"Cow Hug Therapy" by Ellie Laks

When Ellie Laks found herself communicating with animals early on, she said she didn't think anything of it. But as Laks, continuing with her communications, got older, "people looked at me as though I was crazy," she said.But Laks also rescued and rehabilitated animals. As co-founder of The Gentle Barn, a rescue mission for animals with no other place to go, she celebrated the organization's 25th anniversary this year with the publication of her second book, Cow Hug Therapy. Laks published Her Gentle Barn in 2014.She credits a cow named Buddha, a rescue cow that spent 13 1/2 years at the Gentle Barn, for making cow hug therapy possible.The Gentle Barn has three facilities the public can visit: Los Angeles, Nashville and St. Louis. The organization cares for 200 animals with 60 people on staff and hundreds of volunteers, Laks said.Those interested in visiting are encouraged to book online, she said, noting that private tours and field trips are also available.