Van Gogh was surrendered to the sanctuary at the end of April in 2023. For the first eight years of his life, Van Gogh was living with a loving family on a small farmette in northern Virginia. In January of 2023, Van Gogh and his six other flock mates were brutally attacked by two dogs that escaped their home and ventured onto the neighbor’s property late at night. The devastating attack led to the death and mutilation of four members of his flock, with two others making it out with limited injuries, and, fortunately, made full recoveries. Van Gogh was not so lucky. He suffered extreme injuries to include: losing an ear, suffering from multiple bite wounds and punctures, and sustaining numerous injuries to his back, spine, and body after a gate fell on top of him during the attack. Van Gogh’s owners were heartbroken, distraught, and devastated from the events that occurred. From the time of the attack until the end of April, Van Gogh’s owners tried to provide the care to heal Van Gogh and his remaining flock members. Unfortunately, due to time and financial constraints, his owners were left with a tough decision after he took a nosedive in his recovery process. They were at a point where they were looking at euthanasia or surrendering him to a rescue in hopes that there was a chance he could live a full and happy life. That is where Keeper’s Haven Animal Sanctuary came in! His initial care and rehabilitation program we developed, alongside veterinarians, was quite extensive. He needed around-the-clock care. After his first veterinary evaluation and consult, Van Gogh was prescribed antibiotics for a severe hock infection in his hind leg where the bone was exposed, and daily pain medication. We also started acupuncture to stimulate his nerve function, chiropractic work, and full body magnawave PEMF therapy. His belly and legs needed to be cleaned multiple times a day, to help heal his bed sores and urine burns, along with his exposed bone injury on his hind leg. He wore socks and wraps on his legs and around his belly to protect his wounds and the areas that suffered extreme hair loss as a result of his urine burns. We laid him on a camping air mat to comfort his bed sores and he wore diapers that were changed multiple times a day to keep him from soiling himself. Since he was unable to move, he needed to flipped multiple times a day to prevent new bed sores from forming, help heal his current ones, and keep his blood circulating properly. Keep in mind, that the average male Katahdin sheep weighs between 180 - 250 lbs, making it a bit challenging to flip and move him. Rehabilitation Program: Received extensive, around-the-clock care: daily antibiotics and pain management medications, bandages changed and wounds cleaned 2 times a day, diapers frequently changed, Van Gogh was moved multiple times a day to keep his blood circulating on top of his physical therapy program to regain mobility and strength. Acupuncture, chiropractic work, and magnawave therapy PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) Therapy. (PEMF aids in faster recovery from injuries, relief from chronic pain and arthritis, enhances energy and vitality, improves mobility and joint health, increases circulation, and reduces swelling and inflammation.) Physical therapy: rebuild his strength, including assisted standing, muscle strengthening, and eventually, walking practice with a custom harness and cart. Milestones Achieved: -Gradual increase in strength, enabling Van Gogh to stand alone for longer periods. -Improved mobility, balance, and independence in walking allowing him to graze and forage. Final milestone: Van Gogh standing up unassisted! It took almost a year after the attack, for Van Gogh to go back to a life of grazing, walking, sleeping with toys, playing with friends, and running short distances. Van Gogh remains on a maintenance program to include: arthritis medication, tendon and bone support supplement, weekly magnawave (PEMF), monthly chiropractic work, and daily exercise. His recovery exemplifies the importance of animal sanctuaries in saving animals that still have that glimmer in their eyes.