My Nonprofit Reviews
Jody234
Review for Gentle Barn Foundation, Santa Clarita, CA, USA
My name is Jody. I would love to attend a public meeting to discuss the financials of The Gentle Barn as well as the care of the animals and maintenance of the facility. As a nonprofit 501(c)3, all of the financials of The Gentle Barn should be available for public review. As donors have a right to know how much money is coming in and how it's being spent.
I think an independent moderator is an excellent idea. And I even think it's appropriate to put all finance-related questions to Ellie, Jay and the Gentle Barn Board of Directors prior to the meeting so that they have ample time to gather the documents necessary to support their claim or refute those from the public. This way, there can be no "I'll get back to you on that" moments.
I volunteered for several months a couple years ago. I left for reasons explained in detail in a much earlier review that I posted on this site (still available should you feel like scrolling through to read it). Just look for my name, it was on page 6 as of this morning...
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Would you volunteer for this group again?
No
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
No
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2011
Review for Gentle Barn Foundation, Santa Clarita, CA, USA
I, too, am echoing the other reviews and adding a little extra from my own experience. I began volunteering there in 2010. I spent most of my time in the upper barnyard. Shortly after I began volunteering, there was an urgent fundraising effort to save an orphaned calf from a local farm. The day the calf was to arrive, suddenly the mother was located and so the calf was no longer orphaned. Instead of using the raised funds to improve the housing for the existing animals at GB, or for food and health care, they decided to go to an auction and PURCHASE two other calves. These calves caught the attention of Ellen Degeneres and were named by her - Holy and Madonna. Once Ellen learned of these calves she became an active supporter of GB and now donates large sums of money on a regular basis.
While their fundraising habits leave something to be desired and clearly lack the transparency one would expect from a non-profit, I also have a personal issue with Ellie and Jay. They live on the property and have 5 pet dogs. I am a professional canine behaviorist and read dogs very well. I know how to interact with them and have (so far) never been attacked. On one day, as I was getting ready to leave, 3 of her dogs appeared out of nowhere and surrounded me, barking, and one lunged at me. Once I was able to extract myself from this unpleasant situation, I reported the incident in the office. Ellie brushed it off as being harmless. When I left the office and approached the upper barnyard fence so I could speak to Ellie, I was again surrounded by these dogs who were acting in a very menacing manner. That time, I was blocked between the fence and my car by these dogs, and my only means of safe escape was to enter my car through the passenger door.
Only a month later, as I arrived, another of Ellie's dogs charged me at full speed, barking and menacing. This was sudden and aggressive enough, that my instinctive response was to change directions and make myself less threatening. When that failed to slow the dog down, I instinctively challenged the dog back to try to get it to back down. I screamed "Whoa!" repeatedly; after my third shout of "Whoa!" Ellie finally came into the area and dragged the dog off. Ellie seemed appropriately contrite. But just one hour later, as I was leaving, she AGAIN allowed this same dog free access and this dog AGAIN charged me at full speed, barking and menacing. As I said, I'm a professional and I have the self control and confidence to simply stand still with my back to the dog, but most people would have been very frightened by this dog's aggressive behavior. Had I screamed in fear or tried to run away, I have no doubt that this dog would have tackled me and may have bitten.
I tried to politely point out the massive liability issue of having these dogs loose on the property - both during the week when volunteers (not paid employees) are wandering around, but also on Sundays when they are open to the PAYING public. Ellie informed me that it was absolutely "not [my] place to comment" and Jay assured me there "is no liability because they don't bite." To me this is egregious neglect. Any dog who is that aroused and acting in a fearful, defensive manner as this dog was (and who has teeth in their mouth) WILL bite at some point.
Ellie and Jay's complete lack of concern for the safety of their volunteers and the paying public was the last straw for me. I am a canine professional and I was more taken aback and actually frightened by her dog (the second encounter) than I've ever been with any dog I've ever encountered. I decided that as a volunteer who was donating my time, I did not need the stress of wondering if I would be attacked every time I arrived. I informed Ellie that I would no longer be volunteering and the specific reasons for my departure. She never responded.
If Ellie and Jay's connection to GB were to end, and a proper board of directors was established, with transparent reviews of where the money is coming from and where it's going, I would be open to resuming my volunteer work there. But as long as Ellie and Jay are at the helm, I have no interest in being connected to GB.
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
I volunteered my time with the animals for 4 months at the end of 2010.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
I would remove Ellie and Jay from any role with GB. The concept of Gentle Barn is great. But Ellie and Jay mismanage the money, fraudulently fund-raise, are rude and disrespectful to the volunteers and show a complete lack of concern for the safety and well being of those who spend time on that property.
