‘Shy’ Rescue Goat Finds An Unlikely Friend To Rest Her Head On

Meet Blanca — a 14-year-old rescue goat who’s working on making new friends at her sanctuary in Granville, New York.

When Blanca first joined the Sleepy Pig Farm family, she already had a lifelong best friend by her side — her twin sister, Betty, was rescued with her. But, unfortunately, Betty passed away five years later, and Blanca’s sense of community went away completely.

“Betty and Blanca are the first goats we ever rescued, and we were always nervous when we would lose one of them since [their] bond was so strong,” Tiffany Paltauf, Sleepy Pig Farm’s founder, wrote in an Instagram post. “Ever since Betty’s loss, Blanca seemed down and never got along with any of our other goats and sheep.”

Blanca and Betty were inseparable during their first five years at Sleepy Pig Farm. The two sisters did everything together and loved experiencing life with their best friend by their side.

Betty’s passing left everyone at Sleepy Pig Farm heartbroken, but no one more so than Blanca. A shy senior goat, Blanca found physical and emotional comfort in her sister’s presence. Both goats were healing from traumas they’d experienced in the past, but Blanca, in particular, had arthritis in her front left leg that made it hard for her to get around.

Because of her mobility issues, Blanca would take a rest multiple times a day, usually by her sister’s side. But, after Betty passed away, Blanca no longer had someone to lean on.

Then, Lennie the turkey joined the Sleepy Pig family.

Lennie was rescued around Christmastime, not long after Betty’s passing. Paltauf expected Lennie to bond with the other turkeys on her farm, but the friendly bird set her sights on someone unexpected. On one of her first days home, Lennie came across Blanca in her pen and was immediately intrigued by her.

Surprisingly, Blanca perked up when she saw Lennie for the first time, too.

You can watch their first encounter here:

Lennie’s fascination with Blanca grew stronger with each passing day. Their hopeful caregivers watched Lennie inch a little closer to Blanca every day until, one morning, they were lying practically side by side.

Blanca usually didn’t get along with the other Sleepy Pig residents, but she seemed comfortable with Lennie’s presence. Paltauf felt that the two were becoming bonded, and her suspicions were confirmed one night when Blanca did something sadly familiar. When Lennie wandered out of Blanca’s view, the loyal goat cried out for her friend just like she used to for her sister.

“Once she saw Lennie, she stopped,” Paltauf wrote in an Instagram post. “When Betty was alive, Blanca would scream if she couldn’t see her. I swear, Betty sent Lennie into our care and into Blanca’s life.”

Blanca was smitten with Lennie just a few days into meeting her. Once a lonely goat, Blanca now had a new best friend to experience life with. On sunny days, the unlikely pair would hunker down next to each other to share a snack or a nap. And on cold days when the senior goat would have to shelter inside, her loyal turkey friend would follow right behind her.

“These two have become such incredible friends,” Paltauf wrote on Instagram. “They spend every waking moment together.”

Blanca and Lennie became undeniably close emotionally, but physically they always kept a little bit of distance between each other. Until, one day, Paltauf found the goat taking her usual nap in an unusual spot. Instead of sleeping on her cozy leopard print pillow, Blanca’s rested her head on Lennie’s back and drifted off to sleep.

Ever the loyal friend, Lennie stayed perfectly still while her best friend snoozed away.

“I never thought Blanca would develop a strong friendship with any other resident, until we rescued Lennie the turkey,” Paltauf wrote on Instagram. “Blanca and Lennie’s bond has truly been so special to see. It’s beautiful what friendships blossom in sanctuary.”

Blanca and Lennie have given everyone at Sleepy Pig Farm a new perspective on what friendship can look like. The two rescue animals may seem like an unlikely duo, but they share something special in common.

“Both animals have come from sad backgrounds, but together they’re loving their life together at the sanctuary,” Paltauf wrote in an Instagram post. “I’m so proud of Blanca and how she has made a new friend — this truly makes us happy.”

Blanca and Lennie are still a faithful duo today, but there’s no telling whom else they might become friends with in the future. With pigs, chickens, sheep and cats roaming around the farm, there’s a chance that another animal might join their crew one day.

Until then, Blanca and Lennie will continue soaking up the New York sun with their very best friend by their side.