Farmer Jeanne Selander, who runs the Sheriff’s Animal Farm at the jail on Stock Island, is feeling the heartbreaking loss of the furry slow-moving fella who for 13 years was regularly wound around her torso, like an extra appendage.
Mo the Sloth was one of the most popular fixtures at the animal farm, which is a sanctuary of sorts for an estimated 150 rescued goats, an ostrich, an emu, kinkajous, horses, birds, reptiles, alpacas, rabbits and other critters.
“We are heartbroken to announce the sudden and unexpected passing of our beloved Mo the sloth,” Selander announced Dec. 4 on Facebook. “I cannot even guess how many lives he has touched, and the Farm won’t be the same without him. What a gift it was to be loved by Mo, and it was my honor to have been his keeper and companion for 13 years. I will always be grateful to Peter Parente for bringing Mo into my life, and for trusting me with his care. I will miss his slothy hugs. There are no words.”
Selander added that Mo was 18 years old when he died, and sloths typically live 20 or more years in captivity.
“Mo passed peacefully in his sleep,” she wrote, adding, “A necropsy will be performed by our farm veterinarian to hopefully shed some light on the cause of death. Our condolences to those of you who grieve with us.”
An open house was held at the Animal Farm on Dec. 5 in tribute to Mo.
“We had 350 visitors,” Selander said. “Thank you for the cards, flowers, hugs and the memories of Mo. It was a beautiful day to celebrate the life of a treasured friend. I want all of you to know how much I appreciate the thoughts, the messages and the love. Many of you whom I met because of Mo have become lifelong friends, and for that I am truly grateful. Mo was proof that animals really do change lives. He was a true ambassador of the farm, and in large part, made it what it is today. I will miss him forever. Much love, Farmer Jeanne”
The Monroe County Tourist Development Council highlighted Selander and the Animal Farm — believed to be the country’s only facility of its kind on jailhouse property — in a September Keys Voices profile:
“Jeanne Selander grew up on James Island near Charleston, South Carolina. As a child, she nurtured a small menagerie of animals and got her first pony at age 7. She was an equestrian team member at the College of Charleston.
“During the past 15 years, ‘Farmer Jeanne’ has mentored more than 1,500 low-risk detention center inmates who assist her with animal care. While the farm is a USDA-certified zoo, it’s really more of a sanctuary for abused, neglected and abandoned animals that become “forever residents.
“She has spent nights hunkered down in a sleeping bag in an on-site shed during approaching storms. She’s coaxed horses and alpacas onto an elevator in the jail, where the animals were sheltered in cells (the inmates were evacuated).
“Selander, who admits she gets bored quickly, has trained horses and been a scuba diving instructor, environmental consultant, shrimp farmer on an aquaculture farm and zoo aquarium diver — as well as working at the Key West Aquarium.
“Eventually, Florida Keys veterinarian Dr. Doug Mader convinced her to accompany him on rounds at the sheriff’s facility. It got its start in 1994, when a deputy suggested moving neighborhood ducks to a space underneath the jail to protect them from traffic, and evolved as residents dropped off various animals. Jeanne saw its potential and today is dedicated to sharing it with others.
“‘My mission for the farm is to advocate for being responsible pet parents by spaying and neutering your pets, keeping in mind that animals are not disposable — they are a commitment for THEIR lifetime,’ she said. ‘At the farm, I practice what I preach. When animals arrive here, they are home.’”
