TicketNetwork Sanctuary Gives Animals Free Passes On New Lives

SOUTH WINDSOR, CT — As orders poured in for events like shows, concerts and games at TicketNetwork on Wednesday, Homefry the pot-bellied pig was at the other end of the sprawling 65-acre South Windsor business campus, enjoying a new pass on life.

Beside him was Micky, another pot-bellied pig. The pair make up the centerpiece of TicketNetwork's animal sanctuary, founded in 2013 as an extension of CEO Don Vaccaro's professed love for agriculture and animals.

The farm caught the attention of area residents in March 2018, when TicketNetwork staffer Sandi Cunninham saw a wandering chicken on Kelly Road in Vernon near a bustling shopping area and close to the South Windsor line and TicketNetwork on Gerber Road. The chicken was rescued by local officials and Cunningham stayed in touch with Vernon police.

When no one claimed the chicken, it wound up at TicketNetwork's santuary.

After Cunningham's heroics, the chicken coop was named Cluckingham Palace in a companywide contest.

So ... back to 2013 ... Vaccaro hired Jim McKinney to direct the sanctuary and the adjacent farm. McKinney has a degree in agricultural economics and business management from Cornell University. He owned a horticultural business, including a garden center, until selling it in 2009.

The projects at TicketNetwork included setting up a vegetable garden to provide produce for the onsite complimentary cafeteria; planting an orchard of peach, apple, cherry and other fruit trees; finding chickens and goats for the sanctuary; and starting a Christmas tree farm on a tract of land off Frontage Road in Vernon with a plan to make trees available to needy Connecticut families.

The TicketNetwork garden now measures 30,000 square feet and the orchard boasts about 300 trees.

Two goats — Brandy and Lily — were adopted from a South Windsor farm that had too many goats and 20 chickens were bought from an Ellington farm.

One day in passing, Vaccaro mentioned that he would love to see grape vines along the front of the building. Now there are 80 on a trellis that, as he said, "looks cool and produce delicious grapes."

The sanctuary takes in unwanted animals and can incubate fresh eggs and house more chickens. Hiking trails are available for employee use.

Two small barns have been built, along with a small pond for ducks and geese that were raised from ducklings and goslings. Four roosters — two from an animal shelter and two from homes that couldn’t keep roosters — live at the sanctuary. So does a pair of pheasants.

Two dwarf Nigerian goats — Martin and Eddy — were adopted from a Granby couple who just didn’t have the space for them anymore. They have staring contests with a llama who lives across the compound.

Back to the pigs ...

Homefry came from a family in Connecticut that was moving to a town that did not allow pigs, according to TicketNetwork officials. He had been living at Tara Farm Rescue in Coventry, an animal rescue service for which Cunningham volunteers. He eventually made his way to TicketNetwork, Tara Farm owner BonnieJeanne Gorden said. It turned out, Homefry was lonely and McKinney learned that pot bellies do better with "buddies." Cunningham came to the rescue again and arranged to bring Micky to TicketNetwork from Tara.

The two didn't get along at first, but have since become fast friends, McKinney said. That was evident Wednesday when the two ran over to McKinney when he was making the rounds. McKinney glanced over at the pellet dispensers Vaccaro had installed for employees and family members to feed the animals and joked, "I better not because they'd eat all day if I let them."

The two pigs then hung around for a few pats on the back and trotted off, grunting happy grunts, enjoying their new tickets to life.