HONESDALE, Pa. — Marcie Bunting says her husband Jerry was always the first one tending to over 70 animals on Billy's New Hope Barn in Cherry Ridge Township.
"He went to the farm, to the barn every morning. He'd be up here at 6:30 in the morning feeding everybody, and some of the animals need special, special either with medication or special foods or whatever, and he used to go above and beyond to make their life as good as possible," said Marcie Bunting, Billy's New Hope Barn Owner.
The couple opened the rescue in Cherry Ridge Township in 2011 in honor of their goat, Billy.
"He was just a farmer through and through. I mean he liked working the fields, but he loved the animals. He loved it when we had dairy cows. He was so kind to them and took just great care of them," added Bunting.
Jerry died last week in a farming accident on the property. Marcie says the community and the animals, like Sadie, are feeling his absence.
"She was daddy's girl. It's really hard I know she doesn't understand where he is. She sits in the driveway and just looks for him," Bunting explained about Sadie.
Marcie says Jerry would have been the first one up with Sadie Wednesday morning to clear the rainwater from the cow's stalls. Now, without Jerry, volunteers are pitching in to help. Marcie has seen a new face almost every day at the rescue.