LUXEMBURG (NBC 26) — Tonya and Dave Edwards, owners of Wilson's Wish, describe their barn during its busiest stretch with one word.
"Chaos," Dave said.
"That's a really good way to put it," Tonya added.
They also use it to describe their life right now. The Edwards are moving to the Wautoma area on Tuesday to be closer to family.
That means, after six years welcoming animals that faced neglect, old age or dealt with special needs, their barn will soon close.
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"Rehoming the animals has been the hardest part of all of it," Tonya said.
Most of the animals have found new homes, with the remaining pigs and goats leaving this weekend. The Edwardses say that the property's new owners will take care of the barn cats and chickens.
"When you put a lot of time into saving them and caring for them, watching them move on is very difficult," Tonya said. "But we made sure to take a lot of time to find great homes for them."
They say the transition is bittersweet.
"I can't look back on it with anything but just joy and appreciation for the time that we got to spend here," Tonya said.
"Everything was new, everything was exciting, and some things were painful but we all had a good time," Dave said.
The Edwardses say that Wilson's Wish brought the community together.
"We always wanted this to be a place where everybody felt welcome," Tonya said.
After six years, their message remains the same.
"Take care of your animals," Dave said.
The Edwardses say that they will take a few months off after their move to the Wautoma area. But they will look to create a "spin off" to Wilson's Wish, focusing on transporting animals, in their new home.
