Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael and Christy Flynn.
Michael and Christy, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
We lived on an acre of land originally and we had dogs, cats, rabbits and chickens. My husband was a police officer at the time and I was (still am) a special education school teacher. My husband worked in this county (Pickens) and noticed that when farm animals were in need of rescue, there was nowhere to take them. So, in 2015, we became the proud owners of some acreage (24 acres) only about two miles from our home. We then proceeded to build our dream home and in 2017, we started our non-profit. We have always been drawn to animals and humans who need us. We were foster parents in our community for about three years and have an adopted daughter who is now 20. Mike was a police officer for about five years before getting injured while serving in Iraq with the US Army. He is now a 100% service connected disabled veteran. I (Christy) have been a teacher for 16 years. I have been teaching special education for 13 of those.
Currently, we are the home to eight potbelly pigs, five farm hogs, four goats, 14 ducks, 11 rabbits, numerous chickens, a Sulcata tortoise, ten dogs, 11 cats, two ponies and three cows. When we rescue animals, we try to rehome them to appropriate forever homes, but sometimes it’s difficult to find placement for cows and pigs. Because we are a farm animal rescue,we don’t have consistent hours for visitors. It’s just Mike and I most of the time, but we welcome volunteers. We go out into our community and take some of our rescue animals to raise awareness about what we do and to show others how wonderful farm animals can be. Our main purpose is to give animals the best lives they can possibly have. We have been so fortunate to live in a county where people are so very kind to us.
Our goals in the future include:
Finding a way to reach out to veterans and their spouses in our community to offer our farm as a place to socialize and collaborate (we are getting a VA medical clinic soon!) Build our volunteer base to help us on projects so that we can utilize more of our land to have more intakes. Outreach and fundraise to eventually build a much needed structure to offer more housing for future intakes.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
We have had struggles, and the most difficult one was the first winter. We were consistently using our own paychecks to fund our non-profit and that winter seemed to be particularly cold. We weren’t as prepared as we are now, and we had to buy a wood burning stove and sleep in the barn to keep the water from freezing and to keep the temperature comfortable for our new pigs. We’ve since gotten a better grip on how to keep things running more smoothly in the winter.
The worst part of rescue is always the death of an animal. We have experienced a few deaths from natural causes and from illness. No matter what the cause, it’s never easy. Overall, the most difficult part of being a non-profit involves funding. The donations are not consistent and we always have to be on the ready for any sort of need our animals may have.
Flynn Fields Rescue – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from others?
We are a non-profit. We are the only farm animal rescue in our county. That makes us incredibly unique. There’s this misconception that farm rescue equals a petting zoo. That’s not the case. Many of our animals are not socialized and some have behavioral issues. Our specialty is to rescue these animals and work with them to make sure they’re comfortable and happy.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is measured by the ability to do something for others without an expectation of something in return. Animals need us. They can’t do anything for us monetarily; however they always show love us (even when they’re scared). Animals have an innate ability to improve the physical and mental capacities of humans. It’s scientifically proven. We measure our success not by how many animals we rescue, but by how many people we reach and teach compassion for animals. We preach kindness.
Contact Info:
- Website: flynnfields.org
- Phone: 470-253-1918
- Email: flynnfields@outlook.com
- Instagram: flynnfields@instagram
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/flynnfieldsrescue
Suggest a story: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
