Settler’s Pond Animal Shelter Annual Pumpkin Patch

Settler’s Pond Animal Shelter has officially opened its annual October pumpkin patch. Owner’s Airocolina Janota and her husband Roland Janota holt operations on their farm in Beecher, Illinois every October to run the pumpkin patch. According to the Herald News website, “all proceeds from that patch benefit the animals at the nonprofit, no-kill shelter on the farm, that they began in 1998.”

Aircolina Janota told the Herald that the animals at the shelter, some of which are exotic, were once abused and neglected. Settler’s Pond has become a resource in the community for people who find abused animals and don’t know who to call. Even though the shelter does not take predatorial animals Aircolina says that if they can’t take the animal, they “will help get it where it needs to go.”

A no-kill competent was added to the farm after a horribly injured pig was left at the end of the Janots’ driveway over two decades ago. The pig survived and lived on the farm for over twenty years.

According to the Settler's Pond website, Aircolina is certified in pet CPR and first aid. She has spent the last 15 years traveling a seven-state-wide radius rescuing animals. All the money made form the pumpkin patch goes to the care of the rescued animals.

(Image from Herald News Website)

The Settler’s Pond website says the pumpkin patch is open every day in October from 10:00a.m. until 5:00p.m. The price is $14 for kids and $10 for adults. “Admission includes Live Stock Exhibit, Animal Exhibits, Barrel Train Ride, Kid-sized Hay Maze, Inflatable Slide, Wagon Ride, Corn Maze, Milk the Fiberglas Cow, Seed Tables.”