When most people think of German Shepherd dogs, they imagine a guard dog that would do anything to protect their owner. They’re loyal, and determined, and can look scary if they need to.
Sarge is true to his German Shepherd breed, but since his owner usually rescues animals, they have discovered there’s a soft and sweet side to this amazing dog. And today, we want to share his story!
As it turns out, Sarge has a weakness for orphaned fawns in need of help due to injuries. His owner, Cheryl Stephen, has provided some extra details about Sarge and the life they lead on their farm. We stumbled upon Sarge’s adorable pictures on the internet, so we couldn’t wait to learn more and share that information with you.
A German Shepherd with a Big Heart
Sarge and Cheryl live in Ohio on a little farm where animals aren’t raised for food. Instead, they’re raised to live their best life, full of love and happiness, which is what every animal deserves.
Cheryl has been providing shelter to strays and rescuing animals ever since she was a child and it’s a habit she has carried into adulthood. Today, she’s a mother of two sons who are also animal lovers and respect animals deeply.
Sarge doesn’t stray too far from the family as he’s the perfect babysitter for the animals Cheryl rescues. Sarge came into Cheryl’s life 9 years ago and he’s the only full-breed dog she’s ever had. The rest of her pups are mixed breeds, which Cheryl thinks are the best!
Most of them were dropped off on the farm by people who couldn’t care for them anymore and they’re all amazing dogs. They get along really well and have formed strong bonds, so they’re a mix-matched family of dogs.
Now, Sarge wasn’t always a softy. He was an ornery puppy and loved to chase children around the house and bite people’s toes. However, 6 years ago, when Cheryl rescued her first fawn, a different side of Sarge came to the surface.
A friend of Cheryl’s found the injured fawn lying in the middle of the road while they were driving. They immediately thought of Cheryl because they knew her to be an animal lover, so they picked up the fawn and brought it to the farm. From the moment the fawn arrived, Sarge immediately took the role of babysitter. It was so heartwarming to see!
Sarge, the Protector of Injured Animals
The Stephen’s farm is home to a variety of animals, not just dogs, and fawns. For instance, they have a pet rooster and a hen, a pony, and a horse, and the most recent addition to the family is a baby goat and a small black sheep who were for sale at a barn.
Cheryl also has a few rock doves that were born from a racing pigeon that just arrived at the farm and never left. When it comes to the dogs, we have Sarge, Brownie, Dingo, Doodle, and Scrunchers. There was also Angus, but he passed away a while back, and Jack, who sadly went missing.
Jack was also known for having a soft spot for other animals and he once rescued a chipmunk from a bucket, saving it from drowning. Additionally, he loved critters! Hopefully, they will find him soon and he’ll come back home to his loving family of dogs and humans.
The Stephen’s Farm, an Unofficial Animal Sanctuary
Cheryl’s farm is not an official shelter or sanctuary! She and her family simply love animals and they’re fortunate enough to have the space and the ability to provide shelter and help unfortunate animals that cross their path. As such, they don’t take donations.
Cheryl loves to share a glimpse into her farm life and her animals’ lives on Instagram. Surprisingly, the German Shepherd is not the star of the page. That role goes to Bucky, a cow that was rescued when he was a week old.
Bucky was rescued by Cheryl when he was on his way to an auction barn. She saw him tied in the back of a pickup truck and approached the owner, a farmer who was nice enough to let her buy the small cow. Bucky was on his way to a livestock sale and he would’ve been sold for veal there.
Rescuing Bucky was a spur-of-the-moment decision, but Cheryl hasn’t regretted it for even a second. Bucky is a big boy now at 2,500 pounds and he loves to spend his time on the porch. Sometimes, he goes inside the home. People just love seeing him on social media!
Overall, people love to see the animal pictures Cheryl uploads, and a lot of people have even asked to come to the farm in person to meet Bucky. The thing that catches people’s attention is how huge Bucky is, so they’re curious to see him in person.
The Joy of Helping Animals
It brings Cheryl a lot of joy to share her animals with the world and know that people love them. It warms our hearts as well because we believe animals should be loved and respected. If you think so too, share this story with others in hopes of inspiring people to help animals wherever they are, in any way they can.
Even the smallest act of kindness towards an animal can make a big difference. If you can’t rescue animals yourself, there are still things you can do to help them whenever you find them suffering or alone in the world.
Helping animals in need is not only good for them, but it’s also good for our souls. There’s truly nothing like the gratitude of an animal that has been in pain or need of love and care for so long. We always have the power to do something good for them, anything, so why not?