Puppy litter visits animals at Santa Clarita's Gentle Barn sanctuary in lieu of human guests

SANTA CLARITA, Calif. (KABC) -- While the Gentle Barn Animal Sanctuary in Santa Clarita may be closed to human guests, a litter of puppies took advantage and stopped by for a visit.

The curious 10-week-old puppies zipped around the facility and got up close and personal with cows, donkeys, pigs, chickens and some hesitant turkeys.

The puppies themselves are rescues. They were dropped off in a cardboard box at a shelter in the Central Valley and were then rescued by Paw Works, a "no-kill" animal rescue in Thousand Oaks.

Aquarium penguins take a tour amid closure for coronavirus outbreak

The Shedd Aquarium is closed for two weeks, so staff took some of the penguins on a field trip.

The organization's co-founder and executive director, Chad Atkins, says many dogs and cats have been adopted since the onset of the pandemic but there are still many that need help.

"In partnering with The Gentle Barn, we wanted to remind everyone, that big or small, the creatures of this world need our voice more than ever. And, that feeling of fear and isolation that we are all feeling during quarantine, is something that many of these animals experience everyday of their lives," Atkins said in a written statement.

All of the puppies have since found their forever homes, including one that was adopted by the sanctuary's founder.