It's a place of enchantment. It has almost a magical feel. It's a haven. A place where some six hundred animals have found refuge, a safe place to live out the rest of their years with lots of love. It's "Bella Vista Farms, the Farm of kisses and cookies...".

On any given day of the week, you will be humbled by the dedication and devotion that the owners Bob and Chic Miller have for these creatures that have finally found a home filled with safety, security, and love.

I soon found out what the kisses and cookies were. Kisses are freely given by both animals and their care givers. The cookies are spoonfuls of peanut butter given as treats. She laughs when she talks about one dog who just didn't seem to want any cookies one day as she was getting ready to give a tour of her farm. She worried that he might be sick, but after the tour she found out the reason for his lack of interest. There, next to this dog's favorite spot, was a large, empty jar of peanut butter!

They all have names and stories to tell.

"Okay, Duke, don't let Jesse come near us...". On cue, Duke takes his place between us and the red rooster, guarding, just as his owner has asked.

Duke is mixed breed, sort of a cow dog that was rescued from some people who intended to have him as their barbecue. He's the boss on the farm and the other dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, and anything that moves knows that Duke is the boss.

Then there's Jake. A delightful character with a loose lower lip and eyes that almost smile. He's a donkey that Chic purchased at the auction yard. He had an abcess you could put your fist into, and was full of sores on most of his bony frame. His owner didn't want to spend the money required to treat him, so he was to be sold for slaughter. Chic approached him and kindly spoke to him. His loose lower lip began to quiver and he cried, putting his head in her lap as she sat in the stall with him. She knew she had to try and save him. The bidding started at ten dollars, and since nobody else could see this animal through the eyes of this remarkable woman, he was hers. Now he is a happy, healthy donkey running and playing in the field he calls home. The bond between them is evidence that miracles do happen.

Off in the distance, Chic points to a small black and white cow grazing.

"That's Cody. I found him at the auction yard in a garbage dumpster along with Beanie, that goat over there. They were still alive, barely breathing."

The had been born there in the auction yard, with a very rocky beginning. They were smaller than usual, and weren't expected to live, so they were thrown away. Chic tenderly plucked them out, thinking, "At least they'll die with dignity...". But die they did not! They have grown to be a healthy, active part of her menagerie.

Chic and Bob started "Bella Vista Farms" six years ago with a few goats, about five dogs, a few cats, and two horses. It has grown to include many types of animals. A lot of the animals they receive are animals thay have been a fad, such as pot-bellied pigs or emus that people tire of and just don't want any more. Bella Vista Farms is considered an Animal Rescue organization, and they get many calls from the local shelters and the Sheriff's Department to help in just such situations.

Animal fads are nothing new, and Chic seems to have the knack of predicting them with accute accuracy.

"The pot-bellied pigs were one that when it started, people were told that the little critters never got as large as a butcher hog. Well, since that can be almost five hundred pounds, you can imagine the suprise people started having as their cute house-trained pigs reached as much as two hundred fifty pounds."

With the making of the Disney film "101 Dalmations", people thought what wonderful pets Dalmations would make, but what they didn't stop to consider was their temperment, and how high strung they can be.

In the wake of the emu fad, Bella Vista Farms has received numerous calls from local authorities to help round up a stray emu on the run. Since they can travel as fast as forty miles an hour, this is no easy task. With the market for emu all but gone, people are just turning them loose to fend for themselves. Their end can be heartbreaking as they face trying to survive. Many end up either starving to death, tangled up in wire fences, or being chased by predators.

The latest fad she predicts will hit the local shelters soon is the Chihuahua from the Taco Bell ads. Education is the best defense against becoming part of the current fad. She feels people should research carefully the type of animal they wish to adopt and choose one that will fit in with their family and lifestyle.

At the time they started the Farm, Chic was working as a nurse with twenty years experience behind her. In their small community of Bella Vista, work got around quickly of her compassion and her ability to care for animals. Soon it was apparent to both Chic and her husband the need for this type of operation.

She excuses herself to feed some small puppies she received when they were only hours old. They had been found in the small community of Cottonwood in a box behind a service station by a woman who happened to be jogging nearby and heard their weak cries. The temperatures had been close to the point of freezing and the puppies struggling to stay warm snuggled close to one another. The woman rushed the seven puppies to Chic. One puppy died en route, and another four have died since, despite the love and care Chic has provided. Their care has included feedings every four hours and constant warmth from an electric heating pad. The remaining two are getting stronger with each day, but it hasn't been easy on Chic. Each time one dies, it's another senseless death.

Her goal is to educate people in the proper treatment of animals, and to stress the importance of spaying and neutering. Their belief is that no litter animals, such as dogs and cats should be allowed to reproduce. If you visit any local animal shelter anywhere you will understand why. The thousands and thousands of animals that have to be euthanized each year is heartbreaking to anyone who truly loves animals.

Bob and Chic shoulder most of the expenses themselves with some local merchants and restaurants donating to help. Chic provides most of the veterinarian care, with help from a local animal hospital. Her years of nursing have helped out in this area. Chic also occasionally will do petting zoos, and offers birthday parties for children at Bella Vista Farms as a way to help with the expense of caring for the animals. Their lifestyle is simple with anything extra going back into the animals.

She now works the Farm full time, and laughs when she thinks back to the eight hours she worked as a nurse.

"This is twenty-four hours a day, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I suppose it's my true calling. My reward is helping animals that otherwise wouldn't have a chance."

As I finished my visit, Chic is rushing back inside for another puppy feeding, and I leave feeling convinced that we all need to be involved in some way or another with endeavors like this. Most of us aren't equipped to handle six hundred animals, but all of us should look for ways we can help.

If you would like to help, you can contact Bob or Chic at "Bella Vista Farms". They are located at 4301 Lower Gas Point Road, Cottonwood, CA, 96022. Their phone number is (530) 347-0544.