About

Stacy’s Funny Farm has been providing sanctuary for homeless pets for over 40 years. The Funny Farm specializes in small birds, rodents, chickens, and ducks but has also been known to take in fish, feral cats, and rabbits. Because of limited space, the Funny Farm sometimes fosters pets until suitable homes become available. Sometimes, the animals just show up, like the peacock who landed in the yard and stayed.

The Funny Farm started with rodents: as a toddler, Stacy learned to walk by dragging around a hamster cage for balance. She has had pet hamsters, rats, mice, gerbils, guinea pigs, chinchillas, a flying squirrel, and a vole. Her dream of having a pet capybara is an adventure that began in 2008, when she first contacted domestic breeders regarding availability, and simultaneously enlisted the aid of her veterinarian, who agreed to treat her pet capybara, in the unlikely event that one would actually be forthcoming. Well, here he is in all his glory!

Prince Dobby Winnick (RIP July 2018)

Dobby is no longer with us, and the population changes with time. Many of the following pets are gone, but they represent a typical overview of the types of animals we care for here. In addition to Prince Dobalob, there are always a few indoor pets at the Funny Farm. Dobby reluctantly shared his kitchen space with several noisy birds.

Jorge and Vincent the cockatiels

Stacy inherited Jorge, a rescue (lower, gray) and Cody (24 years old when he died, not shown) from a petsitter who died of cancer. After Cody died, Jorge was inconsolable. Vincent (above, white) was an older bird listed for sale on Craig’s List. He was purchased to become a companion for Jorge. Vincent is now 20 years old.

Spike the Budgie

Spike was found recovering from an illness in the back room at Petco. Their policy doesn’t allow birds to be put back on display, even if they are fully recovered. Ask about the back room at your Petco, there are often some very nice pets available for adoption at reduced cost. One of our current parakeets is from the back room at Petco.

Krump-it the Sparrow

Krump-it’s nest and family were destroyed by crows and local wildlife rehabbers wouldn’t take in an infant English Sparrow, so he was raised here at the Funny Farm. He never had the use of his legs so while he can fly, he can’t land and so can’t be released to the wild. Krump-it was feisty but lonely, and Spike the Budgie was brought home specifically to stimulate Krump-it and give him a neighbor to talk to. It was a good match.

The Pirate

Pirate is a white ring-necked dove whose mother hatched him her as a surprise in a seed dish here at the Funny Farm. The slick-bottomed dish and ball-bearing-like seeds didn’t allow his her legs to develop properly and a poorly timed vacation meant only one of his her spraddled legs could receive healing therapy. His Her left leg is weak, but his her right leg sticks out at a crazy angle, like a peg-leg. Corrective surgery would cost over $2000 and would not guarantee a better quality of life for Pirate, nor is there any guarantee he she would even survive the risky surgery. So, Pirate, a long-lived bird, has decided to move into the house away from his her raucous flock, to be spoiled and coddled. He She loves to watch television at night or help Stacy write blogs like this one. Pirate is now 8 years old.

So, where did Pirate come from again? His Her mother and father are part of a flock of doves- about 20 birds- that ended up at Stacy’s Funny Farm because their owners decided to take an extended vacation. Rather than have a neighbor care for them for three months, they asked me to take their flock. I built them an aviary and try my hardest to take away eggs before they hatch. Little Pirate is both an example of why I don’t want them to reproduce, and a living demonstration that keeping doves from hatching is harder than it sounds!

[On July 21, 2014, Pirate laid an egg! So, probably a female!]

The Dude Ranch
Stevie Ray, Frederick of Hollywood, Ziggy, Carl Sagan, and Ankhsheshonq

The Dude Ranch houses 5 male guinea pigs. Yes, males can and do get along just fine. They just need lots of time to get acquainted!

Ankhy (RIP)

Carl

Brothers Ankhsheshonq (Ankhy) and Carl Sagan (Carl) are foster guinea pigs living at the Funny Farm.

Frederick of Hollywood
(Stevie Ray’s stylist)

Stevie Ray Vaughn

 

 

 

Fred and Steve’s former owner and her entire family discovered they are allergic to guinea pigs. Stacy overheard a relative talking about the situation and stepped forward to help. That’s how Fred came to live at the Funny Farm with his cage-mate, Stevie Ray. Stevie Ray has very long hair that requires grooming, so he was especially difficult for an allergy-prone family.

Ziggy

Ziggy has been here the longest. Ziggy came from a rescue organization called Forgotten Kingdom. They rescue the “exotic” animals that turn up at the Everett Animal Shelter, that is only equipped to deal with dogs and cats. (I also have a red-eared slider from Forgotten Kingdom, presumably unwanted due to a benign calcareous growth on his neck.) Ziggy was purchased as a companion to Twinkie, who died several years ago. A lonely bachelor, he was delighted to meet Fred and Stevie Ray. Ziggy currently shares acreage with Fred, Stevie Ray, Ankhy, and Carl. Guinea pigs are generally happiest living with companions.

Dobby’s herd

How about capybaras? They are herd animals, so shouldn’t they have capybara friends? Of course, that would be ideal, however even one capybara is a time-consuming pet. More than one and you are a full-time wrangler. Dobby has a flock of hens, geese, and ducks to keep him company. He loves to share his food with them, and often asks to visit them in their spacious aviary, where he creates mayhem as only a capybara can!

Photobomb by Wiley Wabbit

Most of the poultry is hand-me-down pets. The Funny Farm provides sanctuary for older hens and elderly ducks. Right now the Funny Farm houses only drakes, to keep springtime antics to a minimum. That quacking you hear is the wild mallards who keep Dobbye company when his flock is penned up. They retreat to the rooftop when Flock Manager Norman the Goose and his sidekick Cubicle invade Dobby’s yard in the afternoon.

Bonnie Bunny and Wiley Wabbit

The Funny Farm takes in rabbits, too. Wiley came to us several years ago. He was running wild in a nice downtown neighborhood where several people finally realized, as winter approached, that he had no home. A friendly bunny, and probably an escaped indoor pet, his owner could not be located, and he found his way to the Funny Farm. He immediately fell in love with an elderly bunny named Nosebud. When she died, Wiley was devastated. Sister bunnies Bonnie and Helen soon joined Wiley. They were well cared for, but were living together in a tiny hutch in a very dark shed.

Helen (RIP)

Sadly, Bonnie and Helen fought for Wiley’s affection, and poor Helen had to move inside, where she became Queen of the Kitchen, and chief tormentor of oversized rodents. She is featured in one blog that commemorates her short life, and she appears in several other blogs as well.

Kitty Hawk

Stacy’s Funny Farm specializes in prey animals: birds and rodents. That’s why there are no predators like cats and dogs. But wait, who is Kitty Hawk, then? The Funny Farm is surrounded by ponds and streams, as well as ivy. Where there is water and ivy, you will have rats. Add a feeder of poultry food and you will have LOTS of rats. Unless you have barn kitties! Kitty Hawk came from The Alley Cat Project in Seattle. Because he tested positive for FIV, he must remain confined to the Funny Farm Aviary. And because he was so incredibly lonely, a second barn kitty came to join him from the Alley Cat Project.

Grover, barn kitty #2

Hawk and Grover get along just fine with the ducks and hens, though they are wary of the geese. The squirrels and wild birds have learned to avoid them. And Dobby chases them relentlessly, just so they don’t start taking their predator role too seriously.

Kitty Hawk patrols the aviary and Grover provides backup

Stacy’s Funny Farm accepts new recruits by word of mouth, and that seems to fill the house. Sometimes the Funny Farm will adopt from a rescue. Darth, an adorable but perfectly vicious little gerbil, is a good example. This miniature biting machine would never become a suitable pet. So, he came to live out his short life at the Funny Farm, land of good food, clean water, and an endless supply of empty cracker boxes and toilet paper tubes!

Darth, the Gerbil from Hell (RIP)

If you have any questions about any of the Funny Farm pets, or want to hear more stories about pets I have mentioned here, please feel free to make a suggestion!

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Stacy’s Funny Farm provides sanctuary for homeless pets. We accept new pets as the space becomes available. Primarily a sanctuary for small, non-predatory animals such as guinea pigs, small cage birds, and poultry, we currently provide sanctuary for two cats. It is also the home of Dobby the Capybara, our Director of Fundraising. Celebrating 30 years of pet surprises!

Sorry, we are unable to accept more pets at this time. We are always available to help you to find sanctuary elsewhere.

You can support Stacy’s Funny Farm by shopping through Amazon Smile.

Stacy’s Funny Farm is a §501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax deductible.