The 3 Sisters Forever Rescue is a farm in Howell that provides wild turkeys, cats, turkey vultures, deer and horses with a better home than nature itself might be able to provide.
A fundraiser will be held at The Cabin, 984 Route 33, Howell, on March 14 to help support the cost of caring for the animals.
A portion of a patron’s check will help to support the animals. Patrons should mention 3 Sisters Forever Rescue at the time of payment.
In an interview at her Brickyard Road farm on Feb. 27, owner Lisa Gabarino, who oversees the rescue efforts with her sisters Jodi Gabarino and Robin Vanderbilt, said three horses that were scheduled for slaughter by “meat men” outside the United States were rescued and brought to the farm seven years ago.
“(My friend) sent me three (horses) to choose from,” Gabarino said. “How do you pick one when you know two of them will be slaughtered? I got in touch with my sisters and we took all three.
“I blame my father’s uncle. He had a dude ranch in Saratoga, New York,” she said. “When I was little, I had my own pony. I blame (my family) for my fascination with horses.
“ … My partner Bill bought the (Howell) farm and my mother told him, ‘Don’t buy it if it has a barn or (Lisa) will fill it.’ Bill bought it. I filled it,” she said.
Gabarino said she rescued two more horses after the initial three.
Over time, the Howell farm has attracted feral cats, turkey vultures, wild turkeys and deer.
The animals, which Gabarino said she welcomes, are given food and the cats are sheltered in structures on the property.
“I like to call (the farm) Obamacare because (the cats) just kind of show up. The cats show up unhealthy and and we have to go through the expense of a vet,” she laughed.
Gabarino recalled a notable experience she witnessed. She said a turkey vulture made its home inside the cat enclosure and lived with the felines.
“The (turkey vulture) would come out to eat breakfast. We even gave him his own dish,” she said.
Gabarino said she will continue to accommodate animals that find their way to her farm, adding, “I think (animals and humans) should all try to live together.”