Episode 12: Radical Love, Acceptance, and a Tail of Two Piggies

Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. On today's episode, host Allie Wagner shares a recent visit she took to the local Tail of Two Cities animal sanctuary just outside Nederland. You’ll hear stories of sassy pigs, baby yaks, and sneaky dogs, and we’ll talk about the power of radical love and acceptance of all.

This episode is sponsored by the Porcine Party to Elect Pig for Mayor.

Don't forget to vote for Mayor of the Carousel – voting begins March 13!

• Learn more about the Mayor Election and the perks of voting! (https://carouselofhappiness.org/mayor-of-the-carousel/) 
• Ready to cast your vote? Here's the link to the ballot. (https://carouselofhappiness.org/mayor-ballot/)

Want to learn more about Tail of Two Cities Sanctuary?

• Check out their website (https://www.tailsoftwocitiessanctuary.org/) or Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/tailsoftwocitiessanctuary/), and meet their animal crew. (https://www.tailsoftwocitiessanctuary.org/our-animals)
• Show the piggies, Bolton & Berlin, some love and sponsor them. Every little bit helps!

And don't forget to heck out pics and videos from Allie's visit on Facebook and Instagram.

The Carousel of Happiness is a nonprofit arts & culture organization dedicated to inspiring happiness, well-being, and service to others through stories and experiences.

If you enjoy the podcast, please consider visiting the Carousel of Happiness online (https://carouselofhappiness.org/), on social media (https://www.facebook.com/carouselofhappiness), or in real life; or consider donating (https://carouselofhappiness.app.neoncrm.com/forms/general-donation) to keep the carousel and its message alive and spinning 'round and 'round.

If you have a story to share, please reach out to Allie Wagner at outreach@carouselofhappiness.org

Special thanks to songwriter, performer, and friend of the carousel, Darryl Purpose (https://darrylpurpose.com/), for sharing his song, "Next Time Around," as our theme song.

Transcript

Welcome to the Carousel of Happiness Podcast. I’m your host, Allie Wagner. 

On our last episode, we began our Carousel Mayor Election Coverage for 2025. For those of you who missed it, Dragon, Lion, and Pig have bravely raised their claws, paws, and hooves respectively to announce their candidacy for Mayor of the Carousel. Sitting Mayor Giraffe, I am told, is poised and ready to support a smooth transition of power.

During this election cycle, I am allowing each of the candidates to sponsor an episode of the podcast. Today’s episode is brought to you by the Porcine Party to Elect Pig for Mayor. In it, I share a recent visit I took to the local Tail of Two Cities animal sanctuary just outside Nederland. You’ll hear stories of sassy pigs, baby yaks, and sneaky dogs, and we’ll talk about the power of radical love and acceptance of all.

Let us begin with today’s story.

GONG

If you’re heading toward the Carousel of Happiness from Boulder, most folks drive up Boulder Canyon Rd. It’s an absolutely stunning, scenic drive that winds through a beautiful canyon with steep rock walls and gorgeous views.

But, if at the base of the canyon, instead of driving up Boulder Canyon Road, you see a little green sign that says Magnolia Road and you take a left, you’ll wind up a steep dirt road that also takes you to Nederland. You can call it the road less traveled.

Off that dirt road, as you wind up and up and up over 2,000 feet in elevation, you’ll find small farms and houses, sweeping mountain views, and wide open meadows dotted with elk, deer, and moose. About halfway up the road, which can be very treacherous in the wintertime, about 20 minutes from Boulder and 20 minutes from Nederland, you’ll find the Tail of Two Cities Sanctuary, run by Jess and Myles Osborne.

When I visited the sanctuary last weekend, I was greeted by a serenade of barks, bleats, and grunts. The sanctuary, also the Osborne’s home, is on 23 acres and is home to 22 animals. 4 dogs, 1 cat; 6 goats, 1 yak; 2 ducks, 1 donkey; 5 horses and 2 pigs. And, as they say, a partridge in a pear tree.

And the two pigs were the reason I came to visit. Jess is a huge fan of the carousel, and had reached out to us to see if she could bring the pigs by for a visit on Valentine’s Day. Her idea? Kiss a pig on Valentine’s Day.

Great idea, right? 

And while we weren’t able to make it happen this time around, I knew I had to visit and see what Jess and Myles had created in the last 2 years since they had moved up from Boulder to their current spot off Magnolia Road. 

As we made our way around the property, I snuggled a massive Irish Wolfhound named Brisbane, the resident matriarch and enforcer of the sanctuary. Brizzy, as she is affectionately known, keeps everyone – both human and animal – in line. She sees to it that everyone behaves by the rules. While exceptionally large, she has a tender heart and a soft spot for children. She and Jess’ Labradane, Dublin, who is no longer with us, were the inspiration for this place almost 10 years ago.

In 2015, Jess was working at Sunrise Senior Living in Boulder when she asked if she could bring both of her dogs – Brizzy and Dublin – with her to work to visit with the residents. It was such a big hit that residents were often disappointed when Jess showed up to work without the dogs. It didn’t take her long to realize that she was on to something. 

Jess grew up nearby in Gunbarrel in the home of a single mom. She loved animals, but her mother didn’t have the income or space to fully accommodate Jess’ desire to live in a house chock full of animals. But she was able to sufficiently satisfy her need by keeping frogs, geckos, chickens, and dogs as pets growing up.

For Jess, who has ADHD, anxiety, and depression, spending time with the animals just made her feel better. They mitigated her symptoms, they soothed her spirit, they anchored her in the present moment, and they gave her reason to focus. 

And focus she does. Jess has laser-like focus when it comes to animals. As she was taking me through the property, she was rattling off detail after detail about each and every animal. Who gets along with whom; how they came to the sanctuary; what meds they’re on. She knows every nuance, every detail, about each of the 22 animals. Her recall and attention when it comes to them is staggering. 

And it’s one thing to know facts and details about the animals, but Jess’ knowledge extends into the intuitive as well. She can sense what each animal needs, she knows who they are deep down, and she instinctively understand how she can support them.

Over the course of my visit, there were a couple of interspecies skirmishes – dog on dog, dog on goat, donkey on pig. 

And each time, Jess would stop our conversation and mediate. Explain to the animals in a calm, yet stern voice, that that type of behavior, while understood, was not preferred.

It’s important to Jess that each animal have, what she calls a “no.” An opportunity to opt out. An opportunity to exercise their agency. At the sanctuary, each animal has a voice. 

Because many haven’t had one. Many have been let down by humans in the past. And Jess is determined not to repeat the cycle.

Including the two pigs, Berlin and Bolton, who are the newest additions to the Tail of Two Cities Sanctuary. They were found running along the side of the road, in the snow, just outside Nederland, when their owner, who no longer wanted them, stopped feeding them and they escaped to find food.

When they arrived at the sanctuary in January, the plan was for them to stay “just a couple of days.” But as these things happen, Jess couldn’t say goodbye.

At the time, they were both so malnourished and dehydrated – they looked like skin and bones. They were terrified of human beings and would bite at anything because they were so hungry, they thought it was food. Including Jess’ fingers.

And that would deter most, but not Jess. Truth is, she’s been bitten and kicked and accidentally stepped on more times than your average human. But she doesn’t hold a grudge; she understands it’s part of being around animals. She extends unconditional love and compassion to each and every one of her babies.

And they are most certainly her babies. She sleeps with them during storms, she frets over them when they’re sick, she loves these animals in a way that only a mother can – unconditionally, without strings attached.   

And Bolton and Berlin are a testament to the healing power of this kind of love. They’ve only been at the sanctuary for just over two months, and they are fat and happy. On the day of my visit, both were sunning themselves on the Osborne’s back deck, and each rolled over for me to receive some belly rubs.

Have you ever rubbed a big’s belly? It is quite a magical experience. 

Did you know pigs are super smart? They have the intelligence of a human toddler. They have more than 20 distinct grunts and squeals that allow them to express a broad range of emotions from hunger to a desire for a mate. Piglets can identify their own names by the time they’re 2 weeks old. And while pigs cannot fly, they can swim and run up 11 miles an hour. That is a 7 minute mile.

Jess and I are swapping pig facts in her living room during my visit while four dogs snore happily around us. The floor is lined with lines of carpet that make it easier for Ziggy and Wibur to get around. Ziggy and Wilbur, the two dog brothers, have a rare disease that makes it difficult for them to walk around on the wood floor, or anywhere for that matter. Affectionately known as the “wiggle brothers,” Ziggy and Wilbur shake and wobble as they walk around as a result of their condition. Both were only able to walk with wheelchairs when they arrive; two separate vets advised that they be put down. 

No way.

But the wiggle brothers are asleep next to me on the couch, still and relaxed, as I tell Jess I learned that mama pigs sing to their babies while they’re nursing as a way to calm them down.

She instantly tears up. Turns out, she sings to all of her babies, including the Berlin and Bolton. She says when each animal arrives at the sanctuary she finds a common song, like “Silent Night” or “You Are My Sunshine,” and then she sings to them their adoption story to that tune. She tells them how they came to be part of the family, she tells them how much she loves them.  

And what I love about that is how she instinctively knew to do this. Not just for the pigs, but for all of the animals. Each one has their own special song. Each one has their own special story.

As we’re talking, Myles comes downstairs and opens what they call the “drive through window.” A kitchen window just over the sink where six goats hop up and ask for a treat.

Myles opens the window, pulls out a big plastic jug filled with animal crackers, and starts serving up the goods.

When I ask Myles if he ever thought he’d be running an animal sanctuary, he’s quick to point out that Jess is the mastermind. That said, on both of my visits to the sanctuary I watch him juggle his professional responsibilities in his office with mucking stalls in the backyard.

Myles is kind and compassionate. As many spouses of animal lovers can attest, it’s a balancing act. He knows how much his wife loves animals, how much they fill her up, yet he’s a tad more realistic about what is and is not possible.

But just like Jess with her animal babies, he is incredibly accepting of his wife and who she is.

Because, as Jess admits, she can be a little…crafty…when it comes to seeking his approval for a new resident of the sanctuary.

Like Tallie, the 2-year-old yak who came to the sanctuary after she was born prematurely in the meadow behind their house. Tallie’s mother and her herd were grazing on the Osborne’s property that spring when Tallie was born early and couldn’t stand to nurse. The only way she would survive was if she were bottle fed. They gave her as much time as they could with her yak mama as possible, but it wasn’t working. Tallie didn’t have much time. Jess stepped in.

She ran into the house and asked Myles – “Are you on Team Save Baby Yak?” she asked.

“Yes, of course,” he replied. Not quite understanding the significance of his answer. Of course he wanted to save a baby yak. He wasn’t a monster. 

Jess is quick to admit that she asked him the intentionally vague question one more time, just to be sure she was covered, before she rushed Tallie to the livestock vet at CSU.

As it turns out, saving a baby yak is expensive, and Jess was a bit worried about the expense. The vets at CSU met her halfway, making it as easy and affordable as possible, giving Tallie fluids, antibiotics, and vitamins to keep her alive and boost her immune system. At the time, she weighed 20 pounds.

After her visit to CSU, Tallie perked up and Jess took her home, bottle feeding her round-the-clock.

Myles then realized the gravity of his now two responses to that fateful question.

Tallie lived inside the Osborne’s home for about a year. Jess and Myles are her herd. But eventually, Jess (and Tallie) needed to accept that yaks should live outside.

The day of my visit, I look up at the sliding glass door and there’s Tallie. With her forehead against the glass, looking inside. She wants to come in. It breaks Jess’ heart.

But as she calmly explains to me, it is difficult to have a yak inside the house.

I try to go outside to love on Tallie, but I can’t figure out how to get out of the house. There is an elaborate locking mechanism on the door that I can’t quite crack. That mechanism is courtesy of Darwin, the 145 pound Pyrenees/Great Dane puppy who is now spilling off of a dog bed and onto the floor, snoring. 

Darwin, or Houdini as he is affectionately known, likes to get out of the house. At first he would open the sliding glass door. No big deal. Jess and Myles simply locked it. So Darwin unlocked it. Then, Jess and Myles added a chain and clasp lock to the sliding glass door that seemed to work. But then, Darwin figured out how to open the round door knobs in the house. They added more locks. Pretty soon, he was opening the lever-style handle of the front door. As Myles tells it, Darwin left the house every single day for almost four months. They were officially “that couple” who couldn’t keep their dog in the house.

Darwin wasn’t trying to leave. As Jess explains, he’s only two years old. He’s a puppy. He’s curious about what’s outside and wants to check it out. Also, the Pyrenees in him makes him hardwired to protect his pack.

Initially, Jess decided she was okay with him opening doors, she would just train him to close them behind him. But, Darwin was less interested in the whole “shutting the door” thing, and it didn’t quite pan out. Plus, he was making larger and larger protection circles around the house, getting further and further away on each trip. And, he was helping himself to the neighbor’s pond, and other slightly less neighborly antics.

So, they reluctantly turned the house into a fortress to keep Darwin safe and the neighbors happy.

Jess personally understands how spending time with animals can be healing. She also knows that being able to keep animals is a luxury not everyone can afford. Her dream is to open the sanctuary to any- and everyone who wants to spend time with animals. 

Staying true to her roots, she regularly brings the animals to local senior centers, where Tallie, whom many residents met when she was just a baby, is a huge hit. Unfortunately, Tallie’s a bit too big to hang out inside these days, but Jess brings the dogs, the horses, and even the ducks to visit with residents.

Eventually, the plan is to host group visits for veterans, children, and anyone else who feels called to spend time with the animals. If you’re local, and you’d like to volunteer, shoot Jess an email. She’d love to have you, even if it’s just to play with the dogs, hike with the goats, or brush the horses. She knows how important that is to them, and how healing it can be for you. 

When I ask her how she was able to create such a welcoming place, she’s quick to explain that Dublin, the Labradane who went with Brizzy to those first senior visits 10 years ago, was the inspiration. He inspired her to create a place of radical love and acceptance for all because she saw him do it herself. Every new animal they welcomed into their brood, every single human that stopped by, Dublin made sure they felt like they belonged. And that is his legacy. That is how he lives on.

The more time I spent at the sanctuary, the more it felt like the carousel to me. A place where humans explore the healing power of animals. A place where unconditional love and radical acceptance reigns supreme. A place created by a visionary who sees the world a little bit differently. Jess, like Scott, doesn’t hide her shadow, she embraces it, much like she does the animals. It is so clear that she is embodying and fully committing to her purpose in this lifetime, and it is so much fun to be a part of.

I, personally, fell in love with the place, and will be hosting a weekly group at the sanctuary in the next couple of months. Stay tuned for details.

This week, I invite you to consider the concept of unconditional love. Love without boundaries, love without strings, love without expectations. Love even if they drive you crazy, love even if they’re naughty, love even if they leave the dishes in the sink.

Who, in your life, makes it easy for you to love unconditionally? Who makes it a bit more challenging? Can you take some inspiration from Dublin and make your space, your home, your office, more welcoming to those who visit. 

Big shoutout to the Porcine Party to Elect Pig for Mayor for sponsoring this episode. If you’d like to vote for Mayor of the Carousel, voting opens this Thursday, check out the show notes for more details. If you’d like to volunteer or donate to the Tail of Two Cities Animal Sanctuary, or sponsor Bolton and Berlin, check out the link in the show notes below.

In the meantime, take care. Be well. And, as we like to say at the Carousel of Happiness, “don’t delay joy.” And we’ll see you next time around.