After His Mom’s Dying Wish, He Turned a Wisconsin Farm Into a Haven for Forgotten Senior Dogs
Inspired by his mother’s compassion, one man turned grief into a haven for aging pups
When Larry Barton’s mother, Jane, shared her final wish to help special-needs and senior pups live in comfort rather than cages, the architect never dreamed it would become his life’s mission. Here, he shares his story with Woman’s World.
When Larry Barton flew from Wisconsin to California to visit his mom, Jane, an afternoon outing — driving from one animal shelter after another — completely altered the course of his life.
“Pay attention to the older dogs,” Jane told her son, her voice growing heavy with emotion. “We can’t forget about the sick ones and the ones that will never be adopted because their owners died and there was no one to take them in. They’ll spend the rest of their lives in those cages. It’s just not right.”
Jane, a retired X-ray technician and lifelong dog lover, had recently been diagnosed with terminal bone cancer.
“You may have a year to live,” doctors had predicted. Her compassion for senior dogs had always been strong, but now, facing her own mortality, it burned brighter than ever.
A heartwarming mission
That evening, Jane sat Larry down for a heart-to-heart. “You and your brother, Alan, are financially set, so after I’m gone you won’t need my money. But those dogs will, and I want you to find a way to help them,” she said, and Larry made a promise right then that he would. Jane’s estate wasn’t vast — little more than her 401(k).
But Larry and his wife, Melanie, were determined to honor her wishes the best they could.
“We could donate it to a rescue organization,” Melanie suggested, but Larry shook his head.
“It would only get added to their budget and gone almost immediately,” said Larry. “That’s not what Mom wanted,” he added, determined to honor the true spirit of his mother’s last request.
Larry, president of an architecture firm, was busy at work, so for the time being, he invested his mom’s bequest and, for seven years, watched it grow until his own retirement approached. Then he had the time and clarity to act.
“It’s time to make my mother’s dream come true,” he told Rachel Leuzinger, a longtime friend who spent many years working for vets and animal rights organizations.
Larry envisioned a sanctuary where senior and special-needs dogs could live out their days — not in cages, but in comfort. He began searching for the perfect property that would feel like home.
A lasting legacy
After touring dozens of possible sites, Larry purchased a 36-acre Baraboo, Wisconsin, farm with his own retirement funds, planning to use his mother’s money to fund operations for the first few years.
He established a nonprofit, Jane’s Journey Home, and began transforming a large barn into a dog-friendly living space with comfy couches, TVs and other homey touches.
Larry fenced in a large yard where the four-footed residents can play in the fresh air and sunshine. He cleared wooded trails through the hills so volunteers could walk them daily.
Now 65, Larry is planning for the sanctuary’s future. He’s planted three large fields of vegetables, which he and 80 volunteers tend, then sell the harvests at local farmers’ markets, raising thousands to fund dog food, treats and veterinary care.
Along with offering care to senior and special-needs dogs, Larry is also determined that these dogs will not be forgotten. “Community involvement is key,” he says, so Jane’s Journey Home hosts farm tours, craft fairs, educational events and open houses where the children can meet and play with pups strong enough for cuddles.
Today, Jane’s Journey Home offers comfort and care to a dozen or more dogs at a time, and in a quiet corner of the barn stands a memorial honoring the pups they’ve lost, and the woman whose love started it all. “I think my mom would be proud of what we’ve accomplished,” says Larry. “She’s helping so many dogs and she has given me a whole new mission in life.”
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