Wilbur the three-legged pig was going to be named Lucky.

But Steve George said there were already too many other "Luckys" on the farm.

Wilbur, whose leg got caught in a fence on a farm in New Castle, is one of about 100 farm animals who have come to Harmony, temporarily located at the north Botetourt County farm owned by the founders of the Roanoke nonprofit Angels of Assisi.

Harmony, which began a year ago, is a sanctuary for farm animals who need good homes. Horses, cows, sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks and any other large animal can retire on the 90-acre farm, where George, the farm manager, and a couple of other employees provide care, food and companionship for the remainder of the animals' natural lives.

"If your grandma goes out and breaks her leg, you're not going to dispose of her," said George. That's the same philosophy the group is taking with the animals.

George worked at the farm where Wilbur lived until he joined Angels of Assisi full time last September. Rather than leaving the pig to be killed by the farmer, George brought 7-month-old Wilbur with him to Harmony. There, Wilbur has his own stall in the barn and is fed, watered and given affection and medical attention when needed.

Shelly Alley, public relations director for Angels of Assisi, said the organization has been working with Virginia Prosthetics to see about getting Wilbur the leg he needs.

Alley said Harmony was a natural extension of Angels of Assisi, which was founded in Roanoke in 2001. The organization's mission statement says it is "dedicated to the preservation and care of all living creatures." Its initial efforts focused on offering low-cost spay and neuter services and pet adoption opportunities, both of which are still available.

Alley said Harmony is the organization's way of making a statement about animal abuse.

"It's a way for us to speak for the animals that don't have a voice themselves," she said.

Each animal at Harmony - several of which are named Lucky - has its own story.

Angels of Assisi purchased 11 goats last summer because it heard the goats were bound for a factory farming environment, which can squeeze high numbers of animals into small spaces before they are slaughtered. Representatives of the nonprofit intervened to provide the goats with a home - and what they hope will be a long life - at Harmony.

The organization also purchased Hershey, a Scottish Highlander cow who has seizures, at an auction to prevent her from becoming someone's dinner.

Georgette is a month-old lamb who follows George around like a puppy. During Georgette's birth, the farm manager pulled her and her brother - who died as an infant - from their mother, who was weak from a glucose deficiency and unable to deliver. George has hand-raised Georgette, whose mother is being nursed back to health. The lamb was named after its caregiver.

"They all have a story," Alley said.

"Too many to tell actually," George added.

Most of the animals came to Harmony because word spread that it was an option. Harmony would be willing to help a farmer who has decided to get out of farming, for example, Alley said.

Angels of Assisi hopes to buy about 300 acres in Botetourt County soon so it can establish a permanent home for Harmony, develop educational facilities and host school groups and visitors. Once settled in a new location, Harmony will be equipped to accommodate more animals.

Among the educational missions of the farm sanctuary will be teaching visitors about the value of a farm animal's life and making them aware of factory farming environments.

"It's kind of the best way to tell the story," said Alley. "If we arm the people with the knowledge and the education, they can make their choice."

In the long run, Alley hopes Harmony will have donors who will sponsor an animal by covering its expenses.

Another goal of the organization is to do pet therapy with some of the smaller farm animals like lambs, kids (baby goats), dogs and cats. George recently took a lamb and a kid to Springtree Health and Rehabilitation Center in Roanoke on a trip to visit a relative, and the animals were a hit.

"I got so many thank yous that day," he said.

All males at Harmony are neutered because Angels of Assisi doesn't want the animals to breed. Alley said neutering is an easier procedure to perform and recover from than spaying the females. Offspring born to impregnated animals that come to Harmony can be "trained" for therapy trips to nursing homes or used for educational purposes when school groups visit the farm.

So far there have been few deaths among animals at Harmony, but animals that complete their lives there will be buried on the property.

George, who is originally from West Virginia, said he has spent two-thirds of his life on a farm. He previously raised animals for slaughter and was accustomed to constantly feeding them so they'd be fat for the market.

Since he joined Harmony, George has learned to "maintenance feed" the animals, giving them only enough food to stay healthy. Animals at Harmony also eat feed with no animal byproducts in it.

"For years all I've known is fatten up and eat 'em," George said. "Now we're not fattening 'em up, we're making friends."

If you have a farm animal that might be better off at Harmony, call 265-2555 ext. 2345.

On the Web:

Angels of Assisi

www.angelsofassisi.org

Grace Factory Farm Project

www.factoryfarm.org