Four-legged lessons
Like the literary character Doctor Doolittle, Monica Phillipy talks to her animals.
“You got in trouble yesterday, didn’t you,” Phillipy reprimands Little Dude, her black and white llama who ran away the day previous.
“Animals are smart. They understand,” said Phillipy, owner of ACS Ponies and Petting Farm.
Little Dude is one of 69 animals Phillipy introduces to people by name on her 5-acre farm at 11020 N. Forker Road, just east of Foothills Community Church.
“They all have great personalities,” Phillipy said. “They know they are loved. They know they are family.”
Introductions for some of the residents on her farm include Ted, a 50-pound tortoise who continually pushes his boundaries to explore the outside world. Her Nubian goat, Jar Jar (named after Jar Jar Binks of “Star Wars”) drinks water from a plastic bottle. Smokey, a Columbian mix sheep, loves to ride in the front seat of the family van. Maddy a lion head rabbit, rides horses bareback. Alex the wild turkey purrs.
Phillipy’s petting farm is for kids of all ages. Small animals such as rabbits, chickens, ducks, goats, tortoises and Shetland ponies are just the right size to interact effectively with the children.
“It’s so magical when you mix animals and kids together,” Phillipy said.
Her ultimate goal is to use her extended “family” as a means to provide animal-assisted therapy for children at risk, people with disabilities and elderly in nursing homes.
Overcoming fears, building confidence, learning to trust, or offering comfort are some of the benefits to her program. These “life lessons,” as Phillipy calls them, can be tailored to a specific group or individual.
Phillipy remembers helping a little girl at a birthday party overcome her fear of horses. While sitting on the horse’s back, Phillipy had the girl help her count the number of steps Mikey took. The horse would take one step, then wait for her to say another number.
“Helping Mikey takes their minds off being afraid,” Phillipy said. “It helps them feel in control.”
This counting technique is one Phillipy has found effective and uses to help other children overcome their fear.
Janet Shinner, marketing coordinator for Parkway Village a South Hill senior center, remembers Phillipy bringing the animals to the yearly fall event and having 100 percent participation from the residents.
“They had a wonderful time holding and loving the animals,” Shinner said.
Animals always played an important role in Phillipy’s life. Her father rescued an abandoned bobcat when she was 4 years old. Bobby, as she named him, became her pet growing up. She went on to help her father rescue other bobcats.
Phillipy started Animal Care Services in 2001 as a business designed to take care of other people’s animals. The name ended up prompting quite a few calls about abandoned and hurt animals, which occasionally turned into pet rescues. In fact, more than half of her animal family is rescues.
In June 2004, Phillipy opened her farm to others as a petting zoo after many visitors to her home commented on how it seemed like a petting farm with all the animals.
However, two months after opening, the business almost ended. Phillipy, attending her son’s soccer game at Plantes Ferry Park, was struck by lightening.
“I felt I was on fire,” remembers Phillipy. “I had no exit wounds and had severe internal burns.”
After her near fatal accident, Phillipy’s perspective on life changed.
“You look at things differently,” Phillipy said. “I’ve been given another chance at life and I want to give back.”