Saving Rainbow Farm – the legacy of Verona’s popular ‘Vet’, Heather Carver.

Jeff Green | Dec 09, 2020

For 20 years, pet owners and animal lovers in South and Central Frontenac depended on Heather Carver and the Verona Animal Hospital.

Heather was originally from Westport, and when she became a veterinarian she decided that she wanted to live and work in her home region. She worked in a clinic in the region for a shor time and then decided to open a clinic in Verona. She eventually relocated the Verona Animal Hospital to a new location in Godfrey at the corner of the Westport Road, where there was more space. The clinic was always a welcoming and cheerful place for both pets and their owners.

In 2015, Heather, her wife Cheryl Sutherland, and their daughter, moved into a 130 acre farm on the Westport Road (closer to Westport), the start of a new chapter in their lives.

The farm became a magnet for animals in need of care. Here is how it is described by Leah Huff, a family friend:

“Once word got out that the local vet had a farm, the animals began to arrive: kittens hit by cars or abandoned; puppies with neurological problems or in need of surgery; elderly dogs needing palliative care; a runt piglet with an deformed foot; a retired beef cow and her last calf; a Jersey cow with her two miniature donkey companions… and the list goes on. In addition to the farm’s working animals and pets, the rescue population currently includes a large range of farm animals and many beloved dogs and cats, each of which has been given a new lease on life, thanks to Heather and Cheryl’s care and commitment to their wellbeing.”

Over the next couple of years Heather began developing a plan to focus more on the farm as a hospice/palliative care centre for animals.

“She was planning to be more hands-off at the clinic by hiring another vet to run it, to focus on the farm. It was a longer-term plan,” Cheryl Sutherland said. “Then, starting sometime in 2018, it is hard to pinpoint when Heather started to have difficulties.”

In September 2019, Heather received the devastating diagnosis of early onset dementia. She had to stop working. By November, Heather and Cheryl realised they had to close the clinic. Heather wanted to sell it so her clients would still be served locally, but attempts to sell the business were unsuccessful.

As bad as 2019 was, nothing could prepare the couple for what 2020 would bring.

Here is how Leah Huff describes what has happened, in the Rainbow Farm GoFundMe page.

“Heather’s condition deteriorated quickly and in January 2020, the diagnosis of dementia was recognised as being secondary to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a terminal diagnosis. To make a terrible situation infinitely worse, Heather contracted COVID-19 in March 2020 and, after hearing about all of the people dying alone, opted to be cared for at home by Cheryl with guidance from a medical support team. Heather was so gravely ill that she was treated as palliative and was comatose for a number of days. Everyone said their goodbyes, but miraculously, Heather awoke from her coma and survived her battle with COVID-19. After spending 6 days in hospital to be weaned off the palliative medications, Cheryl and their daughter were thrilled to welcome Heather back home.

However, the elation they felt came to a grinding halt when, only a few days later, they realised that the CTE had progressed.

“As Heather’s physical mobility and neurological symptoms worsened, the family spent the early summer together, fulfilling Heather’s last wish of a family camping trip to Algonquin Park, and extending their love of camping to a tent on the property, sleeping outside for what would be the rest of Heather’s life. Heather died on July 29, at home on Rainbow Farm, held in Cheryl’s arms and surrounded by the cherished animals she had rescued, adopted, or saved.”

This left Cheryl with the responsibility to manage the farm and raise their 9 year old child.

“I knew this was coming and was as prepared for it as I could be,” Cheryl said, in an interview last week.“Heather worried so much about how I would be able to keep up with the mortgage payments on the farm, and I kept telling her that her life insurance would take care of it.”

Then came the latest blow.

Cheryl was recently informed that the life insurance claim has been denied by the insurance company.

This prompted Leah Huff to start up the GoFundMe campaign to give Cheryl enough resources to stay afloat while she puts together a longer term plan to keep Rainbow Farm up and running

On the GoFundMe page, Leah Huff describes the challenges Cheryl Sutherland has faced, before and after Heather Carver’s untimely death. It makes for compelling reading, and it concludes with the following:

“It was Heather’s dying wish that her wife and daughter have the comfort of this love-filled home, and it would have been mortifying to her to know that the farm is at risk a few short months after her death.

If we can save Rainbow Farm, I am certain that Cheryl will carry it to beautiful heights. In addition to the care of animals in need, she has some working animals and has plans to begin providing animal transport and offer cat and dog-boarding. In the future, we can expect to see programs for human animals as well, with retreats and grief-support offerings in the beautiful, forested land surrounding the farm.”

For further information, and an opportunity to donate, google “Help Save Rainbow Farm”, click here

“Leah really wanted to set this up, and I wasn’t sure about it, but I’m glad she did it,” said Cheryl. “Every donation is worth more than the money to me. It shows that people care. It gives me some hope.