Zander's Mini Animal Farm Society is a registered charity promoting mental, physical and emotional health. 

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We have worked with individuals with (to name a few) Anxiety, Depression, Brain Injury, Cancer, Dementia, Alzheimer's, Autism, ADHD, Loss of a Loved One, Downs Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, Low Self-Esteem, PTSD, and Physical Ailments. We have also welcomed Seniors Centres and other groups. We welcome people of all abilities. 

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Our mini animals offer a sense of comfort and connection.  They accept people for who they are and reflect back at us that we have value and worth.  This encourages, strengthens and supports positive mental and physical health.

 

Our mini farm animals include: Mini Babydoll Sheep, Mini Nigerian Dwarf Goats, Miniature Horses, Miniature Cows, Mini Kunekune Pigs, Mini Chickens, and Mini Ducks. The farm is also home to Cats, Dogs, Chickens, Rabbits, Honeybees and Horses. Baby animals arrive at different times throughout the year and changes can be seen seasonally in the extensive garden and orchard.

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Our mini farm animals are calm, kind, and approachable. Our animals help people by teaching kindness and compassion, encouraging us to be present in the present moment; and offering and inspiring compassion, confidence, courage, affection and dependability. We work with the concept of the human-animal bond. This describes peoples natural desire to interact with animals.  Through these interactions a connection, a bond, is usually formed between a person and an animal. It is this connection that can create a sense of calm and comfort in a person. It may also decrease boredom, increase movement through walks, play and grooming; provide companionship, decrease loneliness, increase social interactions (helping develop social and behavioural skills), reduce stress, increase motivation, stimulation and focus towards experiences/activities (such as interacting with others), and provide an overall more balanced mental, physical and emotional state. 

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Medical studies confirm petting animals can reduce blood pressure, slow heart-rate, ease stress, anxiety, and depression, decrease perceptions of pain, reduce feelings of worry, increase feelings of social support, and increase self-esteem and self-confidence. Studies have also shown interacting with animals releases endorphins that can produce a calming effect.

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Heath and Andrea welcome you to visit the farm to experience and interact with the mini animals discovering the benefits they have for you/your family/your group.  We also have train rides and carriage rides on the farm.

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Andrea and Heath will work with you to create programs to suit your needs and goals.  Programs can be created to include: 

-Animal care/husbandry (We have covered space for one-on-one animal interactions)

-Horticultural experiences (Working in the garden and orchard offers people the opportunity to grow and harvest foods with their own hands.  Recognizing and appreciating the time, work, passion and dedication it takes farmers to carefully and thoughtfully grow food.  It offers people both quiet time working the earth as well as time to connect with others as we work, plan and collaborate together.)

-Crafts, projects, and sensory play

-Farm projects.

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We look forward to welcoming you to the farm!

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