Summer Newsletter
August 2019
Britain's First Farm Animal Sanctuary Contact us: Manor Orchard Farm School Lane Middle Littleton Evesham Worcestershire WR11 8LN 01386 834500 info@thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk
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Visit us: We are open for visits every Saturday throughout the summer months. Spaces are limited so please book your spot! We will take you on a guided tour of the farm and introduce you to our residents, and then you are welcome to stay and get to know some of the animals. We kindly request a minimum donation of £5 which will go straight to the care of the animals. U n d e r 1 0 ’s are free and if you have adopted one of our animals your visit is free.
Reg Charity: 702287
Dear Friends & Supporters, Welcome to Summer! Before we proceed, meet Percy the Roadhog, one of our recent rescues, seen here making the most of his miraculous escape, appearing from his lovely muddy wallow, waiting for breakfast to be delivered. But, more about Percy later, just to say he's one of the luckiest pigs alive. It's been a strange summer so far, in the south of the country, eggs have been fried on pavements, reservoir levels have dropped dramatically. In the north cars and bridges have been washed away, whole villages threatened with flooding, reservoirs collapsing, and now we have Boris, and still have "The Brexit conundrum". Talking briefly about politics, which I hadn't planned to do, many years ago I was employed as a Government driver, which involved chauffeuring government officials, MP's, foreign Ambassadors etc up and down the country. www.thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk
Patron: Joanna Lumley OBE
Summer Newsletter
August 2019
Every so often someone would tap you on the shoulder and tell you not to listen to the conversation that was about to take place, OďŹƒcial Secrets Act etc. At this point you began to listen, having previously ignored all speech coming from the back seat.You learnt not to listen, there was little intelligent conversation worth listening to, more like children shouting in the playground, and always a bully with the loudest voice. Since then I've had very little interest in politics or politicians except when decisions are made about the welfare and protection of our of animals. I've heard Boris Johnson is planning to remove the ban on Fox hunting? Fox hunting has never stopped since Tony Blair brought in the ban, which had so many loopholes you could drive through it with a horse and cart. Boris is also having serious talks with Welsh farmers, who we're told care so much about their animals, and are in a panic incase the export of their slaughter lambs to Europe is going to be aected. The farming industry as a whole is also in a panic for economic reasons. Who will buy their old unwanted breeding stock if they can no longer be shipped out for slaughter, which will almost certainly be by the Halal method, and will they still be able to export young calves for veal rearing in crates?
This has been banned in the UK, but we can still ship very young calves over to Europe to be incarcerated in crates for the duration of their short, miserable lives. We are importing frozen lamb meat from the other side of the world, mainly from New Zealand, and beef from Argentina and other parts of the world, where it's understood welfare standards in some areas are particularly poor. None of this Reg Charity: 702287
seems to make sense, unless it's a case of "you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours"? These animals have less care taken of them than any other product that we export, that's what farm animals are, another product from another industry. These animals can be thrown around, hit, kicked, denied water, forced into cramped lorries and ships, and most of them survive, the bruises don't show until after they're dead. Eggs are treated with great care, for obvious reasons, while hens are swung around and packed into tiny crates.
Every other product that we export, cars, white goods, vegetables, clothing etc etc has to be carefully packaged, handled with care, the slightest damage will mean that they'll be rejected and money will be lost. Although vegetarianism and veganism is on the rise, the welfare of our animals, who have been recognised as sentient beings for many years, seems to be falling behind with less protection from the Law than before. All the farm animal sanctuaries I know of are constantly struggling for funds, including ourselves. Between us all we are caring for thousands of unwanted, abandoned, and ill treated animals, our reward is to know that they will never end their lives in a slaughterhouse, they will be treated with the care and compassion they deserve. We live with the constant worry of how we're going to pay for it? Farm animals really are at the bottom of the pile when it comes to raising funds to help them. These animals, and so many others like them, are who keep us going. They're the reason for getting up in the morning, caring for them makes you forget all your other worries, or give you new ones?
www.thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk
Patron: Joanna Lumley OBE
Summer Newsletter
August 2019
New Arrivals. Percy The Roadhog I mentioned earlier Percy the pig, who must be one of the luckiest pigs on the planet. Percy was found in a comatose state lying on the M42 motorway, bruised and battered but alive. He was carried over to the hard shoulder before he was run over by fast moving traďŹƒc. A Vet was called out to assess the damage, Percy's injuries were treated, he was given painkillers and taken back to the Highways depot for the night. There was doubt whether he would survive until morning, but survive he did. The next morning Percy, although a bit battered and bruised, was pronounced fit to travel. He was duly transported to us in grand style in an animal ambulance, normally used for injured horses. Percy retired to his straw filled pig ark, where he slept solidly for 24 hours. The next day he went out to explore his new surroundings, he honked and grunted as he pushed his way through the undergrowth, and then bliss, he found his wallow and his breakfast. He's the friendliest and happiest of pigs, the mystery is where did he come from and where was he going? No one reported they'd lost a pig, you can't lose a pig and not notice, he had no eartag or identification, which is against the Law, so there was only one destination open for Percy, an illegal slaughterhouse or backyard slaughter. He's a joy to have around, and now we've made it possible for people to adopt Percy, a brand new Percy Adoption Pack is available for just ÂŁ25, which includes a free visit and tour of the farm! A fantastic birthday or anniversary gift, Percy would be delighted to meet you!
Willy & Big Scruffy We don't only take in animals who are at risk, ill or have been abandoned, sometimes circumstances change for owners who have kept farm animals as pets. Even though parting with their animals is upsetting, most owners will take responsibility to make sure that the future for their animals is in safe hands, and are in a home for life. Two recent additions are Willy and Big Scruffy, two handsome Wiltshire Horn boys, both had previously been rescued as lambs. Their owner was having to downsize, her much loved boys were in need of another home for life. These boys had never lived as part of a flock, we were all Interested in how they'd feel as part of one of our small flocks, in new surroundings? After their quarantine period was over they were taken to one of the fields, where as expected they took it all in their stride, as sheep do. Our Little Scruffy, followed by lambs Dumbo and Lily, wandered over to have a look at the newcomers before they all got back to the serious business of eating grass. Another time, another place, that's what sheep do, they just get on with it.
Reg Charity: 702287
www.thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk
Patron: Joanna Lumley OBE
Summer Newsletter
August 2019
Added extras: Victoria:
Open Day
A bossy little middle aged hen named Victoria arrived next. Left on her own after her companion had died, we were told that Victoria had become depressed and lost her appetite, she was missing her friend. Victoria was give her own freshly painted accommodation, bed, breakfast and evening meal, nice views, all a depressed hen could wish for. Within days Victoria had abandoned her one up two down detached dwelling, preferring to squash herself into the commune across the yard with a mixed bunch of feathered friends.
Mimi: Mimi the turkey arrived shortly afterwards with her friend Helga the hen. Mimi had also lost her friend and was suffering with depression, although Helga the hen flew in clucking loudly and hasn't stopped since.
Yogi, Dopey, Tiny, & Tillie. Lastly, four healthy, Persil white lambs were brought to us, Yogi, Dopey, Tiny and Tillie. All four lambs were born on a commercial farm who kept 1000 breeding ewes. When lambing had finished they had over 180 orphan lambs who needed to be fed from automatic feeders. Four of those lambs were born with serious problems, without intensive individual care they had no chance of surviving. They found a carer, someone who cared for them 24 hours a day to give them all they needed to stay alive and thrive? They did survive and grew up into happy, healthy, confident, smiley, lucky little beings. Many farms don't have the time to give weak lambs the intensive and specialist care they need, also the cost of treating them makes it a non viable option. Reg Charity: 702287
www.thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk
As usual our Open Day will be on the first Sunday in September, which is the 1st. There will be stalls, talks, vegan food, vegan beer tent, raffle, tombola, and of course...the animals.
World Day for Farmed Animals - 5th Oct We will be opening up for the afternoon in support of World Day for Farmed Animals. A chance to meet some of our residents and chat to likeminded people.
Patron: Joanna Lumley OBE
Summer Newsletter
August 2019
Animal Updates: Very sadly we lost our little Feather, the lamb who came in in such poor condition, unable to stand or sit up. After Steph made a walking aid for him from a small dog lifting harness and a baby's walker he made great progress, he used to beam from ear to ear when he was able to stand up in his harness and walk along at great speed on his zip wire. After a very short illness we lost him, a post mortem showed his kidneys had failed, he had been born with an undetectable condition that was untreatable, he was a little hero, very much missed. Queenie, the ewe who came in with him, dirty, frightened, thin, with a badly infected hind leg is still being treated to save the leg. She's now a different ewe, she's clean, she's put on weight, she's friendly and enjoys going out into the paddock with the other sheep. It's going to take more time, patience and treatment to get her right, she's more than worth it.
Zero, the lively little terrier who was brought to us a few months ago, is still very much a crazy puppy. Zero wouldn't be alive today if a kind Veterinary practice hadn't taken her in as a very ill abandoned puppy. She was in need of urgent surgery to save her life, made possible by the Vet and staff who fundraised to pay for her ongoing treatment. She survived three operations, always came out smiling and was soon ready for rehoming. Just one small problem with one very small puppy, she was poo incontinent? Major dog rehoming organisations all advised having her put down, no one would ever want a permanently incontinent dog! Just the thought of her losing her life after all she'd been through was inconceivable, we were her one and only chance. She's the happiest, funniest, liveliest little dog, she wakes up happy and she goes to bed happy and she loves everybody, every home should have one. Reg Charity: 702287
www.thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk
Patron: Joanna Lumley OBE
Summer Newsletter
August 2019
Footnote: A short time ago I had a phone call from our local Skip company. They'd found a box with puppies inside in one of the skips.They were described as "very tiny, very very tiny, they'd never seen puppies as small as these?” I drove straight up to their yard, to be met by a group of people stood in a huddle staring into a small box. "They're very very small". I peered into the box. "Have you ever seen puppies as small as these?” "No, because they're mice". No fur, eyes closed, little pink wriggling bodies, known as Pinkies, very much alive but very much at risk. I took them straight to our local Wildlife Hospital, their only chance of survival. Fingers crossed for these tiny wriggling babies.
The weather has been good to us, we've bought in some nice straw and hay at a good price, there's plenty of grass out there, but our funds are quickly disappearing, we now have very little in reserve. Our ageing population of animals means higher Vets bills and higher feed bills, and we are in competition with all the major animal charities. We can't afford expensive advertising, we rely almost totally on people who feel as much compassion for farm animals as they do for companion animals and wild animals. The simple fact is that farm animals don't grow up wanting to lose their life when they're in their prime, just as our cats and dogs and horses don't wish that, no animals wish for that. Legacies keep Charities going, if you are thinking of making your Will, please take a moment to think about farm animals, they deserve a happy life also. We can’t thank you enough for your ongoing, and unwavering support. Stick with us, there’s over 600 furry, woolly and feathery faces out there that really, really appreciate you. Have you ever camped out and been visited by a flock of sheep and a friendly bullock in the middle of the night? Have you ever experienced a sheep trying to get into your sleeping bag? (Bertie). Have you ever woken up to find a bullock eating your cornflakes? (Shoveller). Now is your chance, places are going fast, don't hesitate! On the 24th of August we are holding our very first "Sheepover". If this event is successful and people aren't put off by sharing their sleeping bag with a fat woolly sheep, (probably Bertie) we'll certainly be holding it again, watch this space! Reg Charity: 702287
www.thefarmanimalsanctuary.co.uk
Patron: Joanna Lumley OBE