for the past 10 years. She wakes up, sips her coffee, then begins the one-to-two-hour process of feeding more than 100 animals on her farm. Between bottle-feeding injured baby critters and delivering birthday animal-grams, Carroll uses Winnie’s milk to make butter and cheese. This is all part of a typical day at Redemptive Love Farm & Rescue.

Redemptive Love is a family-owned and -operated farm located 30 minutes outside of downtown Tallahassee. Founded by Carroll in 2016, the farm is home to more than 20 species of animals, including llamas, highland cows, and parrots. More than 15,000 individuals visit the farm each year to participate in special events such as goat milk soap-making classes, camps, and field trips. Patrons can also rent the farm for private visits and events.

Once a month, Carroll hosts Open Farm Fun Days, welcoming visitors from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For $10 per person, guests can milk Winnie-the-Moo, go on pony rides, interact with the animals in the petting pen, and learn more about farm life through relevant speakers and hands-on activities.

Photo by Alicia Osborne

Carroll and her family moved out of the city to focus on healthy eating and self-sustainability. They started with a flock of chickens and gradually added more animals, many chosen based on the children’s interests. Before long, the family was raising horses, pigs, goats, and more. To help cover the costs of feeding the animals, Carroll started a petting farm. From there, Redemptive Love Farm & Rescue was born.

After rehabilitating nearly 100 animals each year, Carroll founded the rescue in 2022 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. “The rescue is a kind of a nonprofit umbrella that is able to fund animal rescue, animal therapy, and animal education in the school systems,” Carroll says.

Photo by Alicia Osborne

Beyond its mission to spread love through animal therapy and education, the rescue holds deep personal significance. Carroll founded the rescue in memory of her daughter, Anna Brittney Carroll, who passed away as a teenager after living with severe disabilities and special needs. The same year, Carroll’s first llama, Tina, also passed away. Redemptive Love Rescue honors their lives and legacies, reminding everyone to spread love and joy.

The farm and rescue serve as therapy to anyone lucky enough to spend time with the animals. One furry therapist is Scooter, a paralyzed goat with a naughty streak. Scooter joined the Carroll family in 2023 as an injured baby unable to walk. Since then, the family has helped him flourish with a DIY wheelchair and lots of encouragement.

“He’s a big troublemaker,” Carroll says. “And it’s probably my fault because I spoiled him. I wore him in a baby carrier for the first several months of his life.”

Photo by Alicia Osborne

When he is not headbutting people and chewing up everything in sight, Scooter has an important job. He guides children to speak kindly through what Carroll calls “curious compassion.” This program uses disabled animals to teach children how to ask questions in a compassionate way when inquiring about people with disabilities. Scooter is a reminder that animals, like humans, come in all shapes and sizes. Carroll says it is extremely heartwarming to see disabled children, especially those in wheelchairs, connect with Scooter.

“That’s Scooter’s life goal,” Carroll says. “He doesn’t know it. He just thinks his life goal is to be a naughty goat and eat lots of food, but his life goal is to make kids who are like him be seen.”